Carli Muñoz

Carlos C. Muñoz, better known as Carli Munoz or Carli Muñoz (born October 16, 1948), is a self-taught American jazz and rock pianist.

Although born and raised in Puerto Rico, his music of choice was jazz, European avant-garde and American pop music. Among his early influences were ragtime, early American ballads, boogie woogie and classical music, especially that of Erik Satie and Edgard Varèse.

At age 16, Muñoz travelled to New York City with a rock band he co-founded with Jorge Calderon called The Living End, AKA: Space, which for 18 months served as a house band at a New York club. Muñoz later moved to Los Angeles, where he worked with Wilson Pickett, Jan and Dean, The Association, George Benson, Charles Lloyd, Chico Hamilton, Wayne Henderson, Les McCann, Peter Cetera and Evie Sands.

From 1970 through 1981, Muñoz toured with the Beach Boys, playing Hammond B3 and piano. Following his return to Puerto Rico in 1985, Muñoz stayed out of the spotlight. In December 1998, he opened a restaurant, Carli Cafe Concierto, where he performs jazz music. He often returns to the mainland to perform and record.

Recent CDs include Love Tales (piano solo); Both Sides Now, with bassist, Eddie Gómez, drummer Joe Chambers and flautist Jeremy Steig; Live at Carli's Vol. 1, Live at Carli's Vol 2 and Live at Carli's Vol 3, the first second and third of a live series recorded at Carli Cafe Concierto; and Maverick, with Eddie Gómez on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, Don Byron on clarinet and David Sánchez on tenor saxophone.

His latest release is a CD in the pop rock genre and the title is In My Soul, in memory of Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson, released in February 2013.