Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of five after being inspired by Duke Ellington.

[2] In high school Ruiz studied jazz piano with Mary Lou Williams.

[4] On May 19, 2006, Ruiz was found unconscious on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where he had gone to shoot a video to promote a recently recorded project with M27 Records benefiting the victims of Hurricane Katrina entitled "Goin' Back to New Orleans".

Ruiz was hospitalized in a coma[5] and died without regaining consciousness a week after his 54th birthday.

With Marion Brown With Paquito D'Rivera With Greg Abate With Afro Blue Band With George Coleman With Art Davis With Chico Freeman With Dizzy Gillespie With Rahsaan Roland Kirk With Abbey Lincoln With Tisziji Munoz