Attired in the snow-white robe and cap of a santero, Omar Sosa looks every bit the holy man while seated at the piano. This image is reinforced by the votive candle he keeps burning atop his instrument during performances. And though his music strives to communicate deeply held spiritual beliefs, he’s no ascetic.
“Look where I am!” the Cuban-born pianist says during a FaceTime conversation in mid-February, waving his smartphone about a seaside restaurant in Rome. With temperatures in the low 50s, it’s not exactly beach weather, but Sosa’s broad smile indicates he’s exactly where he wants to be. A waiter brings him a large glass of passito, an Italian dessert wine, and a dish of...