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Biography - Irakere summary page
Name: Irakere
Born: 1973
The name Irakere, which means 'forest', was the name of a drummer in Yoruba legend. Adopting this name for the band the musicians originally were pianist/musical director Chuco Valdez, saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, percussionist Oscar Valdes, guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales, trumpeter Jorge Varona, and drummer Enrique Pl. This pioneering Cuban jazz band became home for veterans of the Orquestra De Musica Moderna. They quickly established themselves as their country's leading attraction, fusing contemporary jazz, traditional Cuban song music, and African rhythms into an exciting new style of music typified by their 1974 hit, 'Bacalo Con Pan'. In 1978 after their superb performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, they became the first modern Cuban group to sign to a US recording company. In the 1980's, Sandoval and D'Rivera left the group and new stars were introduced such as flautist 'Jose Luis "Chico" Cortes]. Their acclaimed tours of the USA and Europe were not well received by the Cuban authorities. They have recorded for major labels such as Blue Note Records and Rounder Records, reaping several Grammy Awards along the way.
Paquito D'Rivera
Name: Paquito D'Rivera
Born: 4 Jun 1948
Origin: Havana, Cuba
Instruments: Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Paquito D'Rivera, although a proficient clarinet player is known as one of the great jazz saxophonists. He studied at the Havana Conservatory and joined in the 1970's unique avant garde jazz renaissance in Cuba. Paquito D'Rivera's father was a Cuban tenor saxophonist who once played with Benny Goodman. At the age of six, Paquito D'Rivera made his professional debut on soprano saxophone and at the age of twelve went to the same music conservatory as his later bandmate, Chucho Valdes. In 1965 these two musicians formed Orquestra De Musica Moderna. After a successful performance at the Warsaw Jazz Festival in 1970, Paquito D'Rivera and his band members decided to form Irakere. This band proved to one of the most influential bands in the history of Cuban music.
Arturo Sandoval
Name: Arturo Sandoval
Born: 6 Nov 1949
Origin: Artemisa, Cuba
Instruments: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Timbales
Arturo Sandoval is a jazz trumpeter and pianist. He was born in Artemisa, Cuba. While still in Cuba, he was obsessed with bebop recordings by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He finally met Gillespie in 1977. He promptly became a mentor and colleague, playing with Sandoval in concerts in Europe and Cuba and later featuring him in The United Nations Orchestra.
Biography - Jesus 'Chucho' Valdes summary page
Name: Jesus 'Chucho' Valdes
Nee: Jesús Valdés
Born: 9 Oct 1941
Origin: Quivican, Cuba
Instruments: Piano
Pianist Jesus "Chucho" Valdés was born on October 9, 1941 in the village of Quivican, to the south of Havana. The son of legendary Cuban pianist, Bebo Valdes, he revealed an immense musical talent at a very early age. During his formative years, Mr. Valdés's influences among pianists began with his father, and went on to encompass the diversity of the likes of Oscar Peterson, Ernesto Lecuona, Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, and many others. His resultant unique style has won him a place of honour in the hall of fame of Cuban pianists, shoulder to shoulder with Lecuona, Frank Emilio, Jorge Bolet, Zenaida Manfugas, Mario Romeu, Fernando Mulens, and Lily Martinez. During the early 1960's, he began recording albums of Chucho Valdés y su Combo, together with other important young musicians such as Carlos Emilio Morales, Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, Paquito D'Rivera, and Oscar Valdes. In 1967 they founded the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, and under the direction of Jesus Valdés, eight members of that orchestra went on to form Irakere. Since arriving in the United States four years ago, he has recorded "Jammin' in the Bronx' with the All-Star Latin Jazz Ensemble, recorded two albums as a leader, "Bele Bele en La Habana" (1998), and "Briyumba Palo Congo" (1999), and has recorded and toured with Roy Hargrove's Afro-Cuban jazz band, Crisol, which performed a free, outdoor concert in Central Park presented by Jazz at Lincoln Centre and Central Park Conservancy in 1997. Jesus Valdés also performed in a Jazz at the Penthouse solo piano concert in January 1998.
Name: Irakere
Born: 1973
The name Irakere, which means 'forest', was the name of a drummer in Yoruba legend. Adopting this name for the band the musicians originally were pianist/musical director Chuco Valdez, saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, percussionist Oscar Valdes, guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales, trumpeter Jorge Varona, and drummer Enrique Pl. This pioneering Cuban jazz band became home for veterans of the Orquestra De Musica Moderna. They quickly established themselves as their country's leading attraction, fusing contemporary jazz, traditional Cuban song music, and African rhythms into an exciting new style of music typified by their 1974 hit, 'Bacalo Con Pan'. In 1978 after their superb performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, they became the first modern Cuban group to sign to a US recording company. In the 1980's, Sandoval and D'Rivera left the group and new stars were introduced such as flautist 'Jose Luis "Chico" Cortes]. Their acclaimed tours of the USA and Europe were not well received by the Cuban authorities. They have recorded for major labels such as Blue Note Records and Rounder Records, reaping several Grammy Awards along the way.
Paquito D'Rivera
Name: Paquito D'Rivera
Born: 4 Jun 1948
Origin: Havana, Cuba
Instruments: Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Paquito D'Rivera, although a proficient clarinet player is known as one of the great jazz saxophonists. He studied at the Havana Conservatory and joined in the 1970's unique avant garde jazz renaissance in Cuba. Paquito D'Rivera's father was a Cuban tenor saxophonist who once played with Benny Goodman. At the age of six, Paquito D'Rivera made his professional debut on soprano saxophone and at the age of twelve went to the same music conservatory as his later bandmate, Chucho Valdes. In 1965 these two musicians formed Orquestra De Musica Moderna. After a successful performance at the Warsaw Jazz Festival in 1970, Paquito D'Rivera and his band members decided to form Irakere. This band proved to one of the most influential bands in the history of Cuban music.
Arturo Sandoval
Name: Arturo Sandoval
Born: 6 Nov 1949
Origin: Artemisa, Cuba
Instruments: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Timbales
Arturo Sandoval is a jazz trumpeter and pianist. He was born in Artemisa, Cuba. While still in Cuba, he was obsessed with bebop recordings by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He finally met Gillespie in 1977. He promptly became a mentor and colleague, playing with Sandoval in concerts in Europe and Cuba and later featuring him in The United Nations Orchestra.
Biography - Jesus 'Chucho' Valdes summary page
Name: Jesus 'Chucho' Valdes
Nee: Jesús Valdés
Born: 9 Oct 1941
Origin: Quivican, Cuba
Instruments: Piano
Pianist Jesus "Chucho" Valdés was born on October 9, 1941 in the village of Quivican, to the south of Havana. The son of legendary Cuban pianist, Bebo Valdes, he revealed an immense musical talent at a very early age. During his formative years, Mr. Valdés's influences among pianists began with his father, and went on to encompass the diversity of the likes of Oscar Peterson, Ernesto Lecuona, Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, and many others. His resultant unique style has won him a place of honour in the hall of fame of Cuban pianists, shoulder to shoulder with Lecuona, Frank Emilio, Jorge Bolet, Zenaida Manfugas, Mario Romeu, Fernando Mulens, and Lily Martinez. During the early 1960's, he began recording albums of Chucho Valdés y su Combo, together with other important young musicians such as Carlos Emilio Morales, Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, Paquito D'Rivera, and Oscar Valdes. In 1967 they founded the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, and under the direction of Jesus Valdés, eight members of that orchestra went on to form Irakere. Since arriving in the United States four years ago, he has recorded "Jammin' in the Bronx' with the All-Star Latin Jazz Ensemble, recorded two albums as a leader, "Bele Bele en La Habana" (1998), and "Briyumba Palo Congo" (1999), and has recorded and toured with Roy Hargrove's Afro-Cuban jazz band, Crisol, which performed a free, outdoor concert in Central Park presented by Jazz at Lincoln Centre and Central Park Conservancy in 1997. Jesus Valdés also performed in a Jazz at the Penthouse solo piano concert in January 1998.