The son of the noted musician Bebo Valdes, Chucho began playing piano when he was three and by the time he was 16 he was leading his own group. In 1960 his father defected from Cuba but Chucho stayed behind. In 1967, he formed the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna and, in 1973, he founded Irakere, the top Cuban jazz orchestra; among its original... [+] Read More

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A superior if sometimes overlooked trumpeter (the Kenny Dorham of the 1990s), Claudio Roditi is a frequently exciting hard bop-oriented player. He came to the U.S. to study at Berklee (1970-1971) and gigged around the Boston area until moving to New York in 1976. Roditi played with Charlie Rouse and Herbie Mann, and most importantly, in the... [+] Read More

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Many of the top Cuban jazz musicians have played in Irakere during the past several decades, including altoist Paquito D'Rivera and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval (before both individually defected). Pianist Chucho Valdes has been the orchestra's longtime leader, and its music ranges from Latin jazz and bop to Cuban folk melodies, with an emphasis on... [+] Read More

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When Jon Faddis burst on the jazz scene as a teenager, observers were amazed by his technique and his ability to sound like an identical twin of Dizzy Gillespie (whose complex style had never been successfully duplicated before). After a period, he was typecast as a Dizzy imitator but Faddis' remarkable range (hitting higher notes than Gillespie... [+] Read More

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Led by Juan Formell, Los Van Van have become one of the most successful son groups in the world. To the Afro-Spanish sound of traditional Cuban music, Los Van Van have added a strong jazz emphasis. It is this fusion that has led to their popularity outside of Cuba and to a series of foreign record deals. They can be heard on Songo, Sandunguera,... [+] Read More

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Named for its charismatic leader, Elio Reve, Orquesta Reve mixes urban son with a very distinctive regional son variant (changui) that is indigenous to the Guantanamo region at the very eastern tip of Cuba. Changui uses percussion originally designed for religious ceremonies, which no doubt gives the music an added power and seriousness. Reve... [+] Read More

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Cuba-born and New York-based saxophonist and clarinet player, Paquito D'Rivera has balanced a career in Latin jazz with commissions as a classical composer and appearances with symphony orchestras. Classical New Jersey wrote, "whether playing Bach or post-bop, D'Rivera's mastery of the instruments and their expressive capabilities is... [+] Read More

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By virtue of his warm, flamboyant stage manner, longevity, constant touring, and appearances in the mass media, Tito Puente is probably the most beloved symbol of Latin jazz. But more than that, Puente managed to keep his music remarkably fresh over the decades; as a timbales virtuoso, he combined mastery over every rhythmic nuance with... [+] Read More

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Woody Shaw was one of the top trumpeters of the 1970s and '80s, a major soloist influenced by Freddie Hubbard but more advanced harmonically, who bridged the gap between hard bop and the avant-garde. Unfortunately, he never broke through to greater stardom (due partly to "personal problems" and failing eyesight) and his premature death from... [+] Read More

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