Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras (born 4 June 1948), known as Paquito D'Rivera, is a Cuban-American

alto saxophonist The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E, smaller tha ...

clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...

ist and composer. He was a member of the Cuban

songo Songo may refer to: * Songo music, a type of contemporary Cuban music originating in Havana * Songo people, of northern Angola * Songo-salsa, a style of music that blends Spanish rapping and hip hop beats with salsa music and songo * Songo.mn, an ...

band

Irakere Irakere (faux- Yoruba for "forest") is a Cuban band founded by pianist Chucho Valdés (son of Bebo Valdés) in 1973. They won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording in 1980 with their album ''Irakere''. Irakere was innovative in Afro-Cub ...

and, since the 1980s, he has established himself as a bandleader in the United States. His smooth saxophone tone and his frequent combination of

Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave (rhythm), clave, and Afro-Brazil ...

and

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

have become his trademarks.

Early life

Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras was born on 4 June 1948 in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

. His father played classical saxophone, entertained his son with

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

and

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

records and sold musical instruments. He took D'Rivera to clubs like the Tropicana (frequented by his musician friends and customers) and to concert bands and orchestras. At age five, D'Rivera began saxophone lessons by his father Francisco Lorenzo Rivera Sanchez (tito). In 1960, he attended Alejandro Garcia Caturla Conservatory of Music, where he learned saxophone and clarinet In 1965, he was a featured soloist with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. He and Valdés founded Orchestra Cubana de Música Moderna and then in 1973 the group

, which fused jazz, rock, classical, and Cuban music.

Defection

By 1980, D'Rivera had become dissatisfied with the constraints placed on his music in Cuba for many years. In an interview with ReasonTV, D'Rivera recalled that the Cuban communist government described jazz and rock and roll as "

imperialist Imperialism is the maintaining and extending of power over foreign nations, particularly through expansionism, employing both hard power (military and economic power) and soft power ( diplomatic power and cultural imperialism). Imperialism fo ...

" music that was officially discouraged in the 1960s/70s, and that a meeting with

Che Guevara Ernesto "Che" Guevara (14th May 1928 – 9 October 1967) was an Argentines, Argentine Communist revolution, Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and Military theory, military theorist. A majo ...

sparked his desire to leave Cuba. In early 1980, while on tour in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, he sought asylum with the American Embassy, leaving his wife and child and brother Enrique, who is also a saxophonist, behind, with a promise to bring them out of Cuba. He fulfilled that promise nine years later. Upon his arrival in the United States, D'Rivera found great support for him and his family. His mother, Maura, and his sister, Rosario, had left Cuba in 1968 and became US citizens. Maura had worked in the US in the fashion industry for many years, and Rosario had become a respected artist and entrepreneur. Paquito was introduced to the jazz scene at some prestigious clubs and concert halls in New York. He became something of a phenomenon after the release of his first two solo albums, ''Paquito Blowin' '' (June 1981) and ''Mariel'' (July 1982). In 2005, D'Rivera wrote a letter criticizing musician

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...

for his decision to wear a T-shirt with the image of

on it to the 2005 Academy Awards, citing Guevara's role in the execution of counter-revolutionaries in Cuba, including his own cousin.

Career

D'Rivera has performed in venues such as

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

and played with the

National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930 by cellist Hans Kindler, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The NSO regularly ...

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

London Philharmonic Orchestra The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is a British orchestra based in London. One of five permanent symphony orchestras in London, the LPO was founded by the conductors Thomas Beecham, Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 as a riv ...

Florida Philharmonic Orchestra The Florida Philharmonic Orchestra (or FPO, founded in 1985 as the Philharmonic Orchestra of Florida) was a symphony orchestra based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Sou ...

, Bronx Arts Ensemble,

Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra (PRSO) (''Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico'' in Spanish language, Spanish) a musical ensemble sponsored by the Government of Puerto Rico. It has 80 regular musicians from around the world performing a 52-we ...

YOA Orchestra of the Americas The Orchestra of the Americas (OA) is a symphony orchestra of ages 18 to 30, representing more than 25 countries of the Western Hemisphere. Leadership The orchestra is guided by Artistic Advisor Plácido Domingo and Music Director Carlos Miguel P ...

, Costa Rica National Symphony,

American Youth Philharmonic The American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYPO) are a group of youth orchestras in the Washington metropolitan area. The group consists of three full orchestras (the American Youth Philharmonic, Symphonic Orchestra, and Concert Orchestra), and ...

, and

Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela () is a Venezuelan orchestra. Named after the Venezuelan national hero Simón Bolívar, it was initially the apex of the nation's system of youth orchestras. By 2011, it was no longer officially ...

. Throughout his career in the United States, D'Rivera's albums have received reviews from critics and have hit the top of the jazz charts. His albums have shown a progression that demonstrates his extraordinary abilities in bebop, classical and Latin/Caribbean music. D'Rivera's expertise transcends musical genres as he is the only artist to ever have won Grammy Awards in both Classical and Latin Jazz categories. D'Rivera was a judge for the 5th and 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.

Paquito D'Rivera Quintet

The band backing D'Rivera consists of

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

vian bassist Oscar Stagnaro,

Argentinean Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...

trumpeter Diego Urcola, American drummer Mark Walker, and pianist Alex Brown. As a whole they are named the "Paquito D'Rivera Quintet" and under this name they were awarded the

Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album The Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists ...

for the album '' Live at the Blue Note'' in 2001.

Personal life

D'Rivera resides in

North Bergen North Bergen is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 63,361, an increase of 2,588 (+4.3%) from the 2010 census count of 60,773, ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. In 2001 D'Rivera purchased a $750,000 colonial-style home, which is located on

Boulevard East Boulevard East (officially John F. Kennedy Boulevard East, and sometimes referred to as JFK Boulevard East) is a two-way street, two-way, mostly two lane, scenic county road in the municipalities of Weehawken, New Jersey, Weehawken, West New Yor ...

, overlooking the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

. In September 2023, he put the home up for sale for $1.75 million.

Honors and awards

* 2003

Doctorate Honoris Causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

in Music,

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

* 2004 Clarinet of the Year Award,

Jazz Journalists Association The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA), founded in 1987, is an international organization of all types of media professionals who document, promulgate, or appreciate jazz. As of 2016, it has approximately 250 members, including professional journa ...

* 2005

NEA Jazz Masters The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the self-proclaimed highest honors that the United States bestows upo ...

* 2005

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...

* 2006 Clarinet of the Year, Jazz Journalists Association * 2007 Composer in Residence, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts * 2007 Fellowship Award for Music Composition, Guggenheim Foundation * 2007 Living Jazz Legend Award, The Kennedy Center and The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Series for Artistic Excellence * 2008 President's Award, International Association for Jazz Educators * 2012 Honorary Doctoral Degree,

State University of New York at Old Westbury The State University of New York at Old Westbury (SUNY at Old Westbury) is a public university in Old Westbury, New York, with portions in the neighboring town of Jericho, New York. It enrolls just over 5,000 students. History The State Unive ...

Grammy Awards

* 1979 ''Irakere'', Best Latin Recording –

22nd Annual Grammy Awards The 22nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 27, 1980, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1979. This year was notable for being the ...

* 1996 ''

Portraits of Cuba ''Portraits of Cuba'' is an album by Cuban musician Paquito D'Rivera, released through Chesky Records in 1996. In 1997, the album won D'Rivera the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz performance. Track listing # "La Bella Cubana" (White) – 5:14 ...

'' won Best Latin Jazz Performance –

39th Annual Grammy Awards The 39th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 26, 1997, at Madison Square Garden, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Babyface and the Beatles were the night's biggest winners, with 3 awards ...

* 2000 ''

Tropicana Nights Tropicana may refer to: Companies *Tropicana Entertainment, a former casino company that owned several Tropicana-branded casinos *Tropicana Products, a Chicago-based food company known for orange juice Hotels and nightclubs *Tropicana Casino & Re ...

'' won Best Latin Jazz Album – 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards * 2001 '' Live at the Blue Note'' – won Best Latin Jazz Album – 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards * 2003 ''Historia del Soldad'' won Best Classical Album – 4th Annual Latin Grammy Awards * 2003 '' Brazilian Dreams'' won Best Latin Jazz Album – 4th Annual Latin Grammy Awards * 2004 "Merengue" won

Best Instrumental Composition The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (including its previous names) has been awarded since 1960. The award is presented to the composer of an original piece of music (not an adaptation), first released during the eligibility year. I ...

–

47th Annual Grammy Awards The 47th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2005, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2004. They were hosted by Queen Lat ...

* 2008 '' Funk Tango'' won Best Latin Jazz Album –

50th Annual Grammy Awards The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 10, 2008. It honored musical achievement of 2007 in which albums were released between October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. The primary ceremonie ...

* 2011 '' Panamericana Suite'' won Best Classical Contemporary Composition - 12th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards * 2011 ''Panamericana Suite'' won Best Latin Jazz Album – 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards * 2013 ''Song For Maura'' won Best Latin Jazz Album, Paquito D'Rivera with Trio Corrente, 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards * 2014 ''Song for Maura'' won Best Latin Jazz Album, Paquito D'Rivera with Trio Corrente, 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards * 2015 ''Jazz Meets the Classics'' won Best Latin Jazz Album - 16th Annual Latin Grammy Awards * 2022 ''Latin Grammy Trustees Award'' from the 23rd Latin Recording Academy * 2023 ''Concerto Venezolano'' won Best Contemporary Classical Composition from the 24th Annual Latin Grammys Awards * 2023 ''I Missed You Too!'' won Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album at the 24th Latin Grammys Awards

Discography

As leader

* ''Blowin'' (Columbia, 1981) * ''Mariel'' (Columbia, 1982) * ''Live at Keystone Korner'' (Columbia, 1983) * ''Why Not!'' (Columbia, 1984) * ''Explosion'' (Columbia, 1986) * ''A Tribute to Cal Tjader'' (Yemaya, 1986) * ''Manhattan Burn'' (Columbia, 1987) * ''Celebration'' (Columbia, 1988) * ''Tico! Tico!'' (Chesky, 1989) * ''Return to Ipanema'' (Town Crier, 1989) * ''Reunion'' (Messidor, 1991) * ''Havana Cafe'' (Chesky, 1992) * ''Who's Smoking?!'' (Candid, 1992) * ''La Habana-Rio-Conexion'' (Messidor, 1992) * ''Paquito D'Rivera Presents 40 Years of Cuban Jam Session'' (Messidor, 1993) * ''A Night in Englewood'' (Messidor, 1994) * ''

'' (Chesky, 1996) * ''Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild'' (MCG, 1997) * ''Hay Solucion'' (BMG, 1998) * ''100 Years of Latin Love Songs'' (Heads Up, 1998) * ''Tropicana Nights'' (Chesky, 1999) * ''Habanera'' (Enja, 2000) * ''The Clarinetist Volume One'' (Peregrina, 2001) * ''Brazilian Dreams'' (MCG, 2002) * ''Este Camino Largo'' (Yemaya, 2002) * ''The Lost Sessions'' (Yemaya, 2002) * ''Big Band Time'' (Pimienta, 2003) * ''The Jazz Chamber Trio'' (Chesky, 2005) * ''Benny Goodman Revisited'' (Connector, 2009) * ''Quartier Latin'' (LKY, 2009) * '' Panamericana Suite'' (MCG Jazz, 2010) * ''Tango Jazz'' (Paquito, 2010) * ''Song for Maura'' (Sunnyside/Paquito, 2013) * ''Jazz Meets the Classics'' (Paquito, 2014) * ''Aires Tropicales'' (Sunnyside/Paquito, 2015) * ''Paquito & Manzanero'' (Sunnyside/Paquito, 2016) * ''I Missed You Too!'' (Sunnyside/Paquito Records, 2022)

As sideman

With Diego Urcola Quartet * ''El Duelo'' (Sunnyside, 2020) With

David Amram David Werner Amram III (born November 17, 1930) is an American composer, arranger, and conductor of orchestral, chamber, and choral works, many with jazz flavorings.

* ''Havana/New York'' (Flying Fish, 1978) * ''Latin Jazz Celebration'' (Elektra Musician, 1983) With

Mario Bauza Mario (; ) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the '' Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the '' Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintend ...

* ''Afro-Cuban Jazz'' (Caiman, 1986) * ''Tanga'' (Messidor, 1992) With

Caribbean Jazz Project Caribbean Jazz Project was a Latin jazz band founded in 1993. The original group featured Dave Samuels, Paquito D'Rivera, and Andy Narell. After their second album, D'Rivera and Narell left the group, although both returned as guest stars. Under ...

* ''The Caribbean Jazz Project'' (Heads Up, 1995) * ''Island Stories'' (Heads Up, 1997) * ''The Gathering'' (Concord Picante, 2002) * ''Mosaic'' (Concord Picante, 2006) With

Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...

* ''Mi Tierra'' (Epic, 1993) * ''Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me'' (Epic, 1994) With

Carlos Franzetti Carlos Alberto Franzetti (born June 3, 1948) is an Argentine-American composer and arranger. Early life Franzetti was born on June 3, 1948, in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Carlos Osvaldo Franzetti and Beatriz Julia Elena DeGiacomo de Franzetti. H ...

* ''Prometheus'' (Audiophile, 1984) * ''New York Toccata'' (Verve, 1985) With

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

* '' Live at the Royal Festival Hall'' (Enja, 1990) * '' To Bird with Love'' (Telarc, 1992) * '' Bird Songs: The Final Recordings''(Telarc, 1997) With

Conrad Herwig Lee Conrad Herwig III (born November 1, 1959) is an American jazz trombonist from New York City. Biography Herwig began his career in Clark Terry's band in the early 1980s and has been a featured member in the Joe Henderson Sextet, Tom Harrell's ...

* ''Another Kind of Blue'' (Half Note, 2004) * ''Sketches of Spain y Mas'' (Half Note, 2006) With

* ''Irakere'' (Columbia, 1979) * ''Chekere Son'' (JVC, 1979) * ''2'' (Columbia, 1979) With

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is a French-born American Cello, cellist. Born to Chinese people, Chinese parents in Paris, he was regarded as a child prodigy there and began to study the cello with his father at age four. At the age of seven, ...

* ''Obrigado Brazil'' (Sony Classical, 2003) * ''Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert'' (Sony Classical, 2004) * ''Appassionato'' (Sony Classical, 2007) * ''Songs of Joy & Peace'' (Sony Classical, 2008) With

Andy Narell Andy Narell (born March 18, 1954) is an American jazz steel pannist, composer and producer. Biography Narell took up the steelpan at a young age in Queens, New York. His father, who was a social worker, had started a program of steelpan playing ...

* ''The Passage'' (Heads Up, 2004) * ''University of Calypso'' (Heads Up, 2009) With

Daniel Ponce Daniel Ponce (July 21, 1953 – March 14, 2013) was a Cuban-American jazz percussionist. He was born in Havana, Cuba, and Ponce played locally in Havana from age 11, and played percussion in a group called Watusi. He was exiled from Cuba in 198 ...

* ''New York Now!'' (Celluloid, 1983) * ''Arawe'' (Antilles, 1987) With

Claudio Roditi Claudio Roditi (May 28, 1946 – January 17, 2020) was a Brazilian jazz trumpeter. In 1966 Claudio was named a trumpet finalist at the International Jazz Competition in Vienna, Austria. While in Vienna, Roditi met Art Farmer, one of his idols, an ...

* ''Red on Red'' (CTI, 1984) * ''Milestones'' (Candid, 1992) With

Lalo Schifrin Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Music of Latin America, Lati ...

* '' More Jazz Meets the Symphony'' (Atlantic, 1994) * '' Firebird: Jazz Meets the Symphony No. 3'' (Four Winds, 1996) * ''Gillespiana in Cologne'' (Aleph, 1998) With

Bebo Valdés Dionisio Ramón Emilio Valdés Amaro (October 9, 1918 – March 22, 2013), better known as Bebo Valdés, was a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger. He was a central figure in the golden age of Cuban music, especially due to his big ...

* ''Bebo Rides Again'' (Messidor, 1995) * ''

El Arte del Sabor ''El Arte del Sabor'' (literally ''The Art of Flavor'') is a jazz album by the Bebo Valdés Trio released in 2001 by Blue Note Records. It was recorded and mixed in New York's Current Sounds studios during March 2000. The album features Bebo Valdé ...

'' (Blue Note, 2001) * ''Suite Cubana'' (Calle 54, 2009) With others *

Alex Acuña Alejandro Neciosup Acuña (born December 12, 1944), known professionally as Alex Acuña, is a Peruvian–American jazz drummer and percussionist. He has also worked as an educator at University of California, Los Angeles, and Berklee College of ...

Eva Ayllón Eva María Angélica Ayllón Urbina (born February 7, 1956), better known by her stage name Eva Ayllón, is a female composer and singer, one of Peru's foremost Afro-Peruvian musicians, and one of the country's most enduring living legends. She ...

, ''To My Country'' (Nido, 2002) *

Sergio Assad Sergio may refer to: * Sergio (name), for people with the given name Sergio * Sergio (carbonado), the largest rough diamond ever found * Sergio, the mascot for the Old Orchard Beach Surge Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungar ...

, ''Dances from the New World'' (GHA, 2013) *

Andres Boiarsky Andres or Andrés may refer to: *Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US *Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France *Andres (name) *Hurricane Andres * "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7 See also ...

, ''Into the Light'' (Reservoir, 1997) *

Soledad Bravo Soledad Bravo (born January 1, 1943) is a Venezuelan singer. Born in Logroño, La Rioja, Spain, her father was a Spanish republican, moving to Venezuela with his family when his daughter was still at an early age. At 24, Soledad began studying ...

, ''Mambembe'' (Top Hits, 1983) * Soledad Bravo, ''Soledad Bravo'' (Sono-Rodven, 1985) *

Jeanie Bryson Jeanie Bryson (born March 10, 1958) is an American singer who sings a combination of jazz, pop, and Latin music. Her repertoire is based on jazz and pop standards from the Great American Songbook, Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington. Life and career ...

, ''Tonight I Need You So'' (Telarc, 1994) *

Cachao Israel López Valdés (September 14, 1918 – March 22, 2008), better known as Cachao ( ), was a Cuban double bassist and composer. Cachao is widely known as the co-creator of the mambo (music), mambo and a master of the descarga (improvised ...

, ''Master Sessions Volume I'' (Sony, 1994) * Cachao, ''Master Sessions Volume II'' (Epic, 1995) *

Michel Camilo Michel Camilo (born April 4, 1954) is a Dominican pianist and composer. He specializes in jazz, Latin and classical piano work. Background and career Camilo was born into a musical family and as a young child showed aptitude for the accordion ...

, ''

One More Once ''One More Once'' is a 1994 album by the Latin jazz pianist Michel Camilo. Track listing #"One More Once" (Michel Camilo) – 4:50 #"Why Not!" (Michel Camilo) – 6:42 #"The Resolution" (Michel Camilo) – 3:30 #"Suite Sandrine, Pt. 3" (Miche ...

'' (Columbia, 1994) *

Valerie Capers Valerie Capers (born May 24, 1935) is an American pianist and composer who is best known for her contributions in jazz. Early life Capers was born in New York City to a musical family that introduced her to classical and jazz music. Her father w ...

, ''Come on Home'' (Sony, 1995) *

Ana Caram Ana Lucia Ribeiro Caram (born 1 October 1958) is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and flautist who sings jazz, samba, and bossa nova music. Caram was born in São Paulo to a family versed in musical expression. She graduated from São Paulo Univers ...

, ''Rio After Dark'' (Chesky, 1989) *

Regina Carter Regina Carter (born August 6, 1966) is an American jazz violinist. She is the cousin of jazz saxophonist James Carter. Early life Carter was born in Detroit and was one of three children in her family. She began piano lessons at the age of t ...

, ''I'll Be Seeing You'' (Verve 2006) *

Ed Cherry Edward E. Cherry Jr. (October 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and studio musician. Cherry is perhaps best known for his long association with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, with whom he performed from 1978 until shortly before Gillespie's d ...

, ''First Take'' (Groovin' High 1993) *

Anat Cohen Anat Cohen (; ; born 1975) is a New York City-based jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader from Tel Aviv, Israel. Biography Cohen was born into a musical family and began playing the clarinet at age 12 with Jaffa Conservatory’s Dixiel ...

, ''Claroscuro'' (Anzic, 2012) * Richie Cole, ''Kush'' (Heads Up, 1995) *

Chris Connor Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009), was an American jazz singer. Biography Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Sh ...

, ''Classic'' (Contemporary, 1987) *

Hilario Durán Hilario Durán (born 1953, Havana) is a Cuban-Canadian jazz pianist. Durán studied at ''Conservatorio "Amadeo Roldán"'' Amadeo Roldan Music Institute in Havana, studying tumbao with Evaristo Aparicio, composition and conducting from German ...

, ''From the Heart'' (Alma, 2006) *

Sui Generis ( , ) is a Latin phrase that means "of its/their own kind" or "in a class by itself", therefore "unique". It denotes an exclusion to the larger system an object is in relation to. Several disciplines use the term to refer to unique entities. ...

, ''Sinfonias Para Adolescentes'' (2000) *

Giovanni Hidalgo Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" (born November 22, 1963) is a Latin jazz percussionist. Early years Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he received his primary education. His grandfather was a musician, and his father, José ...

, ''Villa Hidalgo'' (Messidor, 1992) *

Levon Ichkhanian Levon Ichkhanian (born May 16, 1964) is an Armenian-Lebanese guitarist. Career The son of Armenian jazz pianist Edouard Ichkhanian, he was born on May 16, 1964, and moved with his family from Lebanon to Toronto, Ontario, when he was 12. In his te ...

, ''After Hours'' (Jazz Heritage Society 1996) *

Denise Jannah Denise Johanna Zeefuik (born 7 November 1956) is a Dutch jazz singer. She made her debut at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1991. Two years later she won her first of two Edison Music Awards with her second album ''"A Heart Full of Music"'' (199 ...

, ''I Was Born in Love with You'' (Blue Note, 1995) *

Dana Leong Dana Leong is a 2011 Latin Grammy Award Winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, US Ambassador of Music, adventurer, philanthropist & entrepreneur from the San Francisco Bay Area, who is known for mixing elements of traditional instrum ...

, ''Leaving New York'' (Tateo Sound 2006) *

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz Flute, flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet ...

, ''65th Birthday Celebration'' (Lightyear, 1997) *

, ''America, Brasil'' (Lightyear, 1997) * Raul Midon, ''A World Within a World'' (Manhattan, 2007) *

Michael Philip Mossman Michael Philip Mossman (born October 12, 1959) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career Mossman's early career included a tour of Europe with Anthony Braxton in 1978 and tours with Roscoe Mitchell in the early 1980s. He also did session work in the ...

, ''The Orisha Suite'' (Connector, 2001) *

Chico O'Farrill Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921 – June 27, 2001) was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces ...

, ''Heart of a Legend'' (Milestone, 1999) *

Makoto Ozone is a Japanese jazz pianist. Career Ozone was born in Kobe, Japan. He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father, himself a pianist and club owner in Kobe, from 1968 to 1970. At ...

, ''Live & Let Live'' (Verve, 2011) *

Rosa Passos Rosa Passos (; born April 13, 1952) is a Brazilian singer and guitarist. Passos began playing piano at age thirteen, but after listening to Dorival Caymmi and João Gilberto she abandoned the instrument to become a singer. In the late 1960s, she ...

, ''Amorosa'' (Sony Classical, 2004) *

Oscar Peñas Oscar Peñas Cambray (born August 13, 1972) is a jazz bandleader and composer-guitarist. He has been living in New York since 2007. Biography Oscar Peñas is a composer and guitarist born in Barcelona, Spain. He is known for leading small ensem ...

, ''Music of Departures and Returns'' (Musikoz, 2014) *

Roberto Perera Roberto Perera (born 1952) is an Uruguayan jazz harpist, in the smooth jazz and fusion styles. Born in 1952 in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, Perera was barely 12 years old when his mother enrolled him in a music conservatory where he s ...

, ''Seduction'' (Heads Up, 1994) *

Astor Piazzolla Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla (, ; March 11, 1921 – July 4, 1992) was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger. His works revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed '' nuevo tango'', incorporating elements fr ...

, ''The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night'' (American Clave, 1988) *

Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – May 31, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. He was also k ...

, ''Live at the Village Gate'' (Bellaphon, 1993) *

Bobby Sanabria Bobby Sanabria (born June 2, 1957) is an American drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, documentary film producer, educator, activist, radio show host, and writer of Puerto Rican descent who specializes in jazz and Latin jazz. Biography S ...

, ''New York City Ache!'' (Flying Fish, 1993) *

Bernardo Sassetti Bernardo da Costa Sassetti Pais (24 June 1970 – 10 May 2012) was a Portuguese jazz pianist and film composer. Life and career Sassetti was born in Lisbon. He was a great-grandson of Sidónio Pais, President of the First Republic. He init ...

, ''Salsetti'' (West Wind, 2000) *

Omar Sosa Omar Sosa (born April 10, 1965) is a jazz pianist from Cuba. Biography A native of Camagüey, Cuba, Sosa studied percussion at the Escuela Nacional de Musica and Instituto Superior de Arte. In the 1980s he started the band Tributo, recording albu ...

, ''Mulatos'' (Ota 2004) *

Janis Siegel Janis Siegel (born July 23, 1952) is a multiple grammy-winning American jazz singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Musical career In 1965, Siegel made her recording debut with a group called Young Generation ...

, ''Experiment in White'' (Wounded Bird, 2002) *

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American Swing music, swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948� ...

, ''Live at the Village Gate'' (Chesky, 1991) *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...

, '' La Leyenda de La Hora'' (Columbia, 1981) *

Turtle Island String Quartet The Turtle Island Quartet is a string quartet that plays hybrids of jazz, classical, and rock music. The group was formed in 1985 by David Balakrishnan, Darol Anger, and Mark Summer in San Francisco. They released their first album on Windham H ...

, ''Danzon'' (Koch, 2005) * Nancy Wilson, '' R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)'' (MCG, 2004)

References

External links

Biography
at official website
Paquito D'Rivera
at Boosey & Hawkes
Discography
at official website {{DEFAULTSORT:D'Rivera, Paquito 1948 births Living people 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century clarinetists 20th-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century clarinetists 21st-century American saxophonists American jazz clarinetists American jazz composers American male jazz composers American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz musicians American jazz bandleaders Afro-Cuban jazz clarinetists Afro-Cuban jazz composers Afro-Cuban jazz saxophonists Chesky Records artists Cuban emigrants to the United States Cuban exiles Cuban jazz bandleaders Cuban jazz composers Cuban jazz saxophonists Jazz clarinetists Cuban clarinetists Grammy Award winners Latin jazz clarinetists Latin jazz composers Latin jazz saxophonists Latin Grammy Award winners Musicians from Havana People from North Bergen, New Jersey United States National Medal of Arts recipients Caribbean Jazz Project members Irakere members The Blackout All-Stars members NEA Jazz Masters