Paquito D'Rivera

Cuban-born, New Jersey-based saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Paquito D'Rivera has balanced a momentous career in Latin jazz with a celebrated vocation as a classical composer and soloist. A founding member of Irakere and Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra, he has issued more than 30 albums under his name and played on hundreds more. D'Rivera's sax tone is sweet, expressive, and resonant. He's recorded with some of the world's greatest musicians including Bebo Valdés, Yo Yo Ma, and Lalo Schifrin. Blowin', his post-defection debut, appeared in 1981. 1988's Celebration marked his attainment of U.S. citizenship. 1999's Tropicana Nights won a Grammy. 2002's Brazilian Dreams successfully wove jazz, Latin, and Brazilian sounds. He led an orchestra melding classical, jazz, and folk instrumentation on 2010's globally acclaimed Panamericana Suite. 2022's I Missed You Too! was recorded with former Irakere bandmate and pianist Chucho Valdés.