Cuban saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera has achieved success in both the jazz and
classical music forms with more than 30 solo albums that cross genres and
performances around the world with jazz ensembles and major orchestras. He
learned to play the saxophone as a child and later studied at the Havana
Conservatory of Music. After a stint as featured soloist with the Cuban National
Symphony Orchestra he teamed with pianist Chucho Valdés to establish the
Orchestra Cubana de Musica Moderna and then the Grammy Award-winning group
Irakere.
He defected from Cuba in 1981 and in New Yor...