Paquito D'Rivera


Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras, known as Paquito D'Rivera, is a Cuban-American alto saxophonist, clarinetist and composer. He was a member of the Cuban songo band Irakere 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 and classical music have become his trademarks.
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Early life

Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras was born on 4 June 1948 in Havana, Cuba. His father played classical saxophone, entertained his son with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman records and sold musical instruments. He took D'Rivera to clubs like the Tropicana and to concert bands and orchestras.
At age five, D'Rivera began saxophone lessons by his father Francisco Lorenzo Rivera Sanchez. 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 Irakere, 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" music that was officially discouraged in the 1960s/70s, and that a meeting with Che Guevara sparked his desire to leave Cuba. In early 1980, while on tour in Spain, 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' and Mariel.
In 2005, D'Rivera wrote a letter criticizing musician Carlos Santana for his decision to wear a T-shirt with the image of Che Guevara 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 and played with the National Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, Bronx Arts Ensemble, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, YOA Orchestra of the Americas, Costa Rica National Symphony, American Youth Philharmonic, and Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra.
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 Peruvian bassist Oscar Stagnaro, Argentinean 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 for the album Live at the Blue Note in 2001.

Personal life

D'Rivera resides in North Bergen, New Jersey. In 2001 D'Rivera purchased a $750,000 colonial-style home, which is located on Boulevard East, overlooking the Hudson River. In September 2023, he put the home up for sale for $1.75 million.

Honors and awards

Grammy Awards

Discography

As leader

Blowin Mariel Live at Keystone Korner Why Not! Explosion A Tribute to Cal Tjader Manhattan Burn Celebration Tico! Tico! Return to Ipanema Reunion Havana Cafe Who's Smoking?! La Habana-Rio-Conexion Paquito D'Rivera Presents 40 Years of Cuban Jam Session A Night in Englewood Portraits of Cuba Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild Hay Solucion 100 Years of Latin Love Songs Tropicana Nights Habanera The Clarinetist Volume One Brazilian Dreams Este Camino Largo The Lost Sessions Big Band Time The Jazz Chamber Trio Benny Goodman Revisited Quartier Latin Panamericana Suite Tango Jazz Song for Maura Jazz Meets the Classics Aires Tropicales Paquito & Manzanero
  • ''I Missed You Too!''

As sideman

With David AmramHavana/New York Latin Jazz Celebration
With Mario BauzaAfro-Cuban Jazz Tanga
With Soledad BravoMambembe Soledad Bravo
With CachaoMaster Sessions Volume I Master Sessions Volume II
With Caribbean Jazz ProjectThe Caribbean Jazz Project Island Stories The Gathering Mosaic
With Gloria EstefanMi Tierra Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
With Carlos FranzettiPrometheus New York Toccata
With Dizzy GillespieLive at the Royal Festival Hall To Bird with Love Bird Songs: The Final Recordings
With Conrad HerwigAnother Kind of Blue Sketches of Spain y Mas
With IrakereIrakere Chekere Son 2
With Yo-Yo MaObrigado Brazil Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert Appassionato Songs of Joy & Peace
With Herbie Mann65th Birthday Celebration America, Brasil
With Andy NarellThe Passage University of Calypso
With Daniel PonceNew York Now! Arawe
With Claudio RoditiRed on Red Milestones
With Lalo SchifrinMore Jazz Meets the Symphony Firebird: Jazz Meets the Symphony No. 3 Gillespiana in Cologne
With Bebo ValdésBebo Rides Again El Arte del Sabor Suite Cubana
With others