Chucho Valdés: Irakere 50
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Legendary Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Valdés returns to the Arsht Center on Friday, February 9 to honor the 50th anniversary of Irakere, his groundbreaking Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble. Fellow luminary Arturo Sandoval will be joining Valdés on stage. Known for his mastery of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn, Sandoval is equally skilled on the piano, timbales, vocals, and keyboard. His diverse repertoire spans Afro-Cuban Jazz, Be Bop, straight-ahead Jazz and beyond.
With its daring fusion of Afro-Cuban ritual music, Cuban dance rhythms, jazz, classical melodies, and rock influences, Irakere left an indelible mark on the evolution of Latin jazz. The ensemble's eponymous debut album in the United States earned them a Grammy for Best Latin Recording in 1979. In 2015, Valdés celebrated Irakere's four decades of musical excellence with a global tour. The live recording of one of those performances, titled Tribute to Irakere: Live at Marciac, won a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2016.
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