Paquito D’Rivera is a globally acclaimed Cuban-born saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, and author whose work bridges jazz, classical, and Latin traditions. A child prodigy, he began performing publicly at age seven and studied at the Alejandro G. Caturla Conservatory. He was a founding member of the Cuban Modern Music Orchestra and co-founded the groundbreaking band Irakere, blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, rock, and classical music.

After settling in the U.S., D’Rivera launched a prolific solo career, recording over 40 albums and founding several ensembles, including his Quintet, Chamber Jazz Ensemble, and Big Band. He was also a founding member of Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra, winning a Grammy with the group in 1991. Equally celebrated as a classical composer, D’Rivera’s works have been performed by the London Philharmonic, Yo-Yo Ma, and major orchestras worldwide. He won a Grammy for his composition Merengue (2004), and his catalog is published by Boosey & Hawkes. Among his many honors are the NEA Jazz Masters Award, National Medal of the Arts, and Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2023, he reunited with Chucho Valdés for the Latin Grammy-winning album I Missed You Too!, reaffirming his legacy as a boundary-breaking artist and musical ambassador.