Winner of two 2011 Latin GRAMMY® Awards for “Best Latin Jazz Album” and Best Classical Contemporary Composition.”
Cuban-born saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito’s performances transcend musical genres, where he is equally at home performing cool jazz, hot Latin sounds or even a classical concerto.

Background:
Born on the island of Cuba, Paquito D'Rivera began his career as a child prodigy. A restless musical genius during his teen years, Mr. D’Rivera created various original and ground-breaking musical ensembles. As a founding member of the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, he directed that group for two years, while at the same time playing both the clarinet and saxophone with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. He eventually went on to premiere several works by notable Cuban composers with the same orchestra. Additionally, he was a founding member and co-director of the innovative musical ensemble Irakere. With its explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classical and traditional Cuban music never before heard, Irakere toured extensively throughout America and Europe, won several Grammy nominations (1979, 1980) and a Grammy (1979).

Paquito D'Rivera's first recognition as a solo artist by The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) came in 1996 with the highly acclaimed recording Portraits of Cuba. Since then, Mr. D’Rivera has received many recognitions as an artist and composer, including two nominations for his most recent release, Jazz-ClaZZ (featuring Sabine Meyer and Trio Clarone).

Funk Tango, the first release of D’Rivera’s new label, Paquito Records, recently won his 9th GRAMMY for "Best Latin Jazz Album" in 2007. An 8th GRAMMY came in 2005 for Riberas, for "Best Classical Recording" with the Buenos Aires String Quartet. He also won a GRAMMY for "Best Instrumental Composition" in 2004 for his “Merengue” as performed by the distinguished cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In 2000, D'Rivera's Tropicana Nights received a GRAMMY. That same year, he received a nomination in the classical category for his Music of Two Worlds, featuring compositions by Schubert, Brahms, Guastavino, Villa Lobos, and Mr. D’Rivera himself. In 2001 the Latin Recording Academy awarded a GRAMMY for his Quintet’s recording of Live at the Blue Note along with a nomination in the Classical Crossover category for The Clarinetist Vol. I. In 2002, he won again as a guest artist on the Bebo Valdes Trio's recording El Arte Del Sabor.