Francisco de Jesús Rivera Figueras

Cuban jazz musician, clarinetist and alto, tenor and soprano saxophonist. Passionate about both jazz and classical music, one of the main objectives of his work is to make the former an integral part of the latter.

Paquito D'Rivera was a child prodigy when he began his musical studies at age five under the tutelage of his father, saxophonist and Cuban orchestra director Tito D'Rivera. At age six he was already performing in public, and at seven years old, he became the youngest member of the group to play an instrument, when he signed a contract with the famous musical instrument manufacturer Selmer.

The artist himself recalls: "My father was a saxophonist retired from the military, who imported the classical school of the Paris Conservatory from France. He studied his instrument 26 hours a day, and he used to say that I would sit next to him on a little chair with a small plastic saxophone, imitating him." (...) "At age 5, since he had a small office importing musical instruments that brought, among other things, Selmer saxophones from Paris, he ordered a little saxophone for me, taught me to play it, and a year later he presented me with the saxophone quintet of the Cosmopolita orchestra at an end-of-year school party at the Emilia Azcárate school, in my neighborhood, Marianao".

In 1958, when he was barely ten years old, D'Rivera performed at the National Theater of Havana, leaving both the public and critics astounded.

He entered the Conservatory of Havana at age twelve to study clarinet, composition, consonance, and "everything else". In 1965, D'Rivera at only 19 years old, now an accomplished virtuoso of clarinet and saxophone, performed for the first time as a soloist with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba, in a nationally televised concert.

That same year, D'Rivera and pianist Chucho Valdés founded the famous Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, of which he was director for just over two years. Eight of the youngest and most adventurous musicians of the Orchestra joined three other musicians to form Irakere, whose explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classical music and traditionally Cuban music had never been heard before.

The recent emergence of Cuban music and musicians on the international scene and their massive subsequent establishment in recitals, concerts and various recordings, as well as the film exposure that many of them have had in films such as Buena Vista Social Club, Calle 54 or The Kings of Mambo, has been decisive in allowing music to transcend the Island of Cuba and its musicians to become known throughout the world. No one doubts that among those great musicians is Paquito D'Rivera, one of the great standard-bearers of this movement and one of those responsible for its establishment.

After founding the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music in 1965 with Chucho Valdés and later the aforementioned group Irakere, with which they caused a sensation at the Newport and Montreux festivals (1978).

In 1981, D'Rivera, during a tour through Spain, requested asylum at the American embassy, leaving his wife and children on the island. His mother Maura and his sister Rosario had left Cuba in 1968 and were already American citizens. His son Franco lives in Miami, Florida.

Paquito was helped by numerous people such as Dizzy Gillespie, David Amram, Mario Bauza and Bruce Lundvall and quickly earned the respect of the jazz music community. His fame was consolidated with the publication of his first two solo albums, Paquito Blowin in June 1981 and Mariel in July of the following year, as well as by an article in Time magazine and performing on CBS Sunday Morning.

He then began his collaboration with great musicians such as Arturo Sandoval, Roditi, Michel Camilo and rescued from obscurity Bebo Valdés, a pianist and father of Chucho Valdés, who would achieve great success in the early years of the 21st century with his album "Lágrimas Negras" alongside flamenco singer Diego "El Cigala".

D'Rivera collaborated with many other groups, such as those founded by him; Paquito D'Rivera Big Band, the Paquito D'Rivera Quintet, with which he played respectively jazz and chamber music, his two great passions, Triángulo, of calypso and salsa or the Caribbean Jazz Project.

He also worked as a soloist and with other bands, such as when in 1988 he performed as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra. He also began composing for other groups such as the Gerald Danovich Saxophone Quartet and the Aspen Wind Quintet. In addition to his work as a performer, D'Rivera is a notable composer of both jazz and classical music. Among his most famous compositions are Gran Danzón for the Rotterdam Philharmonic and premiered in 2002 at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, Panamericana Suite, premiered in 2000 at Lincoln Center in New York or Rivers, premiered by the New Jersey Chamber Music Society. His compositions are published exclusively by Boosey and Hawkes.

He has collaborated with numerous musicians from diverse genres such as the Ying Quartet, Turtle Island String Quartet, cellist Mark Summer, pianist Alon Yavnai, or Yo-Yo Ma. He is a member of the Alon Yavnai-Paquito D'Rivera Duet and the Jazz Chamber Trio.

Among the numerous awards and recognitions he has received throughout his career, seven Grammys stand out in various years, an honorary doctorate in music from Berklee College of Music and the national medal of the arts of the United States. He currently continues to perform regularly with the bands he founded and collaborates with orchestras around the world.

He recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Lalo Schifrin, and in 1995 for the first time with the Caribbean Jazz Project; shortly after he wins the Grammy for his album "Portraits of Cuba". He has collaborated with Eddie Gómez, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Mann, Tito Puente, Astor Piazzolla, etc.

Married to singer Brenda Feliciano. He directs the International Jazz Festival of El Tambo in Uruguay every year. In 2000 he published a book of memoirs in Spain titled Mi vida saxual (ISBN: 8432208485, ISBN-13: 9788432208485), published by Seix Barral with a prologue by Guillermo Cabrera Infante. He has also published a novel: Oh! La Habana (MT Editores, ISBN: 9788496106208) which recounts the artistic atmosphere of Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. The musician has expressed his desire to return to perform in his homeland.

Discography

1978-79 Irakere, CBS Lp35655
1979 Havana Jam, CBS Lp Pc2/36053 (incorrectly labeled as "P. Rivera")
1981 God Rest Ye Merry Jazzmen, CBS Lp37551, D'Rivera guest on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
1981 Paquito D'Rivera, Blowin', CBS Fc37374
1982 Mariel, CBS Fc38177
1983 The Young Lions, Elektra/Musicians 60*196 (collaboration)
1983 Paquito D'Rivera, Live At The Keystone Korner, CBS Fc38899
1984 Paquito D'Rivera, Why Not!, CBS Fc39584
1985 Explosion, CBS Jz*20038
1987 Paquito D'Rivera, Manhattan Burn, CBS Fc40583
1987 Le Quatuor de Saxophones (Gerald Danovitch Saxophone Quartet), CBC (Collaboration)
1988 Paquito D'Rivera, Celebration, CBS C44077
1989 If Only You Knew Victor Mendoza, L&R Records Cdlr450*19 (collaboration)
1989 Libre-Echange Free Trade/Gerald Danovitch Saxophone Quartet, Cbc Jazzimage 2-0118
1989 Paquito D'Rivera, Tico Tico, Chesky Records Jd34
1989 Return To Ipanema, Town Crier Tcd516 (reissued by Town Crier as Paquito D'Rivera)
1989 Live At Royal Festival Hall, Dizzy Gillespie & The United Nation Orchestra, Enja Rz 79658 (Usa: Mesa/Blue Moon 79658) (collaboration)
1989 Autumn Leaves-Severi Comes (Severi Pyysalo), Selecta (Collaboration)
1990 Live At Birdland, Claudio Roditi, Candid 79515
1991 Reunion/Paquito D'Rivera Featuring Arturo Sandoval, Messidor Cd-15805-2, reissued in 2004 Pimienta Records 245 360 610-2
1991 Havana Cafe, Chesky Records Jd60
1992 Paquito D'Rivera, Who's Smokin'?!, with James Moody, Candid Ccd79523
1992 La Habana-Rio Conexión (The Havana-Rio Connection) Messidor 158*20-2
1993 Paquito D'Rivera Presents 40 Years Of Cuban Jam Session, Messidor 15826-2
1994 Paquito D'Rivera & The United Nation Orchestra/A Night In Englewood, Messidor 15829-2
1995 The Caribbean Jazz Project Artists: Paquito D'rivera/Dave Samuels/Andy Narell Heads Up International Hucd 3033/Humc 3033
1995 Achango's Dance (Caribbean Jazz Project), Heads Up International
1996 Messidor's Finest Volume 1 Paquito D'Rivera, Messidor 15841-2 (compilation album)
1995 The Caribbean Jazz Project, Artists: Paquito D'Rivera/Dave Samuels/Andy Narell, Heads Up International Hucd 3033/Humc 3033
1996 First Take (Groovin' High), Ed Cherry (France) A Division Of Polygram, D'Rivera plays on "Achango's Dance"
1996 Messidor's Finest Volume 1 Paquito D'Rivera, Messidor 15841-2, (compilation album)
1996 Cuban Jazz RMM (Collaboration)
1996 Portraits Of Cuba Paquito D'Rivera, Chesky Records Jd145
1996 Island Stories (Caribbean Jazz Project), Heads Up International (Collaboration)
1997 Paquito D'Rivera Chamber Music From The South, with the participation of Pablo Zinger and Gustavo Tavares, recorded in Rio De Janeiro, Brasil Mix House Mh0002
1997 Pixinguinha 100 Años/Alfredo Da Rocha Vianna Filho, recorded live at the Centro Cultural Banco Do Brasil, January 1997, D'Rivera appears as a guest artist on "Naquele Tempo" and "Um A Zero"
1997 Caribbean Jazz Project Island Stories/Paquito D'Rivera/Dave Samuels/Andy Narell, Heads Up Hucd3039
1997 Robert Baksa, For Winds, Bronx Arts Ensemble, D'Rivera plays on "Alto Sax Sonata", Newport Classic Npd85624
1997 Paquito D'Rivera & The United Nation Orchestra Live At Mcg, recorded live at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1997, Jazz Mcg1003 (Blue Jackel)
1998 Paquito D'Rivera 100 Years Of Latin Love Songs, Heads Up International Ltd. Inak 30452
1998 Música De Dos Mundos/Music From Two Worlds Paquito D'Rivera/Brenda Feliciano/Aldo Antognazzi, recorded in December 1998 in Argentina, Acqua Records Aq 012
1999 Paquito D'Rivera - Habanera, Absolute Ensemble/Kristjan Jarvi, Enja Records Enj-9395 2, recorded in September 1999 at Clinton Studio (collaboration)
1999 Paquito D'Rivera Cubarama Termidor Musikverlag, recorded in May 1999 (compilation album)
1999 Paquito D'Rivera Tropicana Nights/Un Paraíso Bajo Las Estrellas De Cuba, Chesky Records Jd186, recorded on April 20-21, 1999
2000 Paquito D'Rivera Quintet Live At The Blue Note, Half Note Records 516*20, recorded in New York on August 20, 1999
2001 Jazz Latino/A Collection Of Latin Inspirations, Chesky Records Jd212 (collaboration)
2001 Turtle Island String Quartet/Danzón, Koch International Classics Kic-Cd-7529 (collaboration)
2001 Mexico City Woodwind Quintet/Visiones Panamericanas, Urtext Digital Classics Jb Cc051, performs his composition "Wapango"
2001 Calle 54, Soundtrack to the film by Fernando Trueba
2002 Paquito D'Rivera & The Wdr Band/Big Band Time, Termidor Musikverlag & Timba Records 59773-2
2002 Historia Del Soldado (L' Histoire Du Soldat), Dd&R Cb R014, distributed by Karonte: A.G.S Isbn: 84-95561-15-8
2002 Paquito D'Rivera/Brazilian Dreams, special collaboration of the New York Voices and Claudio Roditi, Manchester Craftmen's Guild Mcgj 1010
2002 Big Band Time, Timba
2002 Paquito D'Rivera/The Clarinetist, Universal 160523
2002 The Best Of Paquito D'Rivera, Legacy/Sony Records International Sicp 5044 (compilation)
2002 The American Saxophone Quartet, with Paquito D'Rivera The Commission Project (Paquito D'Rivera/Franco D'rivera) Sons Of Sound
2004 Riberas/Paquito D'Rivera Cuarteto de Cuerdas Buenos Aires, Epsamusic 0500-02
2004 Paquito D'Rivera The Jazz Chamber Trio Co Mark Summer, Cello And Alon Yavnai, Piano Chesky Records Jd293
2005 Amazon River - Hendrik Meurkens, Blue Toucan Music, D'Rivera participates as a guest artist on "Lingua De Mosquito" and "The Peach" * 2006 Música Para Los Amigos/ Paquito Para Los Amigos, Sony/ Bmg 828768*19032 (compilation)
2006 Caribbean Jazz Project/ Mosaic Concord Music Group, Inc. Ccd 30033-2, D'Rivera collaborates on several tracks
2008 Sebastian Schunke/Paquito D´Rivera - Back in New York, Connector with Antonio Sanchez, John Benitez, Pernell Saturnino, Anders Nilsson
2009 Paquito D'Rivera/Chano Domínguez - Quartier Latin, lky records