Pepín Vaillant

On February 20, 2001, Pepín Vaillant, an excellent trumpeter considered a spectacular man, died in Santiago de Cuba. He was 71 years old at the time of his death.

He made a name for himself in France for more than 14 years. He came to be considered a spirit of the nights in Paris, La Habana, and Santiago de Cuba. For his meritorious work in Cuba, he received several recognitions, among them the Distinction for National Culture and the seal of laureate of culture.

The last 12 years of his existence he worked in Santiago de Cuba. He cultivated various genres of Cuban popular music and also jazz. He was a great musical eccentric. He frequently used the word caballístico to define or summarize the transcendence of a fact or what he did.