CHUCHO VALDES JAZZ BATA QUARTET

Winner of six Grammy awards, Cuban musician Chucho Valdés is the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. Valdés’ career as a pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger spans more than five decades. In 1973, following a four-year stint with the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, Valdés founded Irakere, one of Cuba’s best known Latin jazz bands. His distinctive personal style is a distillation of key elements from the Afro-Cuban music tradition, jazz, classical music, rock and other genres. Chucho’s most popular works include the songs Mr Bruce and Mambo para Roy; a 2003 album, Live at the Village Vanguard; Juntos Para Siempre in 2009; a 2011 album, Chucho’s Steps; and, his 2016 album, Tribute to Irakere: Live in Marciac.