Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer, and arranger Chucho Valdés is a highly accomplished and deeply influential figure in the world of Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz. A founding member of the seminal Cuban ensemble Irakere, Valdés first emerged to acclaim in the 1970s and is recognized worldwide for his distinctive fusion of Afro-Cuban, post-bop jazz, and classical and rock traditions. Over his 60-year career, he has performed alongside such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Roy Hargrove, and his father, esteemed pianist Bebo Valdés. He is the winner of s...