Chucho Valdes & the Afro Cuban Messengers

Pianist Jésus “Chucho” Valdés has stood as the patriarch of Cuban jazz during the last 25 years of the 20th century. With the classical technique of a concert pianist, the speed and versatility to tackle bop with the veracity of Bud Powell, and roots deeply planted in the Afro-Cuban tradition, Valdés stands as one of today’s most versatile musicians.

The son of famed pianist/composer Ramon “Bebo” Valdes, Chucho was born in 1941, in Cuba, and grew up in a musical circle that included legends of Cuban jazz. He studied classical technique in school and learned and played jazz and traditional Cuban music in jam sessions. He worked in several big bands in the ’60s, and formed his own jazz-oriented quartets and quintets.

In 1973, he put together the big band Irakere, which blended traditional Cuban music with rock, jazz and funk and included members such as Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. International tours, Grammys and fame followed, but tensions between the Castro regime in Cuba and the U.S. government prevented the band from getting the exposure it deserved. D’Rivera and Sandoval defected, but Valdés stayed in Cuba and kept the band going to this day. After signing with Blue Note records, Valdés has turned his focus toward small ensemble and solo work.

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