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Chucho Valdes
His father Bebo Valdés, also a pianist, is the former director of Havana's famous "Tropicana" night club. Bebo Valdés, now in his 80's, is still performing, and won a Latin Grammy award in 2003 together with Israel "Cachao" López and Patato Valdés, and in 2005 together with flamenco singer Diego El Cigala.
Chucho has won three Grammy awards - one in 1978 for the album Live at Newport by Irakere, a second in 1998 for his contribution to the CD Havana by his band Crisol (formed in 1997), with two songs Mr. Bruce and Mambo para Roy written by Chucho, and the third in 2003 for his album Live at the Village Vanguard.
In 2005, Chucho was sued for divorce by his wife Ileana Mateu Valdes, a Cuban American residing in Englewood, New Jersey. It took almost two years of litigation before the parties settled the matter. A New Jersey matrimonial court did not recognize a prior Cuban divorce obtained by Chucho Valdes in Cuba holding that it had violated the fair notions of constitutional due process of the United States. On March 28, 2007, a divorce was granted to the parties and Chucho Valdes finally agreed to pay the lawyers of Ms. Valdes the sum of $35,000.00 for their work in the case. This agreement had to be approved by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C. since it dealt directly with transfers of money by Cuban nationals to the United States. Such transfers are prohibited under the Cuban embargo regulations. The Miami Herald Spanish Language newspaper, El Nuevo Herald, reported the story on its front page and characterized the case as historic. According to El Nuevo Herald, it was the first time in 46 years that a Cuban national paid with Cuban funds for the settlement of a civil lawsuit filed by an American citizen in U.S. courts.
Over the past few years his recording output has been very prolific including a duo setting with his father Bebo Valdes, and several solo projects as well. In 2009 he again did a collaboration in Spain under the tutelage of Javier Limon who produced his Grammy winning "Lagrimas Negras." This time around he accompanied flamenco torch singer Concha Buika on "El Ultimo Trago."
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Duets: Chucho Valdes, Dianne Reeves, and Joe Lovano at 92NY
by Paul Reynolds
Chucho Valdes, Dianne Reeves, and Joe Lovano Thomas L. Kaufmann Concert Hall, 92nd Street Y Duets New York, NY May 16, 2024 A supergroup can be as much a treat for the players as for its listeners. Saxophonist Joe Lovano, singer Dianne Reeves, and pianist Chucho Valdes seemed as jazzed--so to speak--about their summit meeting as were their noisy, enthusiastic audience at the wood-paneled Thomas L. Kaufmann Concert Hall at New York's 92nd Street ...
Continue ReadingJohn Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival 2023
by La-Faithia White
A collection of photos from the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival in High Point, North Carolina from September 2nd 2023 to September 3rd 2023. Saturday's lineup featured saxophonist Dave Koz and Friends featuring Eric Darius, Candy Dulfer, guitartist Norman Brown, composer / pianist Chucho Valdes, vocalist Samara Joy, and The Mississippi Blues Child Mr. Sipp with special guest guitarist Eric Gales. ...
Continue ReadingBig M's Grab Bag
by Patrick Burnette
The theme this episode is--got ya!--there isn't a theme. What we do have are two mildly historical piano-led recordings by musicians who couldn't be more different if they tried, and two new releases by musicians also pulling in different directions. Get a large group together and go for eclecticism? Or just multi-track yourself and add a duet partner to the mix? You, dear listeners, can pick the approach you like. Playlist Discussion of Misha Mengelberg's album No Idea ...
Continue ReadingEliane Elias: Mirror Mirror
by Jim Worsley
The Chick Corea composition “Mirror Mirror" made its debut on a record led by Joe Henderso. Compelled by the tune's conversational and interactive elements, the astute tenor saxophonist made it the title track. Mirror Mirror (MPS, 1980) featured the rhythm section of Ron Carter and Billy Higgins. Henderson's quartet was, not surprisingly, rounded out by Corea. Gleaned from Snow White—"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"— Corea's vision is indeed of beauty. Beautiful melodic sensibilities mirrored ...
Continue ReadingEliane Elias: Mirror Mirror
by Edward Blanco
Pianist and composer Eliane Elias reveals a wonderful reflection of piano madness on the dazzling Mirror Mirror, capturing the mastery of two piano legends and the fabulous key work of a third legend in the making. One can simply not go wrong listening to the late great Chick Corea and Cuban-born master Chucho Valdes providing amazing call and respond to Elias's own keyboard play. The result is compelling, tasteful, light jazz performed with elegance and grace. An album ...
Continue ReadingChucho Valdes with Special Guest Chick Corea at Jazz at Lincoln Center
by Doug Hall
Chucho Valdes with Special Guest Chick Corea Jazz at Lincoln Center The Rose Theater New York, NY November 16, 2019 Jazz at Lincoln Center, in the Rose Theater, witnessed a very special meeting which occurred on-stage between two legendary jazz pianists, Chucho Valdés and Chick Corea. Both musically prolific, and having won more than 30 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards combined while redefining modern music in the process. Chucho Valdés hugged and shook ...
Continue ReadingChucho Valdés With Kenny Garrett At SFJAZZ
by Harry S. Pariser
Chucho Valdés and Kenny Garrett SFJAZZ San Francisco, CA October 4, 2019 A commanding Cuban pianist, the stately Chucho Valdés is best known as the founder of legendary Cuban band Irakere. Kenny Garrett has played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and with the late Miles Davis, among others, but has gained notoriety for his work as a solo artist. Since his first recording in 1990, his awards and accolades have steadily piled up.
Continue ReadingAdrienne Arsht Center Jazz Roots 2021-2022 Season Schedule
Source:
Edward Blanco
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County announces the return of the annual Jazz Roots series to the Center's Knight Concert Hall for the 2021-2022 season offering another incredible cast of jazz All-Stars beginning on November 5th, 2021 with “The Creation"-world premiere performance by legendary pianist Chucho Valdes and the Yoruban Orchestra as the icon celebrates his 80th birthday. The Creation concert was commissioned by the Arsht Center and it explores the biblical story of creation ...
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Jazz this week: Chucho Valdés & Joe Lovano, Jen Shyu, "Jazz Explosion," and more
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Here's what's happening with live jazz and creative music over the next few days in St. Louis... Thursday, November 10 Composer and multi-instrumentalist Jen Shyu will present a free, public artist's talk and workshop at the Lewis Center, the Washington University School of Art building located off-campus at 721 Kingsland Ave in U City. Also on Thursday, Native American flautist Mark Holland and his band will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; singer ...
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Jazz This Week: Chucho Valdes, Robert Glasper, Ligertwood/Garfield/Stevens, Michael Zerang, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Bonerama, and More
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
It's definitely a busy week for live jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with so many touring musicians in town that we can barely fit them all into the headline of this post. Let's go to the highlights... Tonight, singer Alex Ligertwood, who's worked with Santana and Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, will team up with keyboardist and St. Louis native David Garfield, who's currently working with George Benson, and saxophonist Jim Stevens for a show at BB's Jazz, Blues ...
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Lorraine Gordon on Chucho Valdes
Source:
Voll-Damm Festival Internacional De Jazz De Barcelona
We asked Lorraine Gordon, owner of New York's legendary Village Vanguard, who has presented Chucho Valdés on many occasions, to recommend his highly anticipated concert in Barcelona (with the Afro-Cuban Messengers) on November 17th at the historic Palau de la Música. Here is her answer. On November 1st, in New York City, the great Chucho Valdés made an appearance at the Village Vanguard. Chucho played to two packed houses -at 9 p.m and 11p.m.- and made the new Steinway piano ...
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Free MP3s from SF Jazz Collective, Kenny Werner, Charlie Hunter, Either/Orchestra, Chucho Valdes and more at All About Jazz
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz recently topped six million MP3 downloads (since November 2005) featuring some exclusive tracks not found elsewhere on the web.
We highly recommend these recently featured tracks from established and up & coming artists. And be on the lookout for a free track from Cassandra Wilson's latest Silver Pony (Blue Note, 2010) on November 9th.
Cape Verdean Blues (7:56) SF Jazz Collective From: Live 2010: 7th Annual Concert Tour SF Jazz
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Chucho Valdes and the Afro-Cuban Messengers at Lincoln Center
Source:
AAJ Staff
Chucho Valdés began his late set on Friday night at the Allen Room with a sweeping solo piano introduction to the up-tempo Cuban jazz hybrid “Anabis," such a controlled detonation of music that it kicked through your defenses. That led into a fast tangle with Yaroldy Abreu Robles, the conga player of Mr. Valdés's quartet, the Afro-Cuban Messengers. And at the end of the piece came another unaccompanied piano solo: first with Mr. Valdés's hands playing identical lines an octave ...
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Celebrity Series of Boston Presents Chucho Valdes and Afro-Cuban Messengers on October 28 at Berklee Performance Center
Source:
MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts
Cuban pianist, bandleader and composer Chucho Valdes is performing with the Afro-Cuban Messengers at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on Thursday, October 28, 210 at 8:00 p.m. The performance is part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, which for over 70 years has brought the world's best artists to Boston for performance and arts-based education. Tickets to the show are $39, $43 and $49 and can be ordered online or by calling 617 482-6661. Valdes is a multi-Grammy Award ...
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Legendary Cuban Pianist Chucho Valdes Interviewed at All About Jazz...and More!
Source:
Lip Service Media
For his first album in seven years, Chuco Valdés returns to the group format, expanding his longstanding quartet to an even more powerful septet. The legendary Cuban pianist and founding member of Irakere has been touring the world in support of Chucho's Steps (World Village, 2010), and will welcome Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra to Cuba next month, where Valdés will premiere a new version of Misa Negra, with new trumpet parts written especially for Marsalis.
To ...
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Legendary Pianist And Composer Chucho Valdés Newest Release "Chucho’s Steps" With The Afro Cuban Messengers; First Extensive National Tour In 7 Years
Source:
Lip Service Media
LEGENDARY PIANIST AND COMPOSER CHUCHO VALDÉS NEWEST RELEASE CHUCHO'S STEPS WITH THE AFRO CUBAN MESSENGERS FIRST EXTENSIVE NATIONAL TOUR IN SEVEN YEARS “Chucho Valdés,' the pianist who is the dean of Latin jazz... has never been anything less than impressive when he has played in New York, showing magnificent power, clarity and speed in his playing." —New York Times Chucho Valdés' newest release, Chucho's Steps, is as much of a discovery for the preeminent pianist as for his audience. In ...
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Chucho Valdes - Featuring Cachaito CD Release - Avalable 03/18/08
Source:
All About Jazz
Recorded in Havana with his trio featuring the Buena Vista Social Club's Orlando “Cachaito" Lopez. Description: Chucho Valdes has been Irakere's musical director, recording with small groups, and also as solo pianist. On this CD he recorded in Havana with his trio featuring the extraordinary Buena Vista Social Club's Orlando “Cachaito" Lopez (bass) and Enrique Pla (drums). All of these recordings are interpretations of either anthology pieces from the Cuban songs of the 50's; dance music, universal compositions and Cuban ...
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Chucho Valdes
Instrument: Piano
Born: October 9, 1941
Management: International Music Network
