"For saxophonist and clarinettist Paquito D'Rivera, the Latin American music of the Caribbean is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for his high-octane musical mixtures of Latin and jazz. Paquito was born in Havana, Cuba in 1948 and received his first music lessons at the age of five from his father Tito, a classical saxophonist and conductor. When he was seven Paquito D'Rivera was the youngest Selmer saxophone instrumentalist and at age ten he performed with the National Theatre Orchestra Of Havana. After studying music at Havana Conservatory he became one of the leading soloists with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. He made his first approaches to jazz with pianist Emiliano Salvador, his partner at many jam sessions. He and pianist/composer Chucho Valdéz founded the »Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna«, where they played popular Afro-Cuban music. On first Trumpet was Arturo Sandoval. In 1973 eight musicians from the formation founded »Irakere«. This new generation led by Cuban jazz musicians Chucho Valdez, Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval brought fresh flair on to the stages of the international jazz festivals with their fusion concept of rock, jazz, classical and traditional Cuban music. In the early 1980s his path took a new turn: Paquito D'Rivera decided to leave the band and start a career in the USA. In New York jazz circles he was soon signed up by David Amram, McCoy Tyner, Mario Bauza and Dizzy Gillespie. In the American jazz metropolis he quickly learned a wealth of musical styles and genres for the saxophone, which inspired him to play new musical mixtures of styles. His interest in the exciting and varied combinations of Latin music and jazz brought him into contact with his mentor Dizzy Gillespie, whom he had supported as co-leader in the United Nation Orchestra after 1988. After Arturo Sandoval left Cuba Paquito and Arturo used the oppotunity to record “Reunion” together with most outstanding Musicians like Juan Pablo Torres, Guiovanni Hidalgo, the new piano star Danilo Perez."