Biography
This pioneering Cuban jazz band, which began recording on an ad hoc basis in the late 60s, has been home to some of the country's leading musicians. Irakere, which literally means "forest", was the name of a drummer in Yoruba legend. The title was adopted by the band as a homage to the great drummer, and to reflect the percussive, Afro-Cuban emphasis of their music. Irakere was founded by several veterans of the groundbreaking Orquestra De Música Moderna. The original line-up included pianist/musical director Chuco Valdés, saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, percussionist Oscar Valdés, guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales, trumpeter Jorge Varona, and drummer Enrique Plá. This immensely talented group of musicians quickly established themselves as their country's leading attraction, fusing contemporary jazz, traditional Cuban son music, and African rhythms into an exciting new style of music typified by their 1974 hit,...
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