Chucho Valdés

Chucho Valdés (b. 1945) is a Cuban jazz musician and pianist. He founded the group Irakere in 1972. Irakere is a word which means "forest" or "woods", and some of the best African percussionists came from a regio

Chucho Valdés (b. 1945) is a Cuban jazz musician and pianist. He founded the group Irakere in 1972. Irakere is a word which means "forest" or "woods", and some of the best African percussionists came from a region called Irakere about 200 years ago. Irakere is one of Cuba's best-known latin jazz bands, and Chucho Valdés, together with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, is revered as Cuba's greatest jazz pianist.

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.