Miami Music Blog

via arturosandoval.com

Arturo Sandoval holds a revered place in the pantheon of Latin jazz. The Cuban trumpeter not only stands alongside the greatest musicians in the genre, but he is easily the most widely recognized. Throughout his career, Sandoval has earned four Grammy Awards, six Billboard Awards and an Emmy. The latter he won for his score for the HBO film For Love or Country, starring Andy Garcia and based on the musician's own life. Sandoval has performed alongside some of the greatest musicians of our time, and in recent years has even showed his versatility by performing with pop artists Justin Timberlake at the Grammy Awards and Alicia Keys at the Latin Billboards.


But his most famed musical association is for his friendship with jazz heavyweight, Dizzy Gillespie. Gillespie and Sandoval met in Cuba in 1977, while the former was doing a string of Caribbean gigs with another jazz great, saxophonist Stan Getz. From that day he would become Sandoval's mentor. Sandoval defected from Cuba in 1990 while on tour with Gillespie, and has called Miami home ever since.

On Friday April 10, he plays a free happy-hour gig with local favorites Conjunto Progreso, as part of the ongoing DWNTWN concert series at Bayfront Park. A full bar will be open with drinks and snacks available for purchase.

Tina Hills Pavililan at Bayfront Park, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Show starts at 5:30 p.m., admission is free. 305-579-6675; miamidda.com/concert_series.asp