2007 News
D'Rivera Honored by Cuban Cultural
On December 8 the Cuban Cultural Center of New York presented Paquito D’Rivera with their highest honor. In recognition of his "prodigious talent, long career and exceptional contribution to Cuban culture," he received the Medalla Ignacio Cervantes award. The festive evening at Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall) featured many of his musical compositions, including "Fiddle Dreams," "Contradanza and Vals Venezolano," "Danzoncito," "Kites", "Song for Peace," and selected songs from Paquito's newest work, a zarzuela, "Cecilio Valdés, Rey de La Habana."
Funk
Tango Nominated for "Best Latin Jazz Recording"
On December 6, the Recording Academy announced the 50th GRAMMY Nominees. Among the many notables of the music industry, Paquito D’Rivera’s Quintet’s new album, Funk Tango, has been nominated for "Best Latin Jazz Recording." Funk Tango, the premiere recording of Paquito Records, is a Critic’s Choice pick of the New York Times. The 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on February 10, 2008, and broadcast on television at 8 pm (Eastern time) on CBS.
FUNK Meets TANGO
Interview with Paquito D'Rivera
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), interviewed Paquito D'Rivera, featured in their Alternate Routes Latin Jazz Weekend, and who is also a resident of New Jersey. D'Rivera's Quintet performed at the Center on Oct. 27 with selections from his new grammy nominated album Funk Tango.
Paquito D'Rivera Quintet with the Count Basie Orchestra
Review of Philadelphia Concert at the Kimmel Center
The popular guide All About Jazz, reviewed the first concert of the Mellon Jazz Fridays series on September 28 held at the Kimmel Center in Verizon Hall based in Philadelphia, PA. You can read the full article at All About Jazz.
2007 Latin GRAMMY Nomination
8th Latin GRAMMY Awards
Nomination Best Latin Jazz Album
(Field 10, Jazz Category 33)
Funk Tango - Paquito D'Rivera Quintet
(Paquito Records)
The 8th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards nominations, announced on August 29, listed Paquito D'Rivera Quintet's Funk Tango album as one of the nominees for Best Latin Jazz Album. The 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards will be held November 8, in Las Vegas, Univision Network, 8-11 pm ET/PT.
Album of the Week
May 31 - Review of Funk Tango by Chip Boaz
Blogger and jazz musician Chip
Boaz (Bass) reviews Funk Tango on "Latin,
Jazz, and the Bass."
Funk Tango - Critics' Choice
May 21 - Critics' Choice of New CDs with The New York Times
On May 21, The
New York Times reviews Paquito D'Rivera Quintet's new Funk
Tango album in the New CDs Critics' Choice column. Available
for purchase at Sunnyside
Records (for the CD) and 
.
Paquito Records Releases Funk Tango
Paquito D'Rivera introduces Paquito Records
First Release -Funk Tango Paquito D'Rivera Quintet?
With over fifty recordings in the varied musical styles that he loves to perform and create, Paquito finally has a label where he can be completely himself. Paquito D'Rivera Quintet? Funk Tango, refers to the fact that the quintet, in Paquito's world can sometimes be a trio or a sextet, or an orchestra, or a duo. The core musicians on the record are Mark Walker on drums, Oscar Stagnaro on bass, Diego Urcola on trumpet and valve-trombone, Alon Yavnai on piano, joined by Pernell Saturnino on percussion, Hector Del Curto on bandoneon, additional pianists Ed Simon, (an old band member), and Fernando Otero, and newcomer Pablo Stagnaro on cajon. This recording features original compositions from many band members, and highlights their diversity of styles in composition and performance. You will surely enjoy the journey, from a funky tango, to Peruvian rhythms on "Mariela's Dream", to the elegant Cuban "Contradanza", by way of a bolero, to a waltz, samba, and milonga, to the closing jazz standard "Giant Steps".
Guggenheim Fellowship Awards, 2007
Paquito D'Rivera Awarded 2007 Fellowship in Music Composition
Results of the John
Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation’s eighty-third
annual United States and Canadian competition have been announced.
The 2007
Fellowship winners include 189 artists, scholars, and scientists
selected from almost 2,800 applicants. Guggenheim Fellows are
appointed on the basis of distinguished achievement in the
past and exceptional promise for future accomplishment.
Jazz in Our Time All-Star Opening
Night Concert and Award Ceremony
Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
On March 3, the Kennedy Center (Washington, DC) presented an event “a salute to a generation of extraordinary artists who have helped make jazz America’s greatest music.” The awards ceremony, hosted by James Earl Jones, honored an impressive roster of jazz luminaries with the “Living Jazz Legend Award” for their lifetime contributions to the art form. Paquito D’Rivera, among the more than 25 distinguished recipients, will be performing with the Hank Jones Quartet on March 10. This performance is part of the Jazz in Our Time series celebrating the honorees at the Kennedy Center.
Composer in Residence
Paquito D'Rivera as 2007-2008
Caramoor Composer-in-Residence
Caramoor
Center for Music and the Arts, just announced it is receiving
$500,000 from the New York State Music Fund towards their Latin
American music initiative, Sonidos Latinos, beginning
in 2007. Paquito D'Rivera is to be named the composer in residence.
Press
release from Caramoor Center