I remember the first recording I heard of this Paquito D’Rivera. A friend of mine was playing gigs on and off with him and introduced me to the famous album with Dizzy Gillespie and the United Nations Orchestra. I had heard of Dizzy and even met him at his yearly Monterey Jazz Festival gig, my hometown jazz festival that I had no idea was so global. I heard clarinet playing on this album that stopped me in my tracks. I then retraced some of his career and heard among other recordings, “Irakere” from the 70’s, the Cuban funk-jazz-wild band that still exists today!! This group was beyond anything I had ever heard. Moreover, Paquito was unlike any musician and clarinetist I had ever fathomed. Who was this guy and how could he turn the slow movement from the Mozart Clarinet Concerto into a slow jam and make it rock?!

Before I knew it I was moving to New York City for graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music and ended up renting a house from this child prodigy turned jazz wonderman, known as “Morrrrrrris!” to his lovely wife, Brenda. There were BBQs, afternoon espresso stops, lunch at “El Unico”, Paquito’s last minute parties with non stop jam sessions and performances, some shy playing in front of him. I realized I was really in the presence of a living idol of mine. Even when he would introduce me: “She’s a great clarinetist, half TACO! Half FALAFEL! Ha ha ha!!!”, referring to my Egyptian father and Mexican mother, it only drew me in more to the wonder-world of the Paq-Man.

It was 1997, Imani Winds had just started, and we quickly took to playing his “Aires Tropicales.” Soon after we recorded this piece in the studio with a stellar arrangement by Jeff including percussion and voice. Paquito had a listen and loved it,  and even asked if he could get a copy of the arrangement! It was great timing because we were thinking of commissioning an original piece from him. He loved the idea and a couple years later we found ourselves onstage with him at Alice Tully Hall premiering this piece “Kites.” But don’t think he wasn’t going to lend his prowess to the collaboration; the piece included him on clarinet, a pianist and me on bass clarinet(!). Guess who had to master a low-C bass practically overnight …

But what a piece! Basing it on the duality of freedom and the earthbound tethering of flying kites in his native Havana and even including spoken words of poetry, “Kites” was a new gem in the chamber music repertoire. Touring with him was a lesson in humbleness, awe, respect and nonstop laughs from this energizer bunny. Was it the endless espresso? No. This man has a lust for life that is unparalleled. Even after they lost his luggage twice in a week’s tour, he always had that crazy laugh and was equipped with some witty charm.

Fast forward to the present day and we’re releasing the recording of this piece and have deepened a friendship with this paradigm of a musician. I can’t even begin to count how many awards and distinctions the world around has flowered him with, several events of which we have played for him at his request.   

Did I mention some of his other feats such as authoring two novels, guest appearances on “Iron Chef”, writing an opera, soloing with orchestras/jazz bands/mixed ensembles. All the while he is eager to discover new aspects of this creativity, including meditating on his lost relationship with Cuba; his lobbying for the release of political prisoners is tireless.

He’s like a good wine, only getting better with age and even creating a new type of grape with all the mixing of genres he dives into. I’ll take suggestions on what THAT name could be.

So with this gratitude, Imani Winds and I salute Paquito for his contribution to music, in particular, our world of chamber music, for inspiring greatness in all who come into contact with him, and even allowing this first headfirst dive into blogging by yours truly. 

[Mariam]