Chucho Valdés

The most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz for more than half a century, virtuoso pianist, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés celebrates his 85th Birthday with this week of special concerts.  

The son of Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés, the winner of seven GRAMMYs and seven Latin GRAMMY Awards joined Armando Romeu’s celebrated Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music in 1967, a time when the communist government still considered American jazz anti-revolutionary. He was already recognized as the most formidable pianist of his generation when he launched Irakere in 1973 with a phenomenal cast that included saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.  

Over the ensuing years, Valdés has concentrated on his career as a solo artist, recording over 25 albums and co-writing the landmark 2018 book Decoding Afro-Cuban Jazz in collaboration with SFJAZZ Director of Education Rebeca Mauleón. His staggering legacy was summed up by the Boston Globe, who lauded him for “an encyclopedic vocabulary of Afro-Cuban rhythms and an expansive palette that includes all manner of modern jazz as well as traditional classical repertoire.” 

Most recently, Valdés has brought his Afro-Cuban Messengers, Irakere 50, and Royal Quartet projects to SFJAZZ, and for this 85th birthday celebration event, Valdés will be joined by a superlative lineup of musicians and special guests, ending the 2026-27 Season in grand fashion.