Arturo Sandoval

2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, 10-time Grammy Award Winner, Emmy award recipient, and six-time Billboard award winner

A protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval was born in Artemisa, a small town on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on November 6, 1949, just two years after Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American Jazz. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn’t take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world. He has since evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist, and composer.

He is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and has been seen by millions at the Oscars, at the Grammy Awards, and the Billboard Awards.

Sandoval has been awarded 10 Grammy Awards, and nominated 19 times; he has also received 6 Billboard Awards and an Emmy Award. The latter for his composing work on the entire underscore of the HBO movie based on his life, For Love or Country starring Andy Garcia as Arturo. His two latest Grammy award-winning albums, Dear Diz Everyday I think of you and Tango Como Yo Te Siento are now available worldwide. Arturo Sandoval's newest CD, Eternamente Manzanero, is a true labor of love and celebrates the music of revered Mexican romantic pianist/singer/songwriter, Armando Manzanero. Performing Senor Manzanero's music with co-headliner Jorge Calandrelli, the album is a fresh, modern, and pleasant take on his beautiful bolero music.

Recently released is a new book chronicling his relationship with Dizzy Gillespie entitled The Man Who Changed My Life. Arturo also is the 2013 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Sandoval was a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning group Irakere, whose explosive mixture of jazz, classical, rock and traditional Cuban music caused a sensation throughout the entertainment world. In 1981, he left Irakere to form his own band, which garnered enthusiastic praise from critics and audiences all over the world, and continues to do so.