Sandoval, the protege of Dizzy Gillespie’s legendary jazz musician, was born in Artemisa (a small Cuban town near Havana) on November 6, 1949. This was just two years after Gillespie became America’s first Latin-American Jazz musician. Sandoval started studying classical trumpet when he was twelve years old. But it didn’t take long for him to discover the joy of jazz music. He is now a well-known composer, pianist, and guardian of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn. He is one the most energetic and vibrant live performers of all time and has been seen by millions of people at the Oscars and at the Grammy Awards and the Billboard Awards. Sandoval has received 10 Grammy Awards, been nominated 19 times, 6 Billboard Awards, and an Emmy Award. He was recognized for his composition work on the entire underscore in the HBO movie “For Love or Country”, which was based on Sandoval’s life and starred Andy Garcia as Arturo. The two Grammy-award winning albums “Dear Diz” (“Everyday I think about you”) and Tango (“Como Yo Te Siento”) are now worldwide. Arturo Sandoval’s newest CD, Eternamente Manzanero. Performing the music of revered Mexican romantic pianist/singer/songwriter, Armando Manzanero, this is a true labor of love. The album features Senor Manzanero’s music performed with Jorge Calandrelli as co-headliners. It is a modern, fresh and enjoyable take on his lovely bolero music. A new book about his relationship with Dizzy is now available. It is called “The Man who Changed My Life”. Arturo was also the 2013 recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom. Sandoval was the founding member of Irakere, the Grammy Award-winning band whose explosive mix of jazz, classical and rock created a sensation in the entertainment industry. He left Irakere in 1981 to start his own band. This garnered praise from critics around the globe and continues to receive it. Sandoval is also a well-known classical musician who performs regularly with leading symphony orchestras around the globe. Arturo has written his “Concerto for Trumpet”
