Cuban jazz saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera was recognized yesterday by the Latin Recording Academy with a 2022 Trustees Award. This award is presented annually to individuals “who have made significant contributions, other than performance, to Latin music during their careers.” Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, said that “these are industry professionals who, with their work and life example, forge the true meaning of the word excellence.” D’Rivera received the award along with Spanish musician and executive Manolo Díaz and Mexican bassist Abraham Laboriel.

Here’s a lovely D’Rivera quote from the ceremony:

“I remember one day my father, who was a saxophonist, came home with a Benny Goodman record and I asked him ‘What is that!?’ I fell in love with that music. He told me: ‘That’s swing, that’s jazz, and that’s New York, and that’s Carnegie Hall’. When he said Carnegie Hall, I understood ‘carne y frijol’ (meat and beans). […] Well, the point is that many years later I celebrated my 50th anniversary in music at the ‘carne y frijol’, the Carnegie Hall. And I remember once when Benny Goodman, who was my idol, was awarded a statuette like this one, he said something I could never forget: ‘It’s incredible to me that they’re giving me such an important award just for doing the only activity that I really enjoy doing’. Thank you […] for helping me to do the only thing that really interests me in life: playing music for you.”

– Paquito D’Rivera, Latin Grammy’s Special Awards Presentation, 2022

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