Chucho Valdés
Credited as Jesús "Cucho" Valdes · Born Dionisio de Jésus Valdés Rodríguez
See Chucho Valdés's own records →
Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger.
Born October 9, 1941 in Quivicán, Cuba.
Winner of four Grammy awards.
Son of Bebo Valdés
In 1972 he founded the group Irakere, one of Cuba's best-known Latin jazz bands. Together with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Valdés is revered as one of Cuba's greatest jazz pianists. His father is the famed Cuban pianist and former director of Havana's famous "Tropicana" night-club band Bebo Valdés. He has won five Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards.
Chucho has won four Grammy awards: in 1978 for the album Live at Newport by Irakere; in 1998 for his contribution to the CD Havana by his band Crisol (formed in 1997), with two songs - "Mr.