Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album
On September 17, the Latin Grammys announced their award nominees for 2025. Included in the illustrious list of artists is D’Rivera’s most recent recording La Fleur de Cayenne for Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album with the Madrid/New York Connection Band.
About the Madrid-New York Connection Band
The recording is with the newly formed Madrid-New York Connection band. The ensemble includes Cuban expatriates and a Colombian vibraphonist who calls Madrid, Spain, home.
Their beginnings started from the late 1990s, when D’Rivera was enjoying a quiet evening at his New Jersey home when a car pulled up nearby. A handful of young musicians called out to him, explaining they wanted to see where D’Rivera lived. That was how D’Rivera first met pianist Pepe Rivero.
Rivero introduced D’Rivera to other Cubans living in Spain, including drummer Georvis Pico, percussionist Yuvisney Aguilar, and bassist Reinier “El Negron” Elizarde. While on various tours in Spain, D’Rivera would reunite with these fantastic musicians and later, Colombian vibraphonist Sebastian Laverde.
About La Fleur de Cayenne
After nearly two decades of inspired collaborations, D’Rivera and the Spanish contingent have come together to form the Madrid-New York Connection Band and record their first album together, La Fleur de Cayenne. The recording was done in Madrid in December 2024 and features original songs by D’Rivera and Rivero, who were also essential in the recording and mastering of the album, along with a wide-ranging program of music with Latin roots, from Cuban son to Argentinean folk song and tango.
Ensemble
Paquito D’Rivera – clarinet & alto saxophone
Pepe Rivero – piano
Reynier Elizarde “””El Negron” – contrabass
Georvis Pic – drums
Yuvisney Aguilar – percussion
Sebastian Laverde – vibraphone
Antonio Serrano – harmonica (2 & 8)
Tracks
La Fleur De Cayenne
Miriam
Paq-Man in La Pampa
Vals Venezolano
Milonga Gris
Ante El Escorial
A La Antigua
Cinema Paradiso
Broadcast of the Latin Grammys
The 26th Annual Latin Grammys will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, on Univision at 8 p.m. ET on November 13.
La Fleur de Cayenne is available from Apple Music and Bandcamp produced by Sunnyside Records/Paquito Records.
