New Album Release – La Fleur de Cayenne

Paquito D’Rivera and the Madrid-New York Connection Band Formation

D’Rivera has become engaged with musicians hailing from locations throughout the world. His most recent release, La Fleur de Cayenne, highlights his work with an ensemble of Cuban expatriates and a Colombian vibraphonist who call Madrid, Spain, home with a group they call the Madrid-New York Connection Band.

The United States has been home to Paquito D’Rivera since the early 1980s. His arrival created a spark in New York City’s jazz and Latin music communities. His interest in Latin music and collaborations with musicians from different origins have made D’Rivera a magnetic personality, continually attracting individuals interested in incorporating his brilliant sounds on clarinet and saxophone into their music.

In the late 1990s, 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 that they were Cuban musicians living in Spain who wanted to see where D’Rivera lived. That was how D’Rivera met Pepe Rivero, a pianist and composer originally from Manzanillo, thus beginning a long and fruitful musical relationship.

Rivero introduced D’Rivera to other Cubans living in Spain, including drummer Georvis Pico, percussionist Yuvisney Aguilar, and bassist Reinier “El Negron” Elizarde. While in Spain, D’Rivera would regularly reunite with these fantastic musicians along with the Colombian vibraphonist Sebastian Laverde.

Paquito D’Rivera and the Madrid-New York Connection Band discover a tremendous blend of sounds from the musical worlds that these musicians span.

You can read more about the album, a quote from Paquito, listing of tracks, and relationship with the ensemble members.

Read More about the Album

Download the Press Release.

La Fleur de Cayenne is published by Paquito Records and Sunnyside Records.