Bebo Valdes

Bebo Valdés was a Cuban performer, composer, arranger and musical director who pioneered Cuban big band, mambo and batanga music throughout the 1940s and '50s, continuing to write and perform until his death in 2013.

Nicknamed El Caballón, or The Big Horse, Valdés initially found success in Havana nightclubs, playing and arranging many big band shows and working with artists like Mario Bauza and Ernesto Lecuona. As the popularity of Afro-Cuban music continued to grow worldwide, Valdés found himself touring Europe, arranging for Nat King Cole's album 'Cole Español' and teaching the singer how to speak and sing in Spanish for the project.

After falling out with the Cuban government following the Revolution led by Fidel Castro, Valdés fled his homeland and went to Europe, firstly joining the Lecuona Cuban Boys in Spain before settling in Stockholm. After decades of performing locally and remaining out of the spotlight, Valdés, encouraged by his friend, saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, returned to the studio and the duo released 'Bebo Rides Again' in 1994. Valdés's renaissance was complete when he won his first Grammy in 2002 for 'El Arte del Sabor' and won another two during his lifetime. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music in 2011, recognising his services and influence on Latin music.

Alongside his son Chucho, a successful jazz pianist in his own right, Valdés continued to perform until his death from pneumonia at age 94, following a battle with Alzhiemer's disease. A true pioneer, Valdés's legacy continues to live on through Cuban and Latin music.