The legendary Latin pianist Chucho Valdés talks about his familial and spiritual connection with his instrument, shares a touching story about his father and his most cherished piano, and describes how he felt when he was honored as a Master of Jazz by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Leila Cobo: Chucho, first of all, cheers.
Chucho Valdés: Yes, delighted.
Mmm. The National Endowment of the Arts gave you Master of Jazz, one of only four.
Yes, yes, yes.
Tell us what it is, what’s the importance of that award for those who perhaps don’t know it or aren’t experts in jazz.
Well, that’s the most important award that the United States government gives to a jazz musician or to a writer.
And besides jazz, which is the musical language that’s American par excellence.
Par excellence. For me, that’s one of the greatest honors because I’m Cuban, and for a Cuban to be chosen to receive an NEA Jazz Master is the ultimate achievement. There’s no other more important award.
I love that. But then, did you grow up in Cuba listening to jazz?
I was born listening to jazz and listening to my dad, who was an incredible jazz musician.
Of course. And now your son is also another jazz musician, right? You couldn’t choose, right? That was your calling.
No, well, that was my calling, and my children, because I have six children. They’re all musicians.
Ah, they’re all musicians.
They’re all musicians, good musicians.
And are they all pianists or just Chuchito?
No, I have pianist Chuchito and Leyani, who is my daughter, the oldest, no, she’s not the oldest, she’s the second. Tremendous pianist. Then we have Emilio, who is a drummer. We have my daughter Josie, who was also a drummer, and we have Julián, who is 19 years old.
He’s the only child of mine born in the 21st century. Everyone else …
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