Arturo Sandoval To Play With Pensacola Symphony POPS

One of the most gifted musicians of our time, trumpet virtuoso Arturo Sandoval brings his exhilarating mixture of jazz, classical and Latin music to Pensacola for one sizzling performance at the Saenger Theatre with the Pensacola Symphony Silver Bullet POPS! Saturday, February 10 at 8 p.m. With this concert, the Pensacola Symphony launches its Latin American Festival which runs through April and includes five concerts featuring Latin jazz and masterworks from Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Argentina and Venezuela.

"We are thrilled to announce that jazz legend Arturo Sandoval will be coming to Pensacola," says Symphony Executive Director Edgar Herrera-Arizmendi. "It's unfortunate that pianist Eddie Palmieri cannot be here due to scheduling conflicts, but his replacement could not be a better choice. Sandoval is considered the very best not only in jazz but also as a complete musician."

Sandoval comes to Pensacola with a popular orchestral show which has been performed with orchestras including the Boston Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the National Symphony in Washington, D.C.

A protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval was born in Artemisa, a small town on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba in 1949, just two years after Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American jazz. Granted political asylum in July 1990, Sandoval and his family made their new home in Miami, Florida.

A pianist, composer, arranger and singer, Sandoval has made his mark on the music world through his powerful trumpet playing. Sandoval is internationally recognized as one of the seminal figures in Latin jazz music. He is fluent in at least four musical languages, being able to burn through an Afro-Cuban groove, tear up a bebop tune, soar over a Mozart concerto and soothe with a luscious ballad.

Sandoval was a founding member of the Grammy-Award-winning group Irakere, whose explosive mixture of jazz, classical, rock and traditional Cuban music caused a sensation throughout the entertainment world. He has received four Grammy awards and recently received his sixth Billboard Award for "Best Latin Jazz Album." Sandoval was awarded an Emmy for his composing work on the entire underscore on the 2000 HBO movie based on his life, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story starring Andy Garcia.

Sandoval was a featured artist in the acclaimed Dizzy Gillespie United Nation Orchestra, as well as the orchestra's 1992 Grammy Award winning album, Live at Royal Festival Hall. He has performed with Billy Cobham, Woody Herman, Woody Shaw, Herbie Hancock, Michel Legrand, Bill Conti, Stan Getz, Celine Dion at the Oscars, John Williams at the Boston Pops, and in the Superbowl with Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle.

His playing can be heard on Dave Grusin's soundtrack for Havana, in the Mambo Kings soundtrack with his Grammy-nominated composition "Mambo Caliente," and in the soundtrack for The Perez Family. He was commissioned by the Kennedy Center to compose the music for the ballet Pepito's Story choreographed by Debbie Allen. His diverse style and versatility can be heard on albums by the GRP All Star Big Band and Gloria Estefan's Into the Light and Mi Tierra, as well as on albums by artists Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra and Paul Anka.

Pensacola POPS! Series sponsor is Silver Bullet Technology, Inc. Concert sponsor is Centennial Imports, and Guest Artist sponsor is the Pensacola News Journal. The Yamaha piano is provided by Reynald's Music House. Media sponsors are Cox Communications, WEAR ABC 3, Pensacola Magazine and The Real Yellow Pages® from Bellsouth. Official sponsors are Centennial Imports and Residence Inn-Downtown. -- www.pensacolasymphony.com