Jazz Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval Is Master of Many Musical Languages

Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval has thrilled audiences in many musical idioms: pulsating Afro-Cuban, high register flurries in bebop, smooth balladry, and classical music. 

Sometimes he does it all in the same concert.  Sandoval has been the recipient of four Grammy Awards and six Billboard Awards.  He also received an Emmy Award for his HBO score of “For Love or Country” starring Andy Garcia.  He has performed with Justin Timberlake at the Grammy Awards.  When he received his sixth Billboard Award for best Latin jazz album, he performed with Alicia Keys.

Sandoval will be performing at the Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., on Sept. 10, in a program called “Tribute to My Friend Dizzy Gillespie and Latin music.”

Sandoval was 13 years old when he started playing in a village band in his native Cuba.  Of all the instruments he tried out he discovered it was the trumpet that he truly loved. At age 15, he began three years of serious classical trumpet studies with a Russian classical trumpeter at the Cuban National School of Arts.

Three years later he had earned a position in Cuba’s All Star National Band. Sandoval was also influenced by such jazz legends as Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and especially Dizzy Gillespie, a longtime advocate of Afro-Cuban music. It was then, when he came to be immersed in jazz, he began to idolize Dizzy Gillespie.

Years later Sandoval got to meet his idol when Gillespie visited Cuba in 1977. 

That visit was especially significant in four respects.  First, Cuba had politically isolated itself from American culture for nearly two decades when Gillespie arrived.  Secondly, it was that evening onstage after having taken Gillespie to the black neighborhoods to hear street music that Sandoval revealed his amazing talent. Thirdly, Gillespie became a mentor and colleague; he and Sandoval performed together in European and Cuban concert tours and he featured Sandoval in the United Nations Orchestra. Fourthly, in 1990, when he toured in Spain with Gillespie, Sandoval defected to the United States and became a naturalized citizen in 1999. Sandoval currently resides in Calabasas, California.

Sandoval’s appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival was his introduction to American audiences which resulted in a recording contract with Columbia Records.  Beyond Latin jazz, Sandoval also played classical music with the Leningrad Symphony in the former Soviet Union and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, England.  His recording career also includes such greats as Johnny Mathis, Gloria Estefan, Kenny G, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra, and Dave Grusin.  He has performed in concerts with Tito Puente, Celine Dion (at the 69^th Academy Awards), Woody Shaw, Herbie Hancock, and Woody Herman.  He also performed with Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett at a concert promoting a new Indiana Jones Disney theme park attraction.

The vibrant and dynamic Arturo Sandoval will be performing in the Great Hall at the Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge, Sept. 10. For tickets and information call the box office at 818-677-3000 from Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (hours are subject to change) or after-hours contact Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.