Chucho Valdes (born October 9, 1941) is a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger whose career spans over 50 years. Chucho Valdes's first recorded sessions as a leader took place in late January 1964 in the Areito Studios of Havana (former Panart studios) owned by the newly formed EGREM. These early sessions included Paquito D'Rivera on alto saxophone and clarinet, Alberto Giral on trombone, Julio Vento on flute, Carlos Emilio Morales on guitar, Kike Hernandez on double bass, Emilio del Monte on drums and Oscar Valdes Jr. on congas. In 1967, this group joined the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, and in 1973 Valdes founded the group Irakere, one of Cuba's best-known Latin jazz bands. As a solo artist, he has won seven Grammy Awards and four Latin Grammy Awards.