Celebrate the musical genius of Paquito D’Rivera, a 16-time Grammy and Latin Grammy winner known for his mastery of Latin jazz and classical music. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Born in Havana, Cuba, Paquito D’Rivera was a child prodigy who performed with the National Theater Orchestra at age 10. A founding member of the iconic Irakere, he helped blend jazz, rock, and traditional Cuban music, earning international acclaim. He has recorded over 30 solo albums, collaborated with prestigious orchestras like the London Philharmonic, and composed works performed by world-renowned ensembles. A recipient of numerous honors, including the NEA Jazz Masters Award and the National Medal of the Arts, Paquito D’Rivera remains a vibrant force in both jazz and classical music, continually bridging cultural divides through his innovative compositions and performances.

Discover the dynamic artistry of Endea Owens, a rising star in the jazz world and an award-winning bassist and composer, and philanthropist. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Detroit-raised and Juilliard-educated, Owens has performed with legends like Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, and Jon Batiste, and is a member of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s house band, Stay Human. Her accolades include an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Peabody Award, featuring her work on projects like Judas and the Black Messiah and H.E.R’s Super Bowl performance. Endea has a true passion for philanthropy and teaching. She has taught students across the United States, South America, and Europe. In 2020, Endea founded The Community Cookout, a non-profit organization birthed out of the COVID-19 pandemic that provides meals and music to underserved neighborhoods worldwide. To date, Endea’s organization has helped feed over 6,000 people. She has composed for prestigious ensembles, including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and recently released her debut album, Feel Good Music.

Join Arizona Arts Live and the Tucson Jazz Festival as we welcome the return of multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Emmet Cohen is the winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association, and Artist-in-Residence at the University of Indianapolis. He was a finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. Cohen has appeared at major international jazz festivals and at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall and Washington’s Kennedy Center, in addition to headlining at the Village Vanguard and other major New York jazz clubs. For many years he was Hammond B-3 Organist-in-Residence at Harlem’s SMOKE jazz club. During the lockdown, he created “Live From Emmet’s Place,” a weekly livestream that received millions of internet views worldwide. Cohen is a Mack Avenue artist. A Suzuki piano student at age three, Cohen holds jazz piano degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (M.M.) and the University of Miami (B.M.). Emmet Cohen has performed, recorded, or collaborated with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Tootie Heath, Houston Person, Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Billy Hart, Herlin Riley, Lea DeLaria, and Bill T. Jones. Emmet's Website Emmet's Facebook