当今乐坛最传奇的古巴钢琴手贝波.瓦地斯(Bebo Valdes)。高龄85岁的贝波.瓦地斯曾是古巴音乐黄金时期的大师级人物,曾经担任过作曲家、制作人、钢琴手、与乐团领导人,而且也是知名爵士乐手Chucho Valdes的父亲。1960年古巴爆发革命,卡斯特罗上台,他流亡到瑞典,这位被遗忘的传奇人物,只得流连在许多斯德哥尔摩的饭店充当钢琴伴奏维生。
by Scott Yanow
A top-notch pianist/composer/arranger, Bebo Valdes (father of pianist Chucho Valdes) was the musical director of nightclub shows at the Tropicana in Havana by 1948. Very active in the 1950s, Valdes was considered one of the giants of Cuban music, arranging many recordings, composing mambos, and organizing Afro-Cuban jazz jam sessions. He defected from Cuba in 1960 and by 1963 had settled in Stockholm. In 1994, after 34 years off records, he cut Bebo Rides Again for the Messidor label, not only playing piano but composing eight numbers and arranging 11 songs in the 36 hours before the first session; he was 76 at the time.