A protégé of legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval hails from Cuba. He began studying classical trumpet at the age of 12 and has since evolved into one of the world’s most leading jazz artists. In 1973, 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 musical sensation.

Sandoval has received 12 Grammy® Award nominations and has won six times – including a win for “Best Instrumental Album” for “Time For Love” in 2010. He has also received six Billboard Awards and one Emmy® Award, the latter for his composing work on the underscore of the HBO movie based on his life, “For Love or Country,” that was released in 2000.

Sandoval’s versatility can be heard on recordings with everyone from Woody Herman, Woody Shaw, Michel Legrand, Bill Conti and Stan Getz to Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Rod Stewart and Alicia Keys. He has performed with John Williams and the Boston Pops, and in the Super Bowl with Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle.

Earlier this year, Sandoval released two albums, “Tango – Como Yo Te Siento” and “Dear Diz, Every Day I Think of You,” a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie.