Child prodigy in the clarinet and saxophone, Paquito is a world-class jazz and classical music musician, composer and band leader who first gained famed as part of Irakere in Cuba. He fled Cuba in 1980 becoming a strong opinion leader against the regime.

Throughout his career his albums have received top reviews for his extraordinary abilities in bebop, classical and Latin/Caribbean music. D'Rivera's expertise transcends musical genres as he is the only artist to ever have won Grammy Awards in both Classical and Latin Jazz categories. He received the National Medal of Art from President George W. Bush in 2005. He has won 16 Grammy Awards for his countless recordings.