But D'Rivera, who was a long-time Weehawken resident and currently calls North Bergen his home, always looks forward to the opportunities he has performing for fans in his backyard.
"When I play in Weehawken," D'Rivera says, "I can come and play in my pajamas."
D'Rivera, a nine-time Grammy award winner, is a member of the Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center's Board of Directors.
Since its inception five years ago, HRPAC has worked towards creating a performing arts center on the Hudson River waterfront in Weehawken.
So for the third time since the HRPAC began hosting free concerts in Weehawken, D'Rivera will headline an event.
The free lunchtime concert is part of the UBS Atrium Series, which will be performed in the atrium of the UBS Financial Services headquarters on Harbor Boulevard in Weehawken. The concert is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m.
Special concert
While D'Rivera has treated local fans to his array of talents in the past, this concert will be different, because D'Rivera is performing with a Chamber Jazz Trio, comprised of D'Rivera on horns, accomplished pianist and composer Alon Yavnai on the piano and Dana Leong on cello and trombone, a very interesting mix.
"Most people know of Paquito as the great jazz player that he is," said Bruce Sherman, Executive Director of HRPAC. "But they don't know the full scope of his talents. He's a master musician in the classical idiom and a noted composer as well. In fact, Paquito was just named Composer-in-Residence at Caramoor, the great summer music festival in Katonah, N.Y. This Atrium concert will show all sides of his prodigious talents."
Yavnai, who has been D'Rivera's pianist for the last five years, was thrilled to be performing in D'Rivera's home area.
"It's very exciting to be playing with Paquito, especially near where he lives and for a place he loves so much," Yavnai said. "He definitely brings out the best in me. We have great intuition and great interaction with each other and that shows on stage."
Sherman was also looking forward to hearing the fantastic musicians who round out the Paquito D'Rivera Chamber Jazz Trio.
"We've heard Alon Yavnai twice in Paquito's summer concerts with his quintet," Sherman said. "Alon's ability and versatility are truly astonishing. And Dana Leong is an up and coming musician in the jazz world. He has a great musical curiosity and has explored many diverse musical avenues from jazz to hip-hop to rock to classical. I think the audience will really appreciate discovering his musical gifts."
Award winning musician
D'Rivera recently received his ninth Grammy for Best Classical Recording for "Riberas," which he performed with the Buenos Aires String Quartet.
Two years ago, D'Rivera received the National Medal for the Arts, presented at the White House by President Bush.
Twice D'Rivera has been honored by the Jazz Journalists Association as the Clarinetist of the Year.
But this concert represents a change of pace for D'Rivera and Yavnai.
"We try to cover as many different styles as possible," Yavnai said. "You can't perform anything without it having a sense of classical concert music with European flavor. But there is also a Latin American influence and it always involves jazz. We try to cross over all these barriers and do it in nice fashion with good taste."
Yavnai will head to Italy with D'Rivera in June for a series of concerts there.
"With Paquito, it's never about quantity," Yavnai said. "It's about quality. I do perform on my own and compose on my own. But with a trio like this, it's a different concert, a different performance. It's also in a different setting as well. Paquito and I play concert halls and jazz clubs together, so this will be different and nice."
As long as D'Rivera isn't wearing his pajamas.
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at either OGSMAR@aol.com or jhague@hudsonreporter.com The Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center will present the Paquito D'Rivera Chamber Jazz Trio on Wednesday, April 11, beginning at 12:30 p.m. in the atrium at the UBS Financial Services headquarters located at 1000 Harbor Boulevard in Weehawken. Admission to the concert is free. For more information, log onto the HRPAC's website at www.hrpac.org or call the concert hotline at (201) 716-4540.
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