Audio By Carbonatix
Paquito Hechavarria has played and recorded with everyone from bassist Israel “Cachao” Lopez to vocalists Gloria Estefan and Christina Aguilera (“You know, she doesn’t speak any Spanish”). Back in the old days, he played with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr., at the Fontainebleau. Currently he sits behind the baby grand at the Deauville five nights a week, pounding out standards, Latin jazz, and pop with equal parts perspiration and inspiration. The man is so good he’s not only the winner for this category; he’s the first three runners-up.