For generations, Orlando Maraca Valle, has been Cuba's most famous flautist. It has taken him all over the world and delivered him many prizes. Valle became known as a musician and arranger with the pianist Chucho Valdes. Of the many projects he initiated, the group Monterey Latin Jazz All Stars, that mainly performs Cuban classics and jazz standards, is the most successful. It is mainly Maraca's recognizable arrangements that make this band so exceptional. According to him it isn't particularly easy to embrace the familiar Cuban songs in the right way: "The finesses and subtleties of our music are difficult to fathom. It all comes down to making the right arrangements and that requires a lot of cultural knowledge." Maraca, who continues to perform with famous acts like Afro-Cuban All-Stars and Cubanismo, will undoubtedly show that he is still the uncrowned king of Latin fusion.
