Havana - Cuban jazz musician Chucho Valdes will receive the Latin Grammy Award for Musical Excellence 2018 at the gala scheduled for November 13 in Las Vegas, according to the Latin Recording Academy.

During the ceremony at the Four Seasons hotel in that city, the Spanish Dyango, the Brazilian Erasmo Carlos, the Dominican Wilfrido Vargas and the Mexicans Jose Maria Napoleon and Yuri will also be recognized.

Argentine Guitarist Horacio Malvicino and Spanish Tomas Muñoz, executives of the record industry, will also receive the award from the Board of Directors of the Academy.

The Musical Excellence Award is given to artists with a relevant background and contributions to Latin music, and even rewards those who, without being interpreters, contribute significantly to music.

Dionisio Valdes Rodriguez, known worldwide as Chucho Valdes, is a Cuban pianist, founder of the Irakere group and author of a successful work in which he mixes jazz with other rhythms such as rock, classical music and Afro-Cuban roots.

For his exceptional work he received four Grammy awards: in 1979 with Irakere and the album Irakere; in 1997, with Roy Hargrove's Crisol and the album Habana; in 2000, with Live At The Village Vanguard; and in 2009, with Juntos para siempre (Together Forever).

In Cuba he was awarded the National Music Prize 2000 as a just reverence for his wonderful work.