Hilario Durán, a Cuban-Canadian pianist and composer, is renowned for his dynamic fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms and contemporary jazz. Born in Havana in 1953, he succeeded Chucho Valdés in the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna and spent nine years as pianist and musical director for Arturo Sandoval's band, collaborating with legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Michel Legrand. Since relocating to Canada in 1998, Durán has earned multiple Juno Awards and a Grammy nomination. His 2023 big band album, "Cry Me A River," featuring Paquito D’Rivera and Horacio "El Negro" Hernández, won the 2024 Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year and a Latin Grammy for Best Arrangement. ([hilarioduran.com](https://hilarioduran.com/biography/?utm_source=openai))