The story of a young man and his journey to the states

By: Dana Olmes

From a small town east of Havana, Cuba known as the country’s finest tobacco growing region, Arturo Sandoval knew he wanted to be a musician from a very young age. Forming a mini-circus act with a cat on a high wire while playing the congas, 6 year old Sandoval was on his way. When his village organized for local entertainment, he played a multitude of instruments. After deciding he didn’t like the trombone, bass drum and the flute because they made him dizzy, he began playing the trumpet.

Before long he was ask to join the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music where Luis Escalante was the lead trumpet. As a 20 year old, Sandoval thought he’d made it. However, he was forced to serve his mandatory 3 year military service term cleaning barracks and building latrines. Following his service he found it troublesome to regain his previous job as first chair. Sandoval was lucky, however. Meeting Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz, he began to consider how to leave Cuba. In 1990, Arturo was scheduled to tour with the UN orchestra. Arturo became a citizen in 1999 and lives in Hidden Hills with his family but states he will always be a Cuban.

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