Hilario Duran

Hilario Durán is a Cuban-born, Toronto-based pianist, composer, and arranger celebrated as one of the leading voices in Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz. A protégé and later successor to Chucho Valdés in Cuba’s Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, Durán went on to tour globally with Arturo Sandoval’s band, performing alongside legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Michel Legrand. Since immigrating to Canada in 1998, he’s become a cornerstone of the country’s jazz scene—earning multiple JUNO Awards, a Grammy nomination, and the Chico O’Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award. His music bridges the rhythmic intensity of Cuba with the sophistication of contemporary jazz, showcased vividly on acclaimed albums like Contumbao and Cry Me A River. Durán’s Cry Me A River (2023) won the 2024 Latin Grammy for Best Arrangement, earned a Grammy nomination for “I Remember Mingus,” and took home the 2024 JUNO Award for Jazz Album of the Year: Group—cementing his legacy as a visionary artist whose music continues to transcend borders.