Diego Rivera

In The Key Of Latin Jazz

WUCF’S May artist for ‘In the Key of Latin Jazz’ is Diego Rivera. Raised in East Lansing, Michigan, and involved in the Detroit music scene – his Chicano heritage has heavily influenced his music. A trip to the Detroit Institute of Music inspired him to pick up the saxophone, and the challenge to play what he heard pushed him to keep going.

Saying yes to the Jimmey Dorsey Orchestra catapulted a professional career that spans over two decades. He has had the pleasure of playing with the Ulysses Owens Jr Big Band, Rodney Whitaker Quintet, Kurt Elling, Christian McBride, Jazz @ Dr. Phillips Center Orchestra (Orlando, FL), and more.

His education has come full circle, now holding a position as the Associate Director of Jazz Studies in addition to Associate Professor of Jazz Saxophone at his alma mater – Michigan State University’s College of Music. He takes the role of mentoring students very seriously and looks back at how his perspective of what a mentor is has changed.