Gonzalo Rubalcaba Wins Fourth Grammy: Tribute to Benny Moré

On the night of February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Gonzalo Rubalcaba made history for Cuba once again. The Havana-born pianist won his fourth Grammy Award in the Best Latin Jazz Album category for A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole, cementing his position as one of the most important Cuban musicians of our era.

A Tribute to Two Giants

The album is no mere nostalgic homage. It’s a profound dialogue between musical generations. Benny Moré, The Wild Man of Rhythm from Santa Isabel de las Lajas, and Nat King Cole, the Montgomery pianist who conquered the world with his velvet voice—two legends who, though from different worlds, shared the universal language of swing and musical elegance.

Rubalcaba reimagines classics from both artists with his characteristic virtuosity, fusing the Cuban pianistic tradition he inherited from his father Guillermo with the harmonic sophistication of contemporary jazz.

“This album represents a bridge between Cuba and the world, between past and present. Benny and Nat shared something special: the ability to communicate pure emotion through every note.”

An Intergenerational Collaboration

What makes this Grammy especially significant is that Rubalcaba didn’t work alone. The project brought together three generations of Cuban and Cuban-American musicians:

• Yainer Horta (saxophonist): Born in Cuba, trained at Havana’s National School of Art before emigrating and completing studies at Berklee College of Music. His saxophone brings the intensity of contemporary jazz while maintaining Afro-Cuban roots.

• Joey Calveiro (producer/multi-instrumentalist): A Miami college student with Cuban parents. At just 22 years old, Calveiro becomes one of the youngest Grammy winners in the Latin jazz category.

The Rubalcaba Legacy

Gonzalo Rubalcaba was born in Havana on May 27, 1963, into a family that literally built Cuban music. His grandfather, Jacobo Rubalcaba, was a legendary danzón pianist. His father, Guillermo Rubalcaba, played with Orquesta Aragón and with Enrique Jorrín, the creator of cha-cha-chá.

By age 15, Gonzalo was already playing in Havana’s jazz clubs. At 22, he was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie at the Jazz Plaza Festival, who took him to record on Blue Note Records and introduced him to the American jazz world.

He currently resides in Miami, where he teaches at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, training the next generation of Latin jazz pianists.

The 2026 Competition

The Best Latin Jazz Album category was extraordinarily competitive this year:

Artist	Album
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro	A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole ✓
Paquito D’Rivera & Madrid-New York Connection Band	La Fleur de Cayenne
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra	The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra	Mundoagua - Celebrating Carla Bley
Miguel Zenón Quartet	Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard

A category dominated by Latin jazz titans, where Cuba shone once again.

Connection to Benny Moré

This tribute completes a perfect circle in Cuban musical history. Benny Moré, who died in 1963—the same year Rubalcaba was born—represented the free spirit of Cuban music. He never learned to read music, but possessed absolute pitch and an innate ability to connect with audiences.

Rubalcaba, trained in the rigorous Cuban conservatory tradition, represents the other end of the spectrum: perfect technique, deep study, musical erudition. But both share something fundamental: the unmistakable flavor of Cuba.

A Historic Night for Latin Music

The 2026 Grammys were exceptional for Hispanic music. Bad Bunny won Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, becoming the first Spanish-language album to win the Academy’s top prize. The Buena Vista Social Club musical also took home Best Musical Theater Album.

In this context, Rubalcaba’s Grammy reaffirms that Cuban music—from traditional son to the most avant-garde jazz—remains a vital force in global culture.

Where to Listen

A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole is available on:

• Spotify
• Apple Music
• Amazon Music
• YouTube Music

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Gonzalo Rubalcaba proves that, at 62, he remains the most elegant ambassador of Cuban piano in the world. From Havana’s clubs to the Grammy stage, his music continues to tell our story.

As Benny would say: “Yo soy así… I can sing a son montuno or a bolero just the same.”