NEA Jazz Master Paquito D'Rivera joins Daybreak host Gary Walker for a very special, 'Host an Hour' Sunday at 6pm ET

WBGO | By Gary Walker

Published April 3, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT

It all began for Paquito D'Rivera when his father played him some classic Benny Goodman recordings.

Later, at a Sunday jam session in the basement of a club in Havana he would meet pianist Chucho Valdes and form a life-long friendship. Paquito would tour the world with Dizzy Gillespie and the United Nation Jazz Orchestra.
He would win Grammy Awards for both Jazz and Classical performances.

This Sunday at 6PM, join us as Paquito D'Rivera hosts an hour on WBGO, sharing some of his favorite tunes with the stories behind them.

Join Gary Walker with Paquito D'Rivera, hosting an hour this Sunday at 6PM, on 88.3FM, WBGO.org, and the WBGO mobile app!

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Gary Walker

In jazz radio, great announcers are distinguished by their ability to convey the spontaneity and passion of the music. Gary Walker is such an announcer, and his enthusiasm for this music greets WBGO listeners every morning on Daybreak. He's the winner of the 1996 Gavin Magazine Jazz Radio Personality of the Year Award and the recipient of the 2021 Marian McPartland-Willis Conover Award for Career Achievement in Broadcasting from the Jazz Journalists Association. Gary hosts the morning show each weekday from 8am til noon. And, by his own admission, he's truly having a great time.

See stories by Gary Walker