This life story of Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval focuses on his love of jazz, his love for Marianela, and the hassles he endured under a regime not very sympathetic to ‘imperialist’ music. In spite of having to play with the socialist orchestra and for a circus, Arturo manages to start the legendary band Irakere and meets Dizzy Gillespie. But after being accused of counterrevolutionary behaviour he succumbs to forced membership in the Party: the only possibility of performing abroad and escaping from Cuba. In 1989, after a gala concert in Athens, an opportunity presented itself, and Dizzy Gillespie was there to help him take advantage of it. The film, which is conceived as a succession of retrospective scenes, benefits greatly from Sandoval’s genius. The trumpet player, portrayed on screen by Andy Garcia, composed all the musical accompaniment. Singer Gloria Estefan fills another of the film’s roles.