By 1980, D'Rivera had become dissatisfied with the constraints placed on his music in Cuba for many years. In an interview with ReasonTV, D'Rivera recalled that the Cuban communist government described jazz and rock and roll as "
imperialist" music that was officially discouraged in the 1960s/70s, and that a meeting with
Che Guevara sparked his desire to leave Cuba. In early 1980, while on tour in
Spain, he sought asylum with the American Embassy, leaving his wife and child and brother Enrique, who is also a saxophonist, behind, with a promise to bring them out of Cuba. He fulfilled that promise nine years later. Upon his arrival in the United States, D'Rivera found great support for him and his family. His mother, Maura, and his sister, Rosario, had left Cuba in 1968 and became US citizens. Maura had worked in the US in the fashion industry for many years, and Rosario had become a respected artist and entrepreneur. Paquito was introduced to the jazz scene at some prestigious clubs and concert halls in New York. He became something of a phenomenon after the release of his first two solo albums, ''Paquito Blowin'
(June 1981) and Mariel'' (July 1982). In 2005, D'Rivera wrote a letter criticizing musician
Carlos Santana for his decision to wear a T-shirt with the image of
Che Guevara on it to the
2005 Academy Awards, citing Guevara's role in the execution of counter-revolutionaries in Cuba, including his own cousin. ==Career==