Tales of Dizzy: Paquito D'Rivera's jazz gig at Moscow

A few warm-ups from a clarinet rip out from behind the side curtains before he steps up on the stage at the Student Union Building ballroom on the first day of the UI Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. His whole manner is easy-going.

On the stage he looks like a senior faculty member, beloved by students past and present. Paquito D’Rivera makes a few comments about his English skills and begins to charm the small crowd at the afternoon jazz clinic. He is a native of Cuba.

“Ask me about anything. Maybe about Romney,”he jokes.

That night he was the featured performer in the first of four jazz festiva...