The Cuban Institute of Music announced on Monday the death in Havana of the outstanding musician Luis Manuel Mirabal Vázquez, known as El Guajiro Mirabal, at the age of 91.

Born on May 5, 1933, with a career spanning more than 70 years, he is considered one of the best trumpet players in the largest of the Antilles and in the world.

He was a member of the Rumbahabana Ensemble and the Riverside Orchestra, as well as the orchestras of Tropicana, Cabaret Parisien, Hotel Nacional, ICRT, the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, the Ceremonial Band of the National Revolutionary Militia and the Army Band.

He participated in countless recordings and collaborated with important Cuban and international musicians such as Oscar de León on his visit to Cuba.

He was also part of the internationally renowned projects Afrocuban All Stars and the Buena Vista Social Club, with which he won the Grammy Award in 1998.

In his long and fruitful artistic career, he received several decorations and awards such as the Distinction for National Culture, the Alejo Carpentier Medal, the 28th of September Medal of the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution, the Raúl Gómez García Medal and the Distinguished Service Award of the FAR (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba).

He was a member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, National Vanguard of the Union of Cultural Workers in 2001 and was awarded the «Gitana Tropical» in 2010, among other awards.

His body will be laid to rest at the funeral home in Marianao and his burial will be this Tuesday at 11:00 am at the Colón necropolis, the National Museum of Music reported on its Facebook profile.