Arturo Sandoval

Credit: Gary I. Rothstein/ Reuters

Alicia Keys's New Friendship

Originally posted 05/04/2004 9:00AM

It's no surprise that Alicia Keys and jazz trumpet master Arturo Sandoval got a standing ovation after playing her song "If I Ain't Got You" at the Billboard Latin Music Awards last week – especially since their newfound friendship added to their onstage chemistry. Keys and Sandoval first met during the show's rehearsal in Miami, then spent the following day together at Sandoval's Coral Gables home, where his wife, Marianela, cooked traditional Cuban food for the singer-songwriter and her entourage, including black beans, rice, yucca, chicken, pork, mojitos and flan. Keys, who doesn't eat chicken or pork, feasted on a plate of rice and beans and a tuna salad that Marianela prepared especially for her, then listened while Sandoval played piano. After the awards show, all went to dinner together at Nobu at the Shore Club in South Beach.

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