Latin Giants of Jazz: a conversation with Johnny Rodriguez, Mario Rivera and Jose Madera

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 2004 by Luis Tamargo, Silvio Alava, Rudy Mangual

"It has been said that the musician who has not visited Mario Rivera's home has not truly visited New York City. The man lives in a three-bedroom apartment on 96th and Amsterdam, in Manhattan, where one finds every type of musical instrument and audio equipment (turned on) in every room, playing the most diverse styles, from Stan Kenton to Tito Rodríguez, going through Ornette Coleman, Juan Luis Guerra, Piazzolla, Jacques Ibert, La Patrulla 15, Irakere, and Antonio Carlos Jobim...

Mario not only enjoys playing tenor, alto, soprano, baritone, melodica, vibes, bongó, bassoon, flute, piano, piccolo, alto flute, trumpet or tambora, but he performs along with the recordings played in every room."