El Arte del Sabor is Bebo Valdés' third album in his "second career". After remaining mostly inactive since the 1960s, when he defected from Cuba and settled in Stockholm, Valdés experienced a career revival in 1994 with the recording of Bebo Rides Again, which was followed by Recuerdos de Habana, recorded between 1998 and 2000. For this recording, Valdés worked with two of Cuba's most experienced musicians living in exile: double bassist Israel López, better known as Cachao, and conguero Carlos Valdés, better known as Patato. In addition, alto saxophone and clarinet player Paquito D'Rivera, who had collaborated with Valdés in Bebo Rides Again, played on three tracks as a "special guest".