SantaFe

October 3rd 2019 at 7:30pm

There will be singing and dancing Thursday night at the Avalanche Bar as the Georgia Straight Jazz Society presents the infectious Cuban style rhythms and soulful lyrics of Sweet SantaFe.

Christine Baxter and Michel Rivero are Sweet SantaFe. Their lyrically painted scenes enchant the listener in Spanish and English and bring their audiences music that is "authentic," "romantic," and "fun." Their poly-rhythmic, Afro-Latin sounds inspire audiences to dance. Sweer SantaFe is joined Thursday night by special guests Pablo Luis Cardenas on piano and Hector Ramos on congas.

Christine met Michel in 2014 while on a cultural exchange in Cuba with the Just In Time Choir. . Their creative bond began with song writing together, at first over long distances and later when Christine joined him in Cuba. There they married and named their band after the district in Havana that was their first home. After moving to Vancouver Island in 2016, Sweet SantaFe has been very active, performing in concerts and festivals throughout British Columbia and Alberta, including the Vancouver Island Music Fest.

Christine Baxter began her musical career at age 5 singing in a family quartet at church and on a Christian variety television programme in Lethbridge, Alberta. Relocating to BC she pursued a career as a singer-songwriter, performing her songs in concerts and festivals throughout BC and the Yukon.

Michel Rivero is a songwriter, teacher, choral director and a talented instrumentalist. His love of music began at age 9 when he joined a traditional Cuban music ensemble and a choir. His love of Antonio Carlos Jobim's music, a founding father of bossa nova, inspired him to study Spanish guitar and to begin writing his own music.

Cuban-born Pablo Luis Cardenas is one of the best Cuban pianists of his generation. His versatility and technical preparation make his music rich and full of different influences from Afro-Cuban, Latin jazz, to fusion, modern jazz, and classical music.

Hector Ramos is a master conga player from Cienfuegos, Cuba who graduated from the National Academy of Music in Havana. He moved to Canada seven years ago and now makes his home in Victoria. Hector played professionally in Cuba for over 10 years, exploring all styles of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban folklore through different groups.

Combine Caribbean rhythms with two sweet and beautiful voices, great original tunes, great harmonies along with Michel's rock solid guitar work, and you will be transported to a sunny beach with gentle breezes drifting off the azure ocean.

Browse the website and select the calendar tab to see the superb line-up of acts we have booked for the 2019-2020 season (September through May). Members enjoy warm, safe, friendly gatherings each week, with a wide array of live jazz genres.

It is all rush seating, there are no reservations.

Thank you for your support of the jazz society's events over the past five months of 2019. It's been our most successful year, and it fulfills our goal of keeping jazz live in Comox Valley.

GSJS showcases jazz live in the Comox Valley, giving music lovers an opportunity to enjoys local, regional and internationally-known jazz musicians.