Big Ears

Venissa Santí's artistry in singing Afro-Cuban and Jazz was born from the necessity to express the musical influences that nourish her spirit as a Cuban American. She has sparked the attention of important artists in Latin jazz such as Ruben Blades and Danilo Pérez. They have said that she is excellent and marked her as audacious in her arranging with an original and unforgettable sound. She is a recent recipient of the PEW Fellowship http://www.pewarts.org 2008, a prestigious award in the category folk and traditional arts and was selected from a pool of 323 applicants in PA.. Venissa Santí performs innovative, and genre defying, Cuban American Vocal Jazz that has been hailed as fresh, creative and appealing to all audiences. Her combinations of age old beloved songs and mixture of Cuban and jazz rhythms are documented on her 2008 solo Debut CD "Bienvenida." This sparkling recording showcases her artistry in singing, writing, and arranging as well as Venissa's jazz improvisation. Vocally she stretches from Afro-Cuban folklore to balladry even attempting Cuban singing styles that are traditionally only done by men, namely in her aggressive Latin jazz track "Columbia Pa' Miguel Angel" among other daring combinations of jazz standards done in an Afro-Cuban Bembe rhythm, and Cuban classics such as "Como Fue" done as a blues with the great guitarist Jeff Lee Johnson. Her original songs prove to be audience favorites and show a rich and promising future as a songwriter and reflect her personal journeys as a Cuban-American romantic girl. Also finally Venissa pays tribute to her Cuban composer grandfather: Jacobo Ros Capablanca by performing his signature song "Lucerito de Mi Amor." After much study in jazz, Cuban music and improvisation in Philadelphia, Havana and Matanzas with artists/teachers/mentors: such as JD Walter, Ron Kerber (University of the Arts) Elizabeth Sayre, Orlando Fiol- (master bata drumers), Michael Spiro (of BataKetu) Gregorio "El Goyo" Hernández (Yoruba Adavo) "Minini" (Afro Cuba De Matanzas), and Arturo Martinez (Clave y Guaguanco).