Grupo los Santos contact: Pete Smith 16 Pomander Walk, #1, New York, New York 10025 (212) 316-3429 / www.grupolossantos.com

Grupo los Santos is a quartet of American musicians who, through a mixture of jazz with

Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles, are creating a new soul in the music of New York. Formed in 1998

to explore the blending of these traditions, Los Santos have performed in Cuba and throughout the

U.S., worked and recorded with some of the greats of Cuban music, and have developed a strong

following in the New York/Tri-state area.

Their first CD, Noches en El Taller, released in 2000, features a range of Afro-Cuban and

Brazilian styles, including Cuban son, rumba-son, bolero, samba and bossa nova as well as batá pieces

for drumset. Their second CD, Cruzando el Mar (2003), continues the tradition with high energy

originals in guaguancó, funk, cha cha chá and descarga, as well as further explorations in samba,

rumba and partido alto. Henri Salgâo of Músico Pro magazine described the work as “A tasty fusion

of genres...that shows their deep admiration of Cuban music (particularly the percussive richness of the

batás) and Brazilian music.” Keith Ganz wrote “Relaxed, authentic Latin grooves underpin an open-

ended, intimate jazz quartet setting to create a truly unique and satisfying kind of jazz.”

Grupo los Santos have worked extensively with Cuban composer/trombonist Juan Pablo

Torres: They were featured in his concert of Cuban All-Stars at New York City’s Town Hall in 1999,

and appeared individually on his 2001 recording Together Again, featuring Chucho Valdez, Arturo

Sandoval, Steve Turre, Giovanni Hidalgo and a host of other Latin Jazz luminaries. With Rumba tap

dance pioneer Max Pollak, Los Santos have collaborated with members of the famed los Muñequitos

de Matanzas, combining jazz tap and Cuban rumba. In November, 2001, Pollak and Los Santos were

able to bring their mezcla (“mixture”) back to its roots: playing a series of concerts in Havana, Cuba.

The highlights included a show at the jazz club La Zorra y el Cuervo, and a collaboration with the 11

piece rumba group Clave y Guaguancó, as part of Havana’s Cuba Tambor festival.

On film, Grupo los Santos have been featured in Cómo Se Forma una Rumba/How to Create a

Rumba by Iván Acosta (which was shown in Lincoln Center as part of Latin Beat 2001!), and in Latido

Latino, a documentary about Latin music in New York City, broadcast nationally in Spain.

Grupo los Santos is: Dave Ambrosio, acoustic bass; William Bausch, drumset;

Paul Carlon, tenor saxophone; Pete Smith, guitar.

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Grupo los Santos - Venues Played

Club/Theater Location Date(s) El Taller Latinoamericano New York, NY weekly, 1998-2000

Hard Grove Cafe (w/ J.P. Torres) Jersey City, NJ weekly, 1999-2000

Town Hall (Torres & Super Son Cubano) New York, NY February 27, 1999

Rich Forum (w/ Torres) Stamford, CT February 28, 1999

Park Theater (w/ Torres) Union City, NJ April 1, 2000

Stone Pony (club grand re-opening) Asbury Park, NJ May 26, 2000

CD Release – El Taller New York, NY August 31, 2000

Cinco de Mayo Festival Denver, CO May 2001

1515 Market Denver, CO May 3, 2001

Rutland Jazz Festival Rutland, VT June 29, 2001

Centerra Grill Lebanon, NH June 30, 2001

Teatro Bertol Brecht (Cuba Tambor) Havana, Cuba November 16, 2001

Cabaret Las Vegas Havana, Cuba November 18, 2001

La Zorra y el Cuervo Havana, Cuba November 19, 2001

First Church (“Sunday Afternoons Live”) Old Greenwich, CT February 3, 2002

New York City Clubs Played:

Alterknit/Knitting Factory Bubble Lounge

C-Note Cutting Room

El Taller Nascimento No. Moore

Russian Tea Room Screening Room

Tavern on the Green

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Grupo los Santos - Reviews

"The 'blessed' fusion of Grupo Los Santos consists of acoustic bass, electric guitar, a hint of rock energy, with drumset guided by the sound of batá drums and a sax played in the best style of bossa nova and samba." - Emma Hunt, el diario/LA PRENSA (Nueva York), August 2, 2002

". . . [T]he only faith to which these four American musicians appear to devote themselves is the impassioned and serious investigation of traditional Cubann and Brazilian rhythms, in order to incorporate them into their own jazz-based compositions. These interpretive experiments have succeeded in creating a mix at times explosive and sizzling, like the Brazilian coastline or Afrocaribbean flavor. . . others exude melodies that produce that certain languid sensation which beckons us to more intimate places." -Diana Vargas, VIDAHOY (NY), March 15, 2002

“A tasty fusion of genres...that shows their deep admiration of Cuban music (particularly the percussive richness of the batás) and Brazilian music, with sporadic and appropriate jazz embellishments...Tunes with the feeling of Son, Rumba, and Bossa Nova, interpreted correctly but with an unobtrusive and minimalist approach.” – Henri Salgâo, Músico Pro magazine

“[A] labor of love by a group of New York City musicians with the desire to produce some creative music...[T]heir group efforts really show in the different styles represented ranging from jazz, Cuban, Brazilian , and other styles of music. A commendable performance.” – Victor Rendón, Latin Percussionist magazine “[T]he band is not into using many exotic native instruments in creating their Latin scene. They develop their sound primarily from conventional tools and are able to take an authentic musical stance with them...Los Santos is a cooperative effort, and each of these young musicians plays a strong hand in making the group work.” – Frank Rubolino, Cadence magazine “Relaxed, authentic Latin grooves underpin an open-ended, intimate jazz quartet setting to create a truly unique and satisfying kind of jazz...I find this mix of inspired, personal improvs, laid back latin grooves and a warm, empathic group sound irresistible. You can tell this is a band that loves making music together.” – Keith Ganz, CD Baby Website

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