Seven Steps to Havana: Live on the Drive!
By: Janet Zahn 08/01/2010
This 2010 Live on the Drive summer concert series comes to a hot and groovin' conclusion with the arrival of Seven Steps to Havana. Seven Steps to Havana features musicians from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Ethiopia and America in a septet that combines the rhythmic sizzle of salsa with the harmonic richness of jazz.
The concert is free and takes place on Thursday, August 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Victory Memorial Drive and 34th Ave. N., one of the most beautiful concert settings in the city.
Seven Steps to Havana's repertoire runs the spectrum of sound from lovely boleros to burning salsa beats, from dynamic drum features to haunting horn trios. The ensemble was formed in 2005 by saxophonist/flautist/composer Douglas Little. An elite jazz saxophonist with CDs and European tours to his credit, Little was awarded a major research grant in 2002 and studied in Cuba for nearly five months. While there, he gained a profound knowledge of Cuban rhythms, music, and culture under the mentorship of living legends including JJ Oliveros.
Joining Little in Seven Steps to Havana is piano and vocal star Viviana Pintado. Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, Pintado is a recipient of three Latin Grammy nominations for her work with salsa queen, Albita. Other members include drummer Mariano Flores (drums), Eliezer Freitas-Santos (congas), Yohannes Tona (bass), Mark Miller (trombone) and Bill Simenson (trumpet). Their collective accomplishments include major fellowship awards, international tours, and dozens of CDs. The band's debut album was released in 2006. Check them out at www.sevenstepstohavana.com.
Live on the Drive is presented by founding partner North Memorial in association with the Cleveland Neighborhood Association, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, North End Hardware and Rental, the Northwest Minneapolis Business Association, NorthNews, and by the COMPAS Community Art Program through a grant from the McKnight Foundation.
Info: 612-588-1155 or www.liveonthedrive.org.