Savani Latin Jazz

SAVANI AND HER BAND ARE STEPPING OUT WITH THEIR ORIGINAL BLEND OF LATIN JAZZ. 

Traditional rhythms of Cuba and South America are given flight with jazz arrangements that highlight the improvisatory prowess of the musicians. The songs breathe with a deep lyricism, inviting the audience into a rich and unpredictable musical landscape, where cha-cha-cha, waltz and swing meet like old friends on the dance floor.

BIOGRAPHIES:

ELSPETH TREJO SAVANI - vocals, percussion

Elspeth grew up in Boothbay Harbor, Maine and earned her BA in Music at Wesleyan University. While there, she focused on classical voice but also had the opportunity to study West African drumming and South Indian vocal music.

Shortly after moving to Seattle, Elspeth had a life-changing encounter with Cuban music. Inspired by the rhythmic counterpoint and call-and-response singing, Elspeth promptly put her classical pursuits aside and immersed herself fully into the study of congas, Cuban dance, folkloric music and Spanish language, studying intensively with Roberto Borrell among others.

Several years later, Elspeth found herself at the musical helm of the Cuban dance band Orchestra Zarabanda, which she directed and performed with for two decades. Zarabanda was her main training ground in Latin music, logging hundreds of performances and two major recording projects. Her 2007 CD with Zarabanda “Gallo Que Canta” received critical acclaim. In that same year, Elspeth was nominated for “Best Emerging Artist” by Earshot Jazz.

Meanwhile, Elspeth branched out with her eponymous latin jazz format, delving into elements of Brazilian, Peruvian and Argentinian music, originally under the mentorship of Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto, with grant support from 4Culture. This format has been showcased all over the Northwest, including at the Earshot Jazz Festival and Jazz in the Valley, and as of this writing is working on it’s second album.

Throughout the years, Elspeth has been the recipient of numerous grants from both the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture and King County 4Culture. In partnership with percussionist Jeff Busch, guitarist David Trejo and actress Mayra Laura Castanos, Elspeth has developed educational outreach programs and performances including two bilingual, multi-media children’s shows and two large-scale Cuban dance and music retrospectives. The latter, titled “Direct Flight” and “Soy Cuba” involved over 30 musicians, dancers and visiting artists, a weekend of workshops for the community and two sold-out performances at the Triple Door.

Elspeth has had the great fortune of working closely with 3-time Latin Grammy winner Carlos Cascante, internationally renowned Cuban tres player Kiki Valera (of La Familia Valera Miranda) and Brazilian jazz master pianist, Jovino Santos Neto. In addition, Elspeth has shared the stage with legendary Cuban flautist Richard Egües, Cuban salsa sensation Issac Delgado, master percussionist Michael Sprio and bongocero Pedro Vargas (formerly with Barbarito Torres).

Elspeth has recently returned to Maine and can be heard performing with Portland-based Cuban format “Primo Cubano” and the Midcoast-based trio “Los Nietos del Son”.

JULIO JAUREGUI – Piano

Julio Jauregui is a highly acclaimed, multi-talented musician, composer, arranger, recording engineer and producer. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Julio grew up in Mexico City. His musical education began at age six focusing on the importance of rhythmic structures in a group format. He attended the National School of Music from 1984-1987 where he studied percussion with the National Symphony percussionist Julio Villegas and performed with the National Symphony Orchestra.

In 1990, Julio moved to Eugene, Oregon, excelling at Lane Community College and finishing his music degree at the University of Oregon. He studied jazz piano with Gary Versace and jazz improvisation with saxophonist Steve Owen. He has been a member or musical director of myriad ensembles (latin jazz, salsa, folk, funk, jazz), including Caliente, Sandunga, Combination to Go (with Santana’s drummer/percussionist Mingo Lewis), La Mayor, Atmosphere, and after moving to Seattle in 1997, Latin Expression, Matices, and Cambalache with Camilo Suarez. Julio has recorded with Children of the Revolution, Guil Guimaraes, Jeff Busch, Nueva Era and others. He was part of Joe Santiago’s Salsa all-stars concert in 2003 with Giovanni Hidalgo, Joe Santiago, Giovanni Lugo, Pablito “El Indio” Rosario, and has performed with Adalberto Santiago, David Pabon, Hector Tricoche, Lalo Rodriguez, and others.

In 2001 Julio joined forces with singer and long-time friend Carlos Cascante and formed Tumbao, a Latin sextet (see their CD “Recuerdos”), and from 2004 to 2007 he was the musical director for the musical “Musica Vitae” at the Century Ballroom.

Julio has recorded, mixed and produced several Latin recordings throughout the Pacific Northwest which has put him at the forefront of the Latin music scene. In 2006 he produced and recorded with Steve Guasch in his two albums “Suiguiendo la Tradicion” and “Influencias” which received worldwide recognition. In 2011 he recorded another CD with Carlos Cascante y Su Tumbao entitled “Hablando en Serio”, and recorded and mixed a CD entitled “Flights of Mind” with the Elspeth Savani Latin Jazz Quintet.

Julio has produced many records for latin artists such s Johnny Conga, Breaking Skin (2009) and Oye (2013) . Ann Reynolds "Joy" 2019, "Para Cuba con Amor" 2014, Carlos Cascante y su Tumbao "Hablando en Serio" 2011, "Recuerdos" 2007, Guaschara "Influencias 2009. 

Julio is a sought after composer/ arranger, including for the 4 time Grammy award winner orchestra Spanish Harlem Orchestra, whose lastest recording "Imagenes Latinas" 2022, features Julio’s arrangement on the title track.

Teaching credits include Seattle’s Jazz Night School, Cornish College of the Arts and the Puyallup School of Music, as well as his private studio.

JEFF BUSCH – Drums/ Percussion

Seattle based musician, Jeff Busch is an exuberant drummer/percussionist, vocalist, and composer whose passion for soulful music of varied traditions has led him to perform with jazz, blues, and gospel groups--as well as calypso, samba, and Cuban jazz ensembles.   

His work as a sideman over the past 20 plus years has included performances and recordings with 3 time Latin Grammy winning vocalist Carlos Cascante (of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra), 3 time Latin-Grammy nominee Jovino Santos Neto (including an NPR Tiny Desk concert), and gospel singing sensation Patrinell Wright. 

On the Seattle scene Jeff works regularly with a variety of groups including Duende Libre, The EntreMundos Quarteto, Jovino Santos Neto, Carlos Cascante y Su Tumbao, Mambo Cadillac, Conjunto Caribe, Marco de Carvalho, Bill Anschell, Foleada, Magic Circle, William Munoz and a variety of vocalists and instrumentalists. He also plays in the house band and hosts the weekly Wednesday night Capitol Cider Jam Session.

As a student, Jeff has also performed/studied with Master Senegalese percussionist Thione Diop, master Puerto Rican percussionist Paoli Mejias, msster Venezuelan percussionist Luisito Quintero and Brazilian master drummers Jorge Alabe and Marcio Bahia.

DEAN SCHMIDT - bass

Dean Dean studied music in Los Angeles at the prestigious Musicians Institute of Technology and through the many world class musicians at MIT he was exposed to different idioms such as jazz, Latin, Brazilian and world music.

After spending six years in Los Angeles playing with different bands, he was hired by the legendary James Burton (Elvis Presley's guitarist) for a year stint in Waikiki, Hawaii, playing with his son Jeff Burton. After that successful show, he relocated to Seattle, where he established a career as a freelance and studio bassist. Dean's solo record "I Know Nothing" was released by Origin Records in 2006.

He has since traveled the world playing in Turkey, South East Asia, Mexico and Japan. He also spent six years on and off performing with singer Jane Powell on Norwegian Cruise Line. He has performed live with Grammy award winning singer Melissa Manchester and LA based jazz group The David Becker Tribune. He plays regularly with Seattle-based latin bands Tumbao, Kiki Valera y su Son, Entre Mundos, Mambo Cadillac, Orchestra Zarabanda and the Savani Latin Jazz Quartet. For the last 6 years he has been performing with Lee Oskar (from the band WAR), and joined Stanley Jordan last year at Jazz Alley.

 In addition to his extensive live performance schedule, Dean can also be heard on the soundtracks to the Academy Award Winner "The Blind Side" as well as on "The Great Buck Howard," starring John Malcovich.