Latin vocalist Jessie Marquez headlines Montavilla’s Vino Veritas Wine Bar and Bottle Shop’s First Friday concerts this spring, bringing her blend of Cuban, Brazilian, jazz and pop sound to the stage with guest pianists and guitarists. Her performances seamlessly weave together compelling stories about Cuban music, musicians’ lives and her own adventures with lush music that brings it to life. Pianist and composer Clay Giberson will perform with Marquez in March; April and May guests to be announced.
Marquez grew up eating her grandmother’s Cuban cooking and hearing stories about her family’s life in Havana. She first visited her father’s childhood home in 1996 and right away, she says, “I felt at home.” In 2003, members of the Afro-Cuban Allstars heard her sing in Havana and offered to arrange and record her first CD, Sana Locura, which reached the top of salsa and Latin jazz charts in Europe and the US. She spent a year studying at Cuba’s National School of Art and performed in clubs, cabarets, theaters, street parties, on television and radio throughout Cuba. Marquez returned to Oregon with a treasure trove of stories about her experiences in Havana’s vibrant music scene.
Reservations are recommended for the no-cover 7 pm shows. Call 503.208.2583 or email trevor@vinoveritas.com. Visit Vino Veritas at 7835 SE Stark St. and vinoveritaspdx.com/events.