Evaristo

Artist Information

Biography

Evaristo is a multi-talented singer, songwriter and guitar player. He is a versatile performer who is equally at home fronting his band playing his own original music, as well as in solo shows on his guitar, mixing his own material with more traditional sounds such as Cuban Son and songs from the Cuban ‘Trovador’ tradition. He can also put together a duo or trio with Latin percussion depending on size of gig and venue.
He is about to release a new CD combining Cuban rhythms with Latin pop, rock and urban to create a brand new sound. The CD, ‘Siempre Que Llueve… (After the Rain…)’, will feature some of Toronto’s best Canadian and Cuban musicians, as well as collaborations with Latina rap phenomenon Telmary Diaz.
Born in Havana, Evaristo now makes Toronto home, where he is an independent artist whose music has been featured nationally on CBC Radio and Jazz FM, and on Latin radio around the world. In addition to his new CD, Evaristo also has a CD of original salsa music, ‘Luna del Barrio’, featuring arrangements by the likes of Juno award winner Hilario Duran. Both CDs (World/Latin) are available online at iTunes and indiepool.com. For more information, contact us by phone, 416 363 9972, or email us at evysaoco@hotmail.com. Our Web site is www.evaristomusic.com, where you can also find out about Evaristo’s latest shows. The video for the title track from his CD ‘Siempre Que Llueve…’ can be seen on our web site, or go to YouTube.com and search for “Evaristo featuring Telmary”.
Evaristo performs in many of Toronto’s venues dedicated to Latin music, such as Lula Lounge and Latinada Tapas Bar. Performance highlights include performing at the College Street Festival, the Toronto WinterCity Festival at Nathan Philips Square, the Downtown Jazz Festival and the 2011 Havana Cultura Festival on Ossington. Some of Evaristo’s nominations and awards include being a semi-finalist in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition, and a finalist in the Latin category of the 2007 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, for the title track of his CD, ‘Siempre Que Llueve… (After the Rain…)’. His new video, featuring Telmary Diaz, was been nominated for six of Cuba’s prestigious Lucas Awards 2009, including Best Video of the Year. Evaristo had the opportunity to perform his song ‘Siempre que llueve…’ (After the Rain), live at the Karl Marx Theatre in Havana at the 2009 ‘Lucas’ Video Awards, for broadcast on TV Cubana.
Evaristo was born in Havana City, Cuba. He has been composing music since he was a teenager, and graduated from Havana’s Ignacio Cervantes Music School, training to be a singer, as well as guitar, piano, acting, and musical composition. In the 1980s, Evaristo started playing guitar and singing publicly in the Cuban ‘Trova’ style, in concerts and improvised performances around the Havana club scene. Evaristo’s professional career began in 1987, when he played guitar with Jesus Morales (“Moralitos”), one of the greats in Cuban Music. In 1988, he sang for a year with the Cuban National Radio and Television Chorus.
Then in 1989, Evaristo auditioned for the Tropicana Nightclub in Havana, and joined the company as a singer and dancer. Evaristo enjoyed a 6 year run with the company, performing regularly as one of the principal singers in Tropicana’s world famous cabaret-style nightclub show. With Tropicana, Evaristo went on many international tours, performing in Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Evaristo lived and performed in Milan, Italy for 3 years before coming to Canada in 1997, where he met Grammy-nominee Jane Bunnett, and started performing with her Cuban jazz ensemble. He was a regular singer with groups such as Son Ache, before forming his own salsa band in 2000, and starting the new band and project in 2003.

Instrumentation

Evaristo works with some of the best Latin musicians in Toronto. For his new Latin pop/rock project, the line-up is 8 pieces: Evaristo on acoustic guitar and vocals, with bass, piano, guitar, drum kit, sax, trumpet with a wrapper.

Discography

Evaristo’s independently produced CD of original salsa music, ‘Luna del Barrio’, features some of Canada’s best Latin musicians, including Alexis Baro on first trumpet. The CD (World/Latin) is available on cdbaby.com (www.cdbaby.com/evaristo). It has been featured on Jazz FM 91 (Café Latino and others), on CBC Radio (Big City, Small World and others), and on many Latin community radio stations. For information, email evysaoco@hotmail.com, or check out his Web site at www.evaristomusic.com.

Evaristo is about to release a CD for the new project, ‘Siempre Que Llueve…’ (Every Time it Rains). The music is Latin pop/rock infused with urban, reggae funk, and Cuban rhythms to create a new sound. Samples are available here and on our web site (www.evaristomusic.com). His new video for ‘Siempre Que Llueve…’, featuring Telmary Diaz, has been nominated for 6 Lucas 2009 Awards, including Best Video of the Year (go to YouTube.com and search on 'Evaristo featuring Telmary').

Links

• Official web site

Audio

• Siempre Que Llueve
  Listen  
• Maria
  Listen  
• Desamparado
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Siempre Que Llueve (Whenever It Rains)
• Maria
• Desamparado
• Luna del Barrio

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Evaristo has Six Nominations in the 2009 Lucas Music Video Awards [+ Show ]
  

  Evaristo’s video for ‘Siempre que llueve…’ (Every time it rains), featuring Telmary Diaz, has been n...Evaristo’s video for ‘Siempre que llueve…’ (Every time it rains), featuring Telmary Diaz, has been nominated by Cuba’s famous ‘Lucas’ Awards 2009 for both Best Video of the Year and Best Music Fusion Video, as well as being nominated in the Best Director, Best Art Direction, and Best Director of Photography categories. In addition, a clip about the making of Evaristo’s video was nominated in the Best ‘Making Of’ category.
  
  Evaristo’s video can be seen on YouTube.com (search "Evaristo featuring Telmary"), or on our web site at www.evaristomusic.com. The video was filmed in Havana, Cuba and is directed by Tomas Miña. Evaristo competes for best video with such artists as Charanga Habanera.
  
  As part of the Lucas Festival 2009, the nominated videos will be playing at locations throughout Havana in November, including the Parqueo de Coopelia, the Parque de Los Artesanos, and the Centro Fresa y Chocolate.
  
  The nominees for the Lucas Awards of 2009 were announced Wednesday October 21 at the Tropicana nightclub in Havana. The Lucas Awards honor Cuban music videos in a variety of categories, and will be announced live on TV Cubana on the 29 of November from Havana’s Karl Marx Theatre.
  
  Award nominations for Evaristo’s “Siempre Que Llueve…” (featuring Telmary):
  - Best Video of the year
  - Best Music Fusion Video
  - Best Director
  - Best Art Direction
  - Best Director of Photography
  - Best ‘Making Of’ Video
  
  See "Nominados Premios Lucas 2009" (www.tvcubana.icrt.cu/noticias/nominados-premios-lucas-2009) for more information (site in Spanish), or contact us at evysaoco@hotmail.com!

• Big City, Small World on CBC Radio [+ Show ]
  

  Evaristo appeared on the CBC Radio program ‘Big City, Small World’ with Garvia Bailey on Saturday, J...Evaristo appeared on the CBC Radio program ‘Big City, Small World’ with Garvia Bailey on Saturday, January 26, 2008. Garvia interviewed Evaristo about his music and career, and he performed a couple of songs from his new project live in the CBC studio.

• Evaristo's New Project [+ Show ]
  

  SALSA WITH A DASH OF REGGAE: Evaristo Machado is another musician who operates in the fuzzy areas be...SALSA WITH A DASH OF REGGAE: Evaristo Machado is another musician who operates in the fuzzy areas between musical styles -- in his case salsa, funk, jazz, flamenco and even reggae. The Cuban-born, Toronto-based singer-guitarist, best known for filling the dance floor at the Lula Lounge's regular salsa nights, heads out on a slightly different tangent with his new project, Siempre Que Ilueve (Whenever It Rains).
  
  The new band scales down the big-band sound of Evaristo's nine-piece salsa orchestra, relying on Evaristo's guitar and vocals along with Chendi Leon on percussion and flamenco box, Silvio Simone on both flamenco and electric guitar and Orlando Cardoso on piano, and mixing Afro-Cuban rhythms with traditional Latin styles, rock, reggae and funk. They'll test it out at the Lula Lounge tonight.
  
  Mary Dickie, Wed, June 29, 2005

• Two latino greats unite [+ Show ]
  

  LIVE MUSIC Two latino greats unite: A Canadian king and queen of latin jazz and world music will...LIVE MUSIC
  
  Two latino greats unite: A Canadian king and queen of latin jazz and world music will be uniting on stage tonight at Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. Eliana Cuevas and Evaristo will be putting on quite a show of Latin jazz, Bossa Nova, boleros and Cuban Trova. Venezuela-born Cuevas is a multiple award-winning singer and songwriter who will be performing her unique style of Latin jazz and world music, with songs from her CD, Ventura. Evaristo is a Cuban-Canadian singer already well known in Toronto for leading an incredible salsa big band. The guitar player and songwriter will showcase music stretching from his early days as a Trovador in Havana, mixing Latin jazz, flamenco, Bossa Nova and Cuban Trova. Show starts at 9 p.m., cover is $10. See www.lula.ca or call 416-651-4054.
  
  By Jennifer Bill
  Thursday, December 22, 2005

• CD Review from Italy [+ Show ]
  

  Singer: Evaristo Album: Luna del Barrio Date: 01/10/2005 Based on the music samples available ...Singer: Evaristo
  Album: Luna del Barrio
  Date: 01/10/2005
  
  Based on the music samples available on the Web (http://www.evaristomusic.com/music.htm and http://cdbaby.com/cd/evaristo), I want to let you know about this excellent example of a Cuban Salsa CD with a fresh and international flavor. Anyone who listens to the title number “Luna del Barrio” in its entirety will notice that we are faced with an extremely danceable and intriguing track; one that, for its immediate attraction to the ear has all the signs of becoming a hit. Likewise, each of the remaining 8 tracks (available for listening on the links above) are of beautiful quality, making the whole album, with its especially jazzy harmonies, a distinctive and refined production! In particular I would emphasize the track “Salsa con Timba” which opens the album – a piece that is completely original in its arrangement and danceability; as well as “El Baile del Saoco” and “La Carretera”, whose choruses remind me of the best of Willie Chirino. Evaristo Machado – vocalist and musician born in Havana – is the composer of all the tracks, and gives us an excellent production with an outstanding backup band, where the brass makes up the finest element. This is a production with all the signs that it will soon get a regular distribution in Italy.
  
  Translated from the Italian for www.evaristomusic.com
  
  Original article:
  http://www.salsa.it/recensioni.aspx?lnrid=813

• Review: Evaristo Machado - “Luna del Barrio” [+ Show ]
  

  by Joaquin Borges-Triana, October 7, 2004 I believe that I never will forget the good old days th...by Joaquin Borges-Triana, October 7, 2004
  
  I believe that I never will forget the good old days that I spent at ‘la Casa del Joven Creador ‘ (the House of the Young Creator) in the Avenida del Puerto [Havana, Cuba]. It was the preferred venue for many of my generation, at a beautiful stage of our lives. Regulars of that space keep alive vivid memories of the concerts and improvised performances put on by people who, today, are prominent figures in the contemporary panorama of Cuban songwriting. One of the artists from that time, who, with his guitar and voice, helped us to weave a complex fabric of utopian visions, and to feel that there was much more to life than mere existence, was Evaristo Machado, an artist frequently found playing chords and melodies on the patio of that big old house at the corner of San Pedro and Sol.
  
  A native of the City of Havana, Evaristo graduated from the Conservatorio Ignacio Cervantes, where he studied singing, classical guitar, piano, acting and the theoretical subjects that prepared him to be a composer. His public appearances as a musician began in the first part of the1980s, when he started to act and sing as a member of different groups in the Havana club scene. At the same time, his career developed as a singer/songwriter, in which he tried to bring together diverse musical themes, genres and styles, from rock to Salsa, and from pop to Nueva Trova. Despite being a formidable vocalist, it was not through his own voice that his first pieces became popular, but through cover versions, such as by Grupo Mezcla.
  
  Evaristo’s first professional appearance (a special date in 1987) was when he took to the stage as a guitarist with the group backing up the outstanding multi-instrumentalist Jesus Morales (‘Moralitos’). Another experience that had a profound effect on his career – a period which marked his formation as an artist – was when, in 1988, he became a member of the National Radio and Television Chorus, where he worked as a singer for the space of a year.
  
  Now ready for bigger challenges, in November of 1989 he auditioned as a vocalist for [Havana’s] Tropicana nightclub show. His daily work with the famous nightclub act gave him a training that remarkably widened his creative vision, giving him the ability to construct songs of a thoughtful nature, and that make us ponder and turn over in our minds the things that surround us. At the same time, he developed the secret art of composing music designed to get people dancing and burning energy.
  
  He stayed with the Tropicana show for six years, and appeared in such countries as Spain, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland. In 1997, he was asked by the Canadian Jane Bunnett to take part in a project integrating jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms, in the company of other instrumentalists such as the pianist Hilario Durán and trumpeter Larry Kramer. That collaboration opened many doors for Evaristo by introducing him to the Canadian music market. This way, he was able to perform at the [then] Du Maurier Theatre with Memo Acevedo in 1998 and at the TLN Festival. A short time later found him singing in front of Pablo Terry’s band, Sol de Cuba, and other groups such as Klave y Kongo and Son Aché.
  
  All these experiences nourished him, and allowed him to form his own band, which, starting in 2000, performed in diverse events, such as the College Street Festival and other shows dedicated to jazz and Latin music. He also shared the stage with numerous figures performing in the city of Toronto, such as when he took part in a show with the Afro-Cuban All Stars, the famous big band headed by expert ‘Tres’ player Juan de Marcos.
  
  In the summer of 2004, Evaristo Machado released his first recording, entitled ‘Luna del Barrio’. In accordance with the things he has done over the years, this is an album that is framed within what the specialized critic defines as modern salsa, with a set of compositions in whose arrangements there is a strong presence of orchestrated elements coming from Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz. As a whole, the CD allows us to verify Evaristo’s potential as a singer, who stands out as much by his refinement as by the his ability to improvise in the Cuban ‘montunos’ style. Although his objective is clearly to make us dance, once again I confirm that he also has the power to give us refined and subtle lyrics, that do not present any type of pretense but rather, when all is said and done, simply dignity and elegance.
  
  To give a taste of the tracks on the CD, I call special attention to the cuts ‘Salsa con Timba’, ‘Luna del Barrio’, ‘El Baile del Saoco’ and ‘Por la Carretera’, as well as ‘Desamparado’ (Abandoned), a very good song with certain ‘funky’ style. As a representative Salsa recording that also tries to explain things, I see this as a prelude to more diverse works that I believe are sure to come.
  
  Translated from the Spanish for www.evaristomusic.com
  
  Original article available on the Web:
  http://www.jrebelde.cubaweb.cu/2004/octubre-diciembre/oct-7/print/oreja.htm

Setlist

Evaristo has a long history of songwriting, and his set list varies by venue and size of band. He can do an entire show of his own material, or he can combine that with familiar Latin and Brazilian music, such as songs from the ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ songbook, Boleros, Cuban favorites, Bossa Novas, Latin jazz and jazz standards, and more. Contact us for details.

Basic Requirements

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