Santiago | James Brady

Santiago is a fantastic chart and I hope it finds its feet in the jazz world!

Santiago is a big, powerful Latin chart which combines various Cuban elements with 12/8 Afro rhythms and a little bit of Brazilian samba, and tells the story of a Cuban love affair between a local girl and a man, Santiago’ from Spain. This piece was runner-up in the 2014 Durham Distillery Composition Prize. Comments from the Judging Panel:

The judging panel had an incredibly tough time selecting the winning composition and………….. (Santiago)……………only narrowly missed out on 1st place. Charles Price

This is a strong idiomatic chart – well written by someone with a clear understanding of the ethos of the style and the role the rhythm section plays in this music. The interplay of the sections (trumpets/trombones/saxes) is well handled and the integration of the rhythm section into the whole is expertly done. This chart would need some rehearsing but it would be worth the effort.” “There is a sureness of touch throughout this piece which makes the writing feel very logical and ultimately very playable. Pete Churchill

Instrumentation:
Alto Sax 1 & 2
Tenor Sax 1 & 2,
Baritone Sax
Trumpets 1 2 3 & 4 (Flugelhorn)
Trombones 1 2 3 & Bass Trombone
Guitar
Piano
Bass Guitar
Percussion: Shakers, Congas, Agogos, Cowbells and other atmospheric percussion
Drum Kit