“Hotter than the burning tip of a contraband Cuban cigar. Stronger than a straight shot of Havana rum. As exciting as a World Series game, with "El Duque" on the mound. And tastier than a big platter of black beans, rice, sweet plantains and ropa vieja...” (Tom Surowicz, liner notes, Nachito Herrera and Puro Cubano, “Live at the Dakota”)

No one but transplanted Cuban piano virtuoso Nachito Herrera would deserve such grand praise from the Twin Cities’ “Jazz Critic Laureate” Tom Surowicz. Since his arrival in Minnesota three years ago, Herrera has been wowing audiences, students, and fellow musicians with monster technique, bottomless energy, and infectious enthusiasm for his homeland and its eclectic rhythms. His live recording with his band, Puro Cubano, generated a lot of hot ink, prompting City Pages critic Britt Robson to note that “the fact that a magnificent, south-of-the-border pianist like Herrera purposefully transplanted himself to our frozen tundra was the best local music news of 2002. And Live at the Dakota is proof of that fact.” So how did this phenomenon of rhumba, son, and bolero end up in the American northland?

Gary Raynor has been prominent on both the jazz and theatrical scenes in the Twin Cities since 1977, the year his Minnesota bride lured him from New York.

The original bassist for the Carlton Celebrity Room, he left for several years to tour with Sammy Davis Jr., returning to join a new concept outfit called "The Ruperts Band." He has gigged with the Count Basie band, accompanied countless traveling jazz artists at the Dakota Bar and Grill, Suzettes, and The Artist Quarter, performed several Minnesota Orchestra Pops concerts, has worked locally at the Guthrie Theatre, the Ordway McNight theater and Chanhassen Theater, and as a first call show player performed dozens of Broadway touring shows, including the world premier of "The Lion King". Gary's arco work is featured on Janet Jackson's single ,"Again", which was nominated both for a Grammy and an Academy Award.

Locally, he has recorded with Debbie Duncan, Prudence Johnson, Rio Nido, Connie Evin! son, Cookie Coleman, Adi and Beth Yeshaya , Lucia Newell, Phil Aaron, Don Stille, Signe Hensel, Moore by Four, Peter Oustruschko, and Garrison Keillor. He has recorded two cds with the New York/Israeli "Soul on Fire", and four cds with the Minnesota-based klezmer band, "Klezmerica", performing its popular show, "Gershwin the Klezmer", with them in Israel , L.A., San Diego and New York.

Gary taught at the University of Minnesota for 10 years and now teaches at Music Tech College . He is currently the bassist for the "Shoe Band", the house ensemble for the popular public radio show, "A Prairie Home Companion."

The weather was a little cool, but the musicians were in their 80's as Irv Williams, Cliff Brunzell and Jeanne Arland Peterson, performed before sell-out crowds at The Artists' Quarter in St. Paul on August 13 and 14 to celebrate a collective 251 years of musical life. Saxophonist Irv Williams turned 85, while violinist Cliff Brunzell and pianist/vocalist Jeanne Arland Peterson each turned 83 within a week of the Artists' Quarter shows.

The pairing of Weber and Renee is a natural extension of their first meeting about five years ago at the Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival, now a standing gig for Chicago-based Weber. After hearing her perform, Weber suggested Renee record, and asked to be included. Ultimately this led to the release of her first CD, “Wait for Me” (Summit, 2002).