Emir Santa Cruz

The Durga 8 is such a versatile mouthpiece, it is extremely comfortable to play with it and it is incredibly easy to handle. It is an excellent mouthpiece for any musician, easily adapting to all genres: jazz, funk, ensemble, etc.

Emir Santa Cruz is one of the most prolific young jazz Clarinetist and Saxophonist situated on the Cuban scene. He commenced music studies at the age of four taught by the piano professor Maria Zambrano. Subsequently, he entered the Paulita Concepción School of Arts, where he concluded Elementary level in Clarinet graduating in 1998. Shortly after, he completed High School in 2003 at Amadeo Roldán Municipal Conservatory. The final stage of his studies took place at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), where he obtained his Bachelor Degree in 2009. Being a highly motivated young artist, Emir Santa Cruz has explored different fields within the music spectrum. He has developed a consistent work portfolio that includes performing, arranging, producing and also teaching. Moreover, he conducts since 2006 the Workshop of Cuban Popular Music and Popular Harmony at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory. He has had the privilege of sharing stages with remarkable figures of Cuban music, such as Ela Calvo, Elena Burke and Palacio Echenique, among others. Moreover, he has also accompanied scene with international music icons including Winston Marsalis, Marcus Miler and Arturo O´Farril. Bands and projects he has played with includes Diákara, Melisma, Panorama Orchestra, Haydee, Suilen, Lin and Pablo Milanés, Mixture, Hope Band, Tamara Castañeda, Orlando Sánchez (Cuba-Jazz), Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento, Telmary, Kumar, Roberto and Bobby Carcasés, Jorge Reyes, David Torrens, Sexto Sentido, Valdés Brothers, Joaquín Betancourt’s Jazz Band, Dayme Arocena, Yassek Manzano, Bellita and her Jazztumbatá and some others. He has recorded as musician session in several albums such as: Abuc by Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento, Mi Habana by Pablo Milanés, Cubafonia by Dayme Arocena and some albums of Joaquin Betancourt’s JazzBand. Furthermore, he ventured as a Music Producer in the Valdes Brothers album by Jessie and Leyanis Valdes. He has participated in different festivals including The Arts Festival in Angola, Jazz Artists On The Greens in Trinidad and Tobago, Toulouse International Jazz Festival in France, Voll-Damm Barcelona International Jazz Festival, PAPJAZZ Haití International Jazz Festival. Currently, in addition to leading his project Spiral, he is working on the production of his first album with Colibrí record label.