August 7
Nachito Herrera
8:00 pm
Cover $15
Nachito is one of the world’s great Cuban pianists. His jaw dropping technique and the rich, powerful soulfulness of his playing blend in what is often an amazing display of musical power and emotion.
Although he has been residing in Minnesota for the past few years, his renown is growing. He has played at the preeminent piano festival in North America, the Gilmore Festival, twice in a row and they are bringing him back. He performed recently at Joe’s Pub in New York, and just completed a 40 city tour of American performing arts centers and theaters as the pianist in the Afro-Cuban All-Stars. We don’t know how much longer his historically regular Dakota performances will last, as he is traveling more and more. In June 2009, he was flown to Singapore for one 90 minute show.
Nachito • Show Stopping Solo with the Afro Cuban All-Stars at Town Hall in New York on You Tube
Nachito Herrera’s pianistic prowess was recognized early on, performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Havana Symphony Orchestra at age 12. Combining Western Classical music with traditional Cuban rhythms, Herrera has been at the forefront of an exciting renaissance in Cuban music. While in his twenties, Herrera took the job of Musical Director at the famous “Tropicana” nightclub in Cuba, playing every night and deepening his repertoire. He spent the late 1990s touring with Cubanissmo, serving as lead pianist, arranger, and musical director and touring the world.
Since moving to the Twin Cities in 2001, Herrera has been an invigorating presence in the music community, and a fixture here at the Dakota. His most recent recordings, Live at the Dakota, Vol 1 and 2, are available here.
“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. Explosive. Crowd pleasing. Rhythmically intense. Romantic. Dynamic. Jaw-droppingly good.”
- Tom Surowicz, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Nachito will be re-joined this weekend by his daughter, Mirdalys, whose maturing talent is starting to echo Nachito’s powerful performances.
“His 18-year-old daughter, Mirdalys Herrera, began the show with grand, soaring vocals, her pianist father creating a storm beside her. Herrera made use of a grand piano, a synthesizer and even a cowbell. Yohannes Tona plucked out heavy funk on electric bass, and Kevin Washington backed it all with solid drumming. The musical stew, with Mirdalys’ amazing voice, was evocative of a funky Cuban mysticism.” - Mark Wedel, Kalamazoo Gazette 7/30/08
Read the entire review of this Gilmore Keyboard Festival performance …“As magnificent as is Nachito throughout this set, he is nearly upstaged by his daughter’s vocal incantation on Mercedita Valdes’ ‘Babá Fururú.’ Hayo starts off on congas, providing a tribal/folk vibe of anticipation; he is joined by Nachito’s solemn, almost hymnal phrases that hint of thunder, a passage reminiscent of Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Sounding like a cantorial sorceress conjuring the Gods, Mirdalys Herrera gives a ceremonial performance, her voice powerful and penetrating. One can imagine a mythical Yoruban Princess, especially when her only accompaniment is the congas. The rest of the cast serves as the chorus; the piano sounds the final benediction as the crowd erupts.” - Andrea Canter, Jazz Police
“Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera steps onto the national stage as a fully evolved artist, brimming with confidence, in total command of a vast array of traditional and contemporary Cuban idioms” - AllAboutJazz
