2000

In 2000 many things happened. Jeff met El Greco (Cuban trumpet ledgend) and played for the first time at the Jazz Café. The other Jazz Club in Havana is called La Zora y el Cuervo (the fox and the crow).
On Guitar with Greco was Jorge Chicoy, on bass was Avi Garcia, and on piano was Tony Rodriguez. They became the Cuban half of HavanaFax.

Salsa Picante, lead by Danny Martin, has contributed greatly to the popularity and development of Cuban music in the Maritime provinces. When Greco invited Jeff to bring down six musicians from Halifax to play a week with him at the Jazz Café, it was not hard to find five members of Salsa Picante willing to go to Cuba. Tom Roach, Matthieu Keijser, Steve MacDonald, Danny and Dympna Martin went to Havana in winter of 2000

In 2000 the US federal government intercepted a money transfer to Cuba that was to pay for plane tickets. Never transfer money to Cuba through New York. Greco save the day in the end but the group missed out on the Toronto and Montreal Jazz Festival performances.
During the amazing chartered plane ride, we flew over the fixed link at 5,000 feet, and then we were back on track for Canada day in PEI.
Of course the Los Primos kids went to the Acadia Jazz Camp, and played at the Atlantic Jazz Festival, they were also featured on the waterfront during the Tall Ships of 2000. There was a farewell party at the Velvet Olive and this picture was taken just before they left for home. Canadian primo, Adrian Gough, tops the pyramid or students from Amadeo Roldan Conservatory.