“A musical gem”
—Latin Beat Magazine

While a trip to La Habana might be out of range for most Northwest music lovers,  singer Jessie Marquez can get you there fast and without the red tape. 

Marquez has sung in clubs, cabarets, theaters, street parties, and on television and radio throughout Cuba.  Her soothing vocals are a mix of North American harmony and Latin emotion that embody the Cuban genre called filin (a play on the word "feeling"). 

Jessie Marquez at Milagro Theater from Jessie Marquez on Vimeo.

An offshoot of the romantic bolero, filin draws from North American jazz, Brazilian bossa nova, and the Cuban familiarity with the many shades of love and longing.

Marquez, whose father was raised in Havana, grew up eating her grandmother's Cuban cooking and hearing stories about the family's days on the island. She first visited her father's childhood home in 1996. Right away, she says, "there was something very familiar about it --the way people spoke, their gestures, their attitudes. I felt at home."  

"Jessie Marquez has become la reina of salsa and Cuban music in the Pacific Northwest and has helped turn her hometown of Eugene, Ore., into a tropical music oasis in the western United States. Her new, self-produced album, Sana Locura, is a classy, heartfelt affair, recorded in Havana, Cuba with some of that country's foremost musicians.Latina Style, National Magazine for the Contemporary Hispanic Woman

"[This] American diva with Cuban roots went to Havana and won over some of Cuba's most prominent musicians with her singing and her interpretations of Cuban classics. The resulting collaboration is a musical gem- nostalgic and fresh." -- Latin Beat Magazine

"Great talent is where you find it, and in this case, the blessed zone is Eugene, Oregon. Far from the hotbeds of Latin music, singer and composer Jessie Márquez has carved out a niche for herself in the Northwest's nascent salsa scene. She also scored a major career coup when she returned to Cuba, her parents' native land, to record an album of tropical Latin classics and originals with some of Havana's top musicians. Sana Locura features sensational arrangements by trombonist Juan Carlos Marín, the sinuous trumpet playing of Julito Padrón, and the equally impressive talents of a cast of supremely talented Cuban musicians. The program includes revered works by Miguel Matamoros, Ignacio Piñeiro, Rafael Hernández, and several of the singer's originals.

The recording of Sana Locura was a rite of passage for Márquez, who has longed for years to return to the land that nurtured her grandparents and parents and experience the music she loves at its source. She adapts effortlessly to the Cuban salsa style with a commanding vocal presence, highlighted by a sincere, evocative delivery with a sensuous edge." --Hispanic Magazine

"Jessie Marquez's debut CD Sana Locura should have been titled "From Cuba with Swing" because this recording swings from beginning to end.  An exceptional production that is highlighted by the haunting vocals of Jessie Marquez, this "undiscovered treasure" completes her powerhouse session with the help of fabled Cuban jazz trumpeter Julito Padron, the gifted (and swinging) piano work of David Alfaro, and the trombone of Juan Carlos Marin.

With a "tip of the hat" to the works of legendary composers-- Rafael Hernandez on "Capullito de Aleli", Ignacio Piniero on "Sobre una Tumba, Una Rumba", Cesar Portillo de la Luz on "Este son Homenaje" and Miguel Matamoros on "Juramento"-- Jessie Marquez delivers a smooth, elegant and danceable CD of songs filled with the groove of son, guaguanco, bolero, timba and even rap, and in so doing, ensures that she is destined to no longer be an "undiscovered treasure".  "Sana Locura" is an absolute gem, and is a must have for anyone who wants their music from Cuba with swing!"-- Tomas Algarin, Executive Producer, Jazz 91.9 FM WCLK - Atlanta

"I love it! This is really a true feeling of Cuban Music from the heart, my listeners love "Alborada Guajira." This cd is a must in my programming."-- Lino Roldán "Taíno" Program Director and Host for La Brisa Tropical, KBZQ 99.5 FM, Lawton, Oklahoma.

"From the rich and sultry sound of her voice to the traditional sounds this CD has a special something for everyone. Musica Cubana tipica, salsa with a Latin jazz blues feel and just the right amount of the long lost art of a beautiful ballad. Jessie Marquez's Sana Locura is a winner. The musical message is clear and she delivers it with a unique style, fresh and smooth. Like a fine wine this production goes down smooth. Congratulations! PS From a former musician, the band swings big time.  Aloha!"--Ray Cruz "Sabor Tropical" on Hawaii Public Radio KIPO 89.3 FM</