Saints of Havana is a modern Pop-Country band comprised of Cuban brothers, Rey and Cesar Montecristo and American singer, Aaron Shea. They met in legendary "Music City" in 2008, and have united their cultures and backgrounds to create a rich style and new blend of musical genres. Their well-balanced mixture of Country, Afro-Cuban, Rock, and Pop creates the new sound Country Music fans have been craving around the world.
Singer Aaron Shea, a veteran of Nashville, known for his charismatic stage presence and sultry tenor voice, was born in Michigan where he studied song-writing, piano performance and acting. Aaron starred in the hit rock musical, "Summer of '66" for 2 years while making numerous appearances on the Crook and Chase Show. He has shared the stage with many known artists and secured acting roles in the WB's Dawson's Creek and a number of commercials and music videos. Aaron toured South America and the States with his solo projects but now extends his horizons, with excitement, as a founding member and lead singer of Saints of Havana.
Brothers Rey and Cesar Montecristo emigrated from Havana, Cuba, and resided most of their lives in Miami, FL. They are both accomplished singers and instrumentalists, with Cesar concentrating his expertise in the fields of guitar, piano, background vocals and programming and Rey in background vocals and bass guitar. The brothers have toured extensively in support of their numerous bands and were the only unsigned act to ever tour all the "Hard Rock Cafe's" nationwide with their band, "Heir". After inking a deal with Sony Latin in their teens, they have now turned their attention to making waves in the American market. As founding members of Saints of Havana, they have set out on their most ambitious project yet.
The band's name was born of history. In 1519, the town of San Cristobal de la Habana was founded. With the passing of the years, the town grew into the city known today as "Habana" to the Spanish speakers and as "Havana" in Dutch, English and French. In 1592, King Phillip of Spain designated Havana the "Key to the New World" and set out to build fortresses to defend its harbors from pirate attacks and to bless outgoing ships against hurricanes. Three massive forts were built in Havana Harbor, then, the most important port in the "New World". The forts were known as Saints Salvador de la Punta Castle, which guarded the east entrance, Saint Moro Three Kings Castle, which guarded the east entrance, and San Lazaro Castle, which guarded the middle approach. These three forts were each adorned by a huge statue of each Saint worked in wood and precious metals, which offered an impressive and majestic view to all who visited the beautiful island and to all who sought its sanctuary. Inspired by this story, of that fabled Harbor City, the Saints of Havana stand, as the three forts have for centuries, ready to make history and to welcome travelers into their world.
That Nashville Sound had an opportunity to talk with this fascinating new country group about their background and where they're going.
That Nashville Sound- What brought you to music in the first place?
Rey Montecristo(bass backup vocals)- I was 4 or 5 years old, in Communist Cuba, walking down the dirty, faded, hallway of my slum building, when I heard some music coming from inside the house of a teen neighbor. As they sat outside the door playing on a really worn-out board of Monopoly, a relic left over from the good, capitalist days of Cuba, I was instantly hooked by the melody and sound of the man's voice, " Welcome to the Hotel California". Standing there enthralled, I realized I could sing the melody, easily. Later on I found out those teenagers were risking jail time for listening to that song which had been "outlawed" a few years earlier for being "American Propaganda". That was the defining moment in my life that led me to music. Hotel California gave me a feeling of freedom in an island that was a desolate prison.
Cesar Montecristo (Guitars, Keys, backup vocals) Music was my first love, I started singing and playing instruments along with Rey at a very early age. Our Grandmother was a violin and piano teacher, so I guess it was in our blood. My mother was also a gifted singer, but never pursued it.
Aaron Shea (Vocals) As a child I started playing piano because it was there. The first time my heart got broken I wrote my first song and never stopped. My parents warned me as a teenager that addictive personalities ran in our family. Thank god I performed before I had a chance to do drugs because they were right.
TNS: Describe your music- what's the mission behind the music?
RM- The music we write or perform is music that we feel will take the listener or concert attendee somewhere, on a journey we want to take them on, to feel every note, every beat with us and create a symbiosis between us and them that leaves them satisfied or hits a feeling inside them, be it, love, sadness, happiness, or straight up need to dance and scream. The mission behind our music is for it to give us the ability to do this, our dream, for as long as we live, and to use the gifts God has given us in a constructive way to brighten people’s lives.
TNS: What might people be surprised to find out about you?
RM- That I barely listen to music. The sound of silence and peace is everything to me. It lets me think and grow. When I play it is more of a physical relationship between me and the music, and it is what I am completely taken over by at the moment, but when I leave the stage I prefer to read , see a great movie, or create.
CM- My friends, family, and fans know me as a Social Butterfly, but when I was a teen I was actually quite a loner.
AS- I once had a Grizzly Adams beard down to my chest, I rocked it. The jheri curl in 9th grade not so good.
TNS: What kind of music are you listening to? What's in your iPod?
RM- I don’t have an iPod but I listen to Dream Theatre, Rascal Flatts, Boston, Queensryche, and Michael Buble.
CM- Anything from Journey, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, and most music that’s good out there.
AS- Compilations of uncut songs by Nashvilles incredibly gifted writers. 99% of these songs will never make an album yet many of them are the best songs ever written.
TNS: If you had a crystal ball and looked forward five years what would you see for yourself?
RM- Fishing, in my favorite place on Earth, The Florida Keys. I turn around and look at my wife sitting , holding our future infant, a huge smile on all our faces as our first hit single comes on the onboard radio.
CM- I see great success for Saints of Havana. As long as we stay grounded and keep working hard and staying humble, the sky’s the limit.
AS- Same life, same music, better paycheck.
Check out more info and music from Saints of Havana at
www.saintsofhavana.com.
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