Mac (Javier) Santiago

M. Javier Santiago was born in Minneapolis, MN. At the age of 4, Javier started to study piano. He studied classically under several teachers, and at age 11, he started his jazz studies. Since then he has made three recordings and gigged locally around the Twin Cities Area. Also he has played solo trumpet and piano in the Minneapolis South High Jazz Ensemble. Other groups include Minneapolis High School Jazz All-Stars, Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, and several other small and large ensembles. He has also attended several workshops such as the Twin Cities Jazz Workshop and the Stanford Jazz Workshop in California. Javier has had the privilege to work and play with jazz notables such as Dave Brubeck, Eric Harland, Joe Gilman, Bobby Watson, Casey Scheruelle, and other artists. Currently, Javier is studying at the Brubeck Institute; an intensive two-year jazz program located at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California (brubeckinstitute.org).