Caridad Cruz
Caridad Cruz was born in Havana Cuba. Her professional career began in 1993 with a six-month sting in Trinidad, Cuba. Over the next ten yearsshe went on to sing in many venues and in 2002 released her first recording Caridad Cruz con el Grupo Habanero Son.
In the fall of 2003, Caridad moved to Chelsea, Quebec. The following spring she made her performing debut in Canada with Jane Bunnett’s Sprits of Havana in a Toronto concert called Global Divas that earned her rave reviews and was aired natonally on CBC radio. She soon appeared again in Toronto before an outdoor crowd of 1.000 people at the Harbourfront Centre where she was backed by piano phenom David Virelles and conga master Luis Orbegoso, She kicked open the show for French African star Angelique Kidjo.
In 2006 she toured New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut, accompanied by some of New York’s leading Latin jazz players such as bassist Ruben Rodriguez and congero Chembo Corniel. In Montreal, backed by the powerful nine-poece salsa band Ritmo Caribeno, she sang a Celia Cruz rectrospective, which was repeated at the 2006 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal.
In 2007 she exploded onto the Ottawa scene with appearances at the National Arts Centre’s Quebec Scene Festival, The Ottawa Jazz Festival and the Ottawa Bluesfest.
