Jeff Santiago

Rozinante (featuring Jeff Santiago) @ The Gig
Music Connection
Material: Rozinantes’s soft-rock style matches their inspirational, heartbreaking romance ballads. The songs are about having the courage to keep on going despite difficult times, and include interpersonal expression addressed to individuals and the community in general.

Musicianship: Jeff Santiago and Chad Treatman's influences range from Simon & Garfunkel to Sister Hazel, with an occasional touch of Santana thrown in. While the vocals are emphasized, acoustic jamming complements the set along with Alex Bendana’s soft bass and Dustin Jack’s drumming talent.

Performance: Treatman was about a foot taller than Santiago, and they capitalized on this by delivering a joke with a brief microphone switch that had the crowd responding with laughter. Big smiles, good interaction, and a great connection with the audience were maintained throughout Rozinante’s set. They even raised their shot glasses to the fans who were busy buying them drinks thoughout their performance. Rozinante’s talent and natural accessibility allowed them to remain connected with their fans.

Summary: The key to what makes Rozinante’s sound special is the chemistry between Treatman and Santiago. Being backed by a pair of acoustic guitars complements the group’s vocals and adds the bonus of a full band that sparkles and strikes a nice balance. Their soft, pleasant sound is flexible enough for small, intimate venues, as well as clubs and bars where traditional rock bands would be too overpowering.

-Laura Phillips

Music Connection August 1, 2005 - August 14, 2005
- Music Connection

First the Big Room, then the big time
The Orange Peel showcases local rock
by Jason Bugg in Vol. 14 / Iss. 16 on 11/14/2007

It’s the plight of the local musician: always wanting a chance to show their talents to a hometown audience, yet always being relegated to bar scene. It’s the out-of-town bands that tend to get the spotlight and the best slots at the biggest clubs. And in a scene where where you’ve played can mean nearly as much as what you play, a lack of support from the bigger local venues can seem defeating.

As the largest rock club in the area, The Orange Peel is the place for an up-and-coming band to play. Although the venue has hosted many local shows in its history, local showcases have been relatively rare. But with ever-increasing attention on Asheville’s music scene, and the relative success of other locals-only showcases (such as the multinight one held in response to the Smashing Pumpkin’s residency earlier this year) the Orange Peel has decided to do something about it.

The Local Asheville Showcase features four acts from the area, which we’ve profiled below.
Jeff Santiago

At first glance and listen, Jeff Santiago seems like your typical coffeehouse performer. With a calm, sensitive demeanor and an often-utopian world-view, this subgenre of folk performers can—at their worst—turn personal insight into grandiose stories verging on unintentional self-parody. Thankfully, Jeff Santiago is no cliché coffeehouse crooner.

There’s too much depth to his material, and too much rhythm coming out of his acoustic guitar for him to come across as just another James Taylor wannabe. Instead, Santiago’s music is a unique marriage of rhythm and heart that is both laid back and danceable while still managing to draw inspiration from it’s open mic-friendly roots.
- Mountain Xpress