The United States repeats as the nation with more artistic representation at the Jazz Plaza International Festival that began on January 26 and ends this Sunday, February 2.
This has been in almost all its editions since it began in 1980 as a small set of concerts in the House of Culture of Plaza.
It could really be normal for anywhere to celebrate the musical genre born in New Orleans the greatest assistance is from Americans, but that is not a reality that all the world’s jazz events live.
For more than 40 years and 40 editions, the Cuban meeting has managed to maintain and even grow links between the two nations that in relation to jazz has never fractured, no matter how bad the relations between the two countries are.
A rapid review of the story recalls that the figures of Bobby Carcassés and Chucho Valdés not only knew how , make possible the visit of great stars of the genre in the world and, above all, from the United States.
That has been perhaps one of the legacies that these greats have left the following generations of Cuban jazzists; Many of them are those who make possible the concurrence of artists to this festival.
It is worth mentioning among the current promoters to the pianist Roberto Fonseca, artistic director of the appointment; The Pianists Dayramir González and Nachito Herrera and the percussionist Pedrito Martínez.
Although in the history of the great jazz party in Cuba, the visits of stars such as Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Richie Colem, Charlie Haden, Steve Coleman and Wynton Marsalis, in recent years, and also in this edition, and also in this edition, and also in this edition , other bright names are added to that list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs-zc-yvjiy
The 40th edition of Jazz Plaza is one more proof of the force of that union than the most free of musical genres allows among Cuban and American artists.
Ted Nash again in Fine Arts
Ted Nash, the consecrated saxophonist, winner of Grammy in 2017, has become one of the usual festival, where he went to the last three editions.
The artist always arrives with proposals that go beyond music, and specifically this year he repeats with his project Jazz X Art with which he has traveled several countries and that consists in finding in the work of great artists of world plastic the inspiration for jazz improvisation.
In 2023, Ted Nash He conducted this adventure at the National Museum of Fine Arts Together with Cuban artistic teaching students, about the work of the universal painter Wifredo Lam.
This year he presented in Cuba the documentary that collects that experience and repeated the session in the museum itself with the also North Americans Ben Allison and Steve Cárdenas.
Ted Nash also offered a concert in the Avellaneda room of the National Theater.
Arturo O’Farrill, full of energy
For its part, the pianist Arturo O’Farrill It is another of the always expected. “Every year when I get excited because I feel full of that energy, the knowledge that is part of a global community, that gives me pleasure,” says the son of O’Farrill boy.
Arturo with his record in the link with Cuba and our artists has been making a kind of return of what his father gave to the American jazz. This blood and cultural relationship makes the artist understand the event as “the most important and prestigious in the world.”
“Cuba has the most complete musicians; The artist here cannot know anything more jazz, he has to understand the music of Europe, Mother Africa, street and dance. People who come from everyone understand that the musician is the future, ”says Arturo O’Farrill.
In the National Theater of Cuba the pianist offered his concert of Jazz Plaza 2025.
“This year I got a little more political. I have an album called Water worldwhich speaks of the crimes that are being committed every hour. I have a theme that is called ´Ahora no, right now´ and another called ´Accira-Reaction´ in which I talk about how the world is annoyed with the weather, war, and I think the artist has the responsibility of saying The truth is, to stop describing what is happening and for me there is no prettier place where you can talk about all this than in Cuba, ”he confesses.
Orbet Davis: We became family
Orbert Davis, trumpeter and orchestra director, is another of the Americans present. The artist had already been in Cuba in 2012 to conduct research on Cuban music; and then in 2014 to work with students from the Higher Institute of Art (ISA).
“We were here at the exact moment in which Obama made the announcement of the normalization of relationships. At that time we feel that we became family and we want to continue with that relationship, ”he says among the reasons to return to Cuba.
This year Davis presented his personal project; But his most prominent contribution was the preparation of a concert of his octeto, along with students of the ISA and musicians of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, of which he is a musical director.
“I am very excited to bring my musicians to play with Cuban students. It is very special because the essence of Cuban music is in everything we play, even in the classic. The most important thing is feeling, and it feels very good, ”he tells us.
“I think the jazz place will change the world. There are many problems, but the worst problem is selfishness. Music teaches us to be together and people everywhere are in Havana this week. I think that makes Havana today the largest city in the world. ”
Michael League and ellipsis
Within the consecrated American musicians –although younger–who arrived this year, is Michael League, the bassist and leader of the Snarky Puppy group, who repeats for the third time in the Jazz Plaza.
This time League accompanies the Cuban percussionist based in New York, Pedrito Marínez, and the Mexican drummer, also based in the United States, Antonio Martínez. Together they make up the group Ellipsisa musical project that for the first time arrives at the Cuban stage.
“Ellipsis It is a group with the concept of integrating experimental sounds and a freedom of the spirit of jazz to Yoruba music in which Pedrito is a specialist. The heart of what we do is Yoruba tradition, but what we are doing Antonio and I around is something different that has no specific roots. I think the mixture works super well and transmits Yoruba music, but with new colors, ”he explains about the proposal with which for the third time he shares a scene with Cuban artists. He had already worked with Matanzas and Eliades Ochoa dolls.
On the Jazz Plaza, Michael League thinks that “it is incredible. The number of musicians they have and musical diversity is always impressive and, above all, that it is in such a musical country the wave that we travel all over the world making jazz festivals. Touching for an audience that knows so much about music is special for us because we have to offer the best. ”
Danielle Pander, from Jazzista lawyer
Danielle Pander, the American lawyer accrued singer who in 2022 presented her debut album after years of work as a public defender, was one of the most beautiful novelties that the public could enjoy in this 40th edition of the Jazz Plaza.
Accompanied only of its guitarist, without further ado in the show than his great voice, Ponder rewarded those who first listen to it.
“I am very excited to be here. I always wanted to connect with the people of Cuba. As a American black, I feel that Cubans have always been in solidarity with us and we have always been in solidarity with them, ”said the Ombudsman and the soul.
For his repertoire in Havana, he chose some of his album’s songs Sub of us are brave in which he shares the experiences of his community and his experience as a lawyer working in the United States justice system.
That jazz always summons a space where a fracture between the two nations has never been possible must be linked to freedom, an essential spirit of this music.
