The 38th International Jazz Plaza Festival will be held in Havana from January 22 to 29 with the participation of musicians from more than six countries, and will be identified with the theme “Madre Oshún”, by Roberto Fonseca.
Among the delegations with the greatest presence at the event, one of the most important music events on the Island, is that of the United States, whose instrumentalists have had a strong impact on the Festival since its founding.
Performers from Colombia, Spain, Germany and Canada will arrive at the contest, who will share stages and experiences with local musicians.
As usual, the jazz meeting will have Havana and Santiago de Cuba as venues, and will count among its attractions the presentation of the work “Baseball player”, by the Cuban painter Arturo Montoto.
The artist, indicated the Prensa Latina agency, “impregnated his creative seal that advocates the conjunction of music and baseball, two of the symbols of national culture.”
The opening will be led by the rumbera group Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary together with a group of invited musicians.
The program includes tributes to the 60th anniversary of the Original Manzanillo Orchestra and to the legendary composer Marta Valdés, whose work will be highlighted by guitarist Dayron Ortiz.
The president of the Cuban Institute of Music, Indira Fajardo, pointed out that the Festival will give priority to the exchange between different generations of jazz players and highlighted the theoretical sessions of the Leonardo Acosta International Colloquium In Memoriam and the event for the music industry Primera Línea.
For the recording of the theme that will identify the event, Roberto Fonseca, artistic director of the festival, called on musicians such as Brenda Navarrete and Zule Guerra, César López and the young instrumentalists Dayron Ortiz on electric guitar, bassist Yandy Martínez, Ruly Herrera and Adel Gonzalez.
