Havana Jazz Festival Heats Up Winter

Details

Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Music

Published on Saturday, 10 December 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

The 27th Havana International Jazz Festival takes place December 15 - 19, 2011 at Mella Theatre, Casa de la Cultura of Plaza, La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club, Palacio de La Rumba, Casa del Alba, National Theatre of Cuba, Karl Marx Theatre, Sevilla Hotel, Cohiba Hotel and other venues around Havana, Cuba.

The Festival is presented by Insight Cuba and sponsored by the Instituto Cubano de la Música, with Cuban Jazz Master Chucho Valdés as the Festival's Artistic Director.  

The Festival began as a loosely organized event in 1978, when Bobby Carcasses and other jazz musicians played an outdoor show at Casa de la Cultura in Havana. The following year, other famous musicians attended, making this one of the most sought after jazz fests in the world.

The Festival will present concerts and jam sessions with the participation of famous national and international jazz bands, to say nothing of impromptu jam sessions on many a street corner.

The Opening Gala features a concert by the National Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Enrique Pérez Mesa, Entrevoces Choir conducted by Digna Guerra, Jorge Reyes, Roberto Fonseca and other guest artists.

The Closing Gala will include a special concert by Maestro Frank Fernández and The Jazz Band conducted by Maestro Joaquin Betancourt and other guest artists.

Among the musicians performing are:

• Afrocuban Grupo Dulce María
• Berklee Faculty Jazz (EU)
• Alexis Bosch 
• Bobby Cardcassés (Cuba)
• Roberto Fonseca
• Hermanos Nori (Japan)
• Kash Killion
• Gonzalo Rubalcaba
• Triple Ace Trio (Austria)
• Troy University Jazz Ensemble (USA)

The 7th Theoretical Colloquium will be part of the event and it includes:

• master classes
• lectures
• conferences
• documentaries
• exhibitions
• sale of music-specialized magazines
• sale of jazz players' CDs and DVDs

As of January 14, 2011, the White House greatly expanded travel to Cuba for Americans, with several types of legal Cuba travel licenses available.

There is a great deal to see in Havana, especially for its history, as well as the arts. Fabulous tours are available.  

For more information, visit www.jazzcuba.com.

Havana International Jazz Festival
December 15 - 18, 2011

Mella Theatre
Línea No. 657 (entre A y B)
Havana, Cuba

Casa de la Cultura of Plaza
Calzada #909
Havana, Cuba

La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club
La Rampa Street
Havana, Cuba

Palacio de La Rumba
Ave. Las Americas km 4
Varadero, Cuba

Casa del Alba
Línea y D, Vedado
Havana, Cuba

National Theatre of Cuba
Paseo and 39 St. Vedado
Havana, Cuba

Karl Marx Theatre
Calle 1ra. y 10, Miramar
Havana, Cuba

Sevilla Hotel
Paseo St. and Malecon, Vedado
Havana, Cuba

Hotel Melia Cohiba
Ave Paseo entre 1 y 3, Vedado
Havana, Cuba

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