The Cuban capital woke up today (Dec. 21. 2015) hearing the echoes of the the 2015 International Jazz Plaza Festival, which gathered here those who play traditional jazz and new exponents of the genre born in the late 19th century in the United States, Prensa Latina reports.
The 31st edition of this great celebration included fusion of the different jazz styles, emphasizing the autochthonous roots of the African, Hispanic-American and Caribbean countries to diversify the most contemporary musical expressions, without diverting it away from the classic standards.
The group The Preservation Hall, which is among the first bands to play jazz in New Orleans came to Cuba for the first time and was in charge of opening the greatest festival devoted to that genre in this island.
For the occasion, piano player Ernan Lopez-Nusa and artists from the United States and Cuba got up on the stage, in a sort of musical metaphor, to bring musicians from both countries closer together.
Together with that virtuous piano player and other local musicians, the jazz band ended up in a jam session composed of Cuban famous themes as El Manisero and traditional melodies as Cha,Cha,Cha and Danzon.
Devoted to the musical styles that have influenced jazz, the event held here on December 17-20, joined the talent of southern blues-rock guitar player Billy Gibbons, member of the Usb group ZZ Top, and trombonist Steve Turre and contemporary violinist Doug Cameron.
From Latin America, the Chilean group Puente Encina & Band and the Argentinian Jazz Organ Trio, while Cuban musicians Pancho Amat, Orlando Valle (Maraca), Zule Guerra and Bobby Carcaces gave the tropical touches to the festival.
Popular Cuban musicians accompanied singer Omara Portuondo, piano player Roberto Foseca and multi-instrumentalist singer Bobby Carcaces in the event’s closing show, held at the Mella Theater in Havana.
Parallel to the musical shows, they held the 11th International Colloquium on Jazz, devoted to Network for the Defense of Humankind and Diversity, which included workshops and conversations with Cuban and foreign artists.
The 2015 Jazz Plaza Festival also presented the audiovisual material “Portrait of a Diva,” written and directed by Ileana Rodriguez, giving details of the recording processs of the album Magia Negra (Black Magic) by Cuban singer Omara Portuondo.