pic: Jazz Plaza

The pandemic forces us to a “new normal“. But this hasn’t stopped the XXXVI International Jazz Plaza Festival. Although this year had to be held online for the first time, it has certainly been a great victory for Cuban music.

From January 19th to 24th, this new edition of Jazz Plaza Festival had to cancel the presentations at the “National Theater“ and “Casa de la Cultura de Plaza“. The outbreak of COVID-19 hit the Capital of all Cubans hard this month. However, with or without pandemic, good music prevailed.

A Jazz online festival

In addition to the performances of maestro “Bobby Carcassés“ and “Síntesis” band, the Festival featured concerts by “Maraca“, “Ruy López-Nussa“, “Rolando Luna“ and “Roberto Fonseca“, among many other artists.

It also broadcasted online the XVI International Colloquium dedicated to the centenary of Frank Emilio Flynn, Chico O´Farrill and Cándido Camero.

Also honored were Armando Romeu, Chucho Valdés and the centenary of the death of Miguel Faílde. There was also a presentation of the jazz records produced in Cuba during 2020, a musical production workshop by José Manuel García and another on the musical recording of jazz records by Orestes Águila, as well as online master classes.

One thing is for sure: this way of establishing ties between musicians and their audience is here to stay.

Given its success, we all hope that for next year, it will be celebrated in both versions so that more and more Cuban music fans will enjoy the excellent Jazz that is performed in Cuba.