Jazz Plaza Cuba: De La Habana A Santiago

Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza Cuba Announces Full Lineup for 32nd Annual Jazz Plaza Havana & Inaugural Jazz Plaza Santiago – December 15-18, 2016

Headliners Christian McBride, Terence Blanchard, Snarky Puppy and Fatoumata Diawara To Make Havana Debuts

Chucho Valdés, Artistic Director Jazz Plaza Havana
Roberto Fonseca, Artistic Director Jazz Plaza Santiago

Jazz Plaza Havana Performances

Thursday, December 15
Chucho Valdés with guests Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride, and Omara Portuondo · Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective · Omara Portuondo · Bobby Carcassés · Bellita’s Jazz Tumbatá, Jorge Reyes and guests · Jorge Luis Pacheco · Emilio Martiní and Natural Trío · The Ra;ak · Grupo LH · Michaela Rabitsch’s Quartet · Yuniet Lombida’s Jazz Band · Dayramir González · JoJazz 2016 Contest Winners

Friday, December 16
Christian McBride Trio · Bobby Carcassés and guests · Yissy García presents “Women in Jazz” · Andrés Fernández and The Cujazz Ensemble · Alfred Thompson · Third World · Real Project · Orquesta · The Millikin University Latin Jazz Project · Alejandro Falcón and Cubadentro with guest Rodrigo Sosa · Joaquín Betancourt and Stefan Johnsson Jazz Band · Rachel Flowers · José Portillo and Cauce · Lázaro Valdés · The Ra;ak, Obbini Batá · Súper Nova Jazz Trío · Luz de Habana · Yasser Morejón Pino & The Latin Syndicate · Claroscuro · Alain Ladrón de Guevara and Open Mind · Michel’s Latin Jazz Group · Julito Padrón

Saturday, December 17
Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento · Pablo Milanés and Miguel Núñez · Michaela Rabitsch’s Quartet · Real Project · Delvis Ponce and Experimental Jazz · TK Band · Emilio Morales · Pablo Menéndez and Mezcla · Interactivo · Michel Herrera and Madre Tierra Project · Alfredo Chacón · William Roblejo’s Trio · Harold López-Nussa · César López and Habana Jazz Ensemble · REPERCUSIONES: Ruy López-Nussa with guests Rodney Barreto, Oliver Valdés, Ramsés González, Ruly Herrera · Open Mind · Súper Nova Jazz Trío · Osaín del Monte · Michel’s Latin Jazz Group · Denis Carbó and Jazz Entrance · Mike del Ferro and Pekka Pylkkanen · José Portillo and Cauce · The Ra;ak · Yasser Morejón Pino & The Cujazz Ensemble

Sunday, December 18
Arturo O’Farrill with guests Saxophone Quartet of Santiago and Santiaguero Septet · Snarky Puppy with guest Eliades Ochoa · Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento with Fatoumata Diawara and guests Osaín del Monte · The Millikin University Latin Jazz Project · Emilio Martiní and Natural Trío · Mike del Ferro and Pekka Pylkkanen · Klímax · Orquesta · Doug Martin · Aire D’Concierto · Kervin Barreto · Aldito López Gavilán · Sinfónica Nacional with conductor Cossete Valdés and guests Harold López-Nussa, Alejandro Vargas, Michel Herrera, Mayquel González, Dayramir González, Arturo Cruz, Yoandri Argudín, and other Cuban musicians · Jesús Fuentes and Santo Tómas Connection · Yasser Morejón Pino & The Cujazz Ensemble · Yoruba Andabo · Alfredo Chacón · Héctor Quintana · Andrés Fernández & The Cujazz Ensemble · Eduardo Sandoval and Habana Jazz · Doug Martin · Alejandro Falcón and Cubadentro · Rachel Flowers · Daymé Arocena

Jazz Plaza Santiago Performances

Thursday, December 15
Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento with Fatoumata Diawara and guests La Conga de los Hoyos · Alberto Lescay and Formas · Arnaldo Lescay and Ahínamá Project · Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento

Friday, December 16
Arturo O’Farrill with guests Saxophone Quartet of Santiago and Santiaguero Septet · Alberto Lescay and Formas · Arnaldo Lescay and Ahínamá Project · Influencia · Yasek Manzano and Proyecto In Transit

Saturday, December 17
Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective · Carlos Miyares · De Cuba Somos · Zule Guerra · Jazz D’Bess

Sunday, December 18
Christian McBride Trio · Influencia · Yasek Manzano and Proyecto In Transit · Alexis Bosch · De Cuba Somos

For over three decades, Jazz Plaza Havana has served as the ultimate tribute to the boundless legacy of Afro-Cuban music. Their stages have seen unforgettable performances by jazz icons from Dizzy Gillespie to Tete Montoliu and Max Roach, alongside the young stars of tomorrow. In its 32nd edition, Jazz Plaza Havana continues to foster musical collaboration, cultural exchange, and community outreach under the artistic direction of one of Cuba’s own, pianist and composer Chucho Valdés. “The festival represented something very important in my career because I got the chance to present my project Irakere in all its splendor. For me as a pianist was very important as well for sharing the stage with the best jazz artists in the world,” says Valdés.

Innovative Cuban-pianist Roberto Fonseca was just 15-years-old at his Jazz Plaza Havana debut, and 25 years later he returns as artistic director of an exciting new endeavor, Jazz Plaza Santiago. Santiago de Cuba is to Cuban music what New Orleans is to American jazz–the creative heart of the genre and home to many of its greatest masters.

From December 15-18, 2016 the two jazz festivals will present concerts, workshops, multidisciplinary exhibits, and more with events spanning the breadth of this beautiful island. All-star headliners at this year’s festivals include Chucho Valdés and Roberto Fonseca as well as Havana debuts from Christian McBride Trio, Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective, Snarky Puppy, and Fatoumata Diawara, plus performances by countless other local and international musicians.

Jazz Plaza is under the direction of Cuba’s Ministry of Culture, Instituto de la Musica Cubana and produced by the National Centre for Popular Music represented by director Víctor Rodríguez García, whose policy is to “espouse freedom of artistic creation while preserving and defending the cultural wealth and heritage of the nation.” This year’s international headliners have been booked in collaboration with Montuno Productions’ Daniel Florestano and International Music Network‘s Scott Southard. Partnering with García and the National Centre for Popular Music, Florestano and Southard have pooled their extensive international resources to bring together this remarkable lineup of guest artists. This year, Jazz Plaza will be sponsored for the first time by Blue Note Entertainment Group.

For media information, please contact:
DL Media · 610-667-0501
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com
Maria Echevarria· maria@dlmediamusic

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