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Panama Jazz Festival 2017

Latin America / Panama / Panama

Although our magazine primarily focuses on Latin rhythms like Salsa, Kizomba, and Bachata, our editorial mission also includes promoting both emerging and established artists, as well as the academies and festivals within our scene. We believe these are synonymous with the Latin musical culture that enlivens our very souls.

Jazz is one of the most famous genres in the world, and as it has spread globally, it has evolved into various styles. In the Americas, it gave birth to Latin Jazz, which thrives on the fusion of rhythms and forms originating from Latin music. One of the world’s most renowned celebrations of this genre is the “Panama Jazz Festival,” an acclaimed cultural project where creativity, exchange, talent, and inspiration have made the event an international benchmark.

For its 14th edition (Note: The original text says 4ta/4th, but the 2017 festival was the 14th), the Panama Jazz Festival pays tribute to Violeta Green, whose voice brought a unique tone to Panamanian Jazz. Her career, drive, and spirit of perseverance transcend time and remain part of the musical legacy the festival seeks to share from “the heart of America to the rest of the world.”

Romero Lubambo - Panama Jazz Festival 2017 — Romero Lubambo – Panama Jazz Festival 2017

Esperanza Spolding - Panama Jazz Festival 2017 — Esperanza Spolding – Panama Jazz Festival 2017

Bill Dobbins - Panama Jazz Festival 2017 — Bill Dobbins – Panama Jazz Festival 2017

Many remember Violeta Green for her humility, gentle nature, and versatility across musical languages, including Jazz, Blues, and Calypso—the latter being a quintessential Caribbean style known for its upbeat, catchy rhythm.

With her passion for song and rhythm, Violeta Green was admired for qualities that led her to perform internationally in the United States, Colombia, and Central America. However, in Panama, she is best known for leaving an indelible mark on the music scene by blending Jazz with Calypso to create a truly special sound. This year, the festival is proud to honor her contributions.

This magnificent festival will take place from January 10th to the 14th, turning Panama’s capital into a global jazz stage. This is made possible through the support of the government, private sector, NGOs, and the invaluable passion and loyalty of both local and international audiences.

Panama Jazz Festival 2017 – Retro Jazz	Panama Jazz Festival 2017 – Photo 1
Panama Jazz Festival 2017 – Photo 2	Panama Jazz Festival 2017 – Dianne Reeves

The festival will feature an illustrious lineup of artists. Confirmed international performers include:

Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding, and Romero Lubambo.
Bill Dobbins, Terri Lyne Carrington, and John Patitucci.
The Electric Guitar Quartet (featuring Adam Rogers and Steve Cardenas).
Children of the Light (Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade).
The Rony Eytan Quartet (presented by the Embassy of Israel).

Representing Panama, the festival will showcase the talent of Joshue Ashby & C3 Project, Graciela Nuñez and the Black Tea Project, Karla Lamboglia, Omar Díaz, Carlos Agrazal, Luis Carlos Pérez, and Los Beachers.

Additionally, the festival will feature “Retro Jazz,” a group from the Dominican Republic. Their repertoire reimagines popular Dominican songs through the lens of Jazz, Bossa Nova, Latin Jazz, and Funk—combining the elegance of Dominican classics with the harmonic depth and improvisational energy of Jazz.

The festival is the most important annual event organized by the Danilo Pérez Foundation, which uses music as a tool for positive social transformation. As Danilo Pérez says: “I invite you to celebrate with music to create a rhythm that inspires peace, love, and brotherhood.”

Panama Jazz Festival 2017 - Schedule — Panama Jazz Festival 2017 – Schedule

Contact Information:

Web: http://panamajazzfestival.com/
Phone: +507 317-1466
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Panama JazzFesti/?fref=ts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ panamajazzfestival/
Twitter: https://vimeo.com/ panamajazzfestival
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/panamajazzfestival
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ panamajazzfestival

The Jazz Connect Conference

North America / USA  / New York

The Jazz Connect Conference organized by JazzTimes and the Jazz Forward Coalition, will be held January 5-6, 2017 at Saint Peter’s Church (at 54th & Lexington) in New York City and will lead into the annual APAP (Association of Performing Arts Presenters) Conference as well as Winter Jazzfest.

Continuing the momentum from the January 2016 event which hosted over 800 registrants, the 2017 Jazz Connect Conference, with a theme of “The Family of Jazz,” will feature a series of essential workshops, panels and events held over the course of two days. The Early-Bird Pre-Registration rate is only $145, until December 15, with additional discount of 15% offered to members of various organizations, including APAP, Chamber Music America, Jazz Journalists Association, JazzWeek, JazzCorner, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and AFM Local 802.

With a theme of “The Family of Jazz,” the conference will again bring together a wide cross-section of the jazz community for over a dozen workshops and 5 plenary sessions, on a variety of timely and engaging subjects.

Moderators and panelists include an impressive cross-section of artists and professionals. Returning this year by popular demand will be an “Ask the Experts” networking session enabling emerging artists and professionals to connect and get informed input on their own careers and operations.

The latest schedule reflects the input from and collaboration with numerous organizations such as JazzWeek (radio programmers), the Music Business Association, ASCAP and the Jazz Journalists Association.

In addition to incorporating the involvement of various organizations, the sessions also include a wide range of voices from inside and outside the jazz community, so that we may examine and discuss the full range of issues and trends both within our community and with the music business at-large.

The Jazz Connect conference is organized by Peter Gordon of the Jazz Forward Coalition and Lee Mergner of JazzTimes, with assistance and input from over a dozen industry professionals. The conference has received the support of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters organization, which hosts the world’s leading forum for the performing arts every year in New York City

The Jazz Connect Conference - Flyers — The Jazz Connect Conference – Flyers

Website: www.jazz-connect.org

Andy Durán: The Architect of Mambo and Latin Jazz

If there is one name that embodies technical elegance and rhythmic passion in the contemporary Caribbean, it is Andy Durán.

A musician, arranger, composer, and conductor, Durán has spent over four decades serving as the guardian of the big band sound. He keeps the flame of legends like Tito Puente and Pérez Prado alive, but with a distinctive signature that fuses academic precision with popular soul.

Andy Durán El Arquitecto del Mambo y el Latín Jazz

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 2, 1949, as Nelson Valor Ramos, this extraordinary artist is today an essential figure in music production and direction.

The Musician: Master of the Arrangement

Andy Durán is more than just a conductor; he is a scholar of musical structure. His academic background has allowed him to master the art of the arrangement the ability to transform a simple melody into a complex masterpiece where twenty musicians move as a single, unstoppable force.

The Big Band Sound: He is one of the few directors who has kept the large orchestra format relevant in Venezuela. His ensemble, Andy Durán’s Latin Jazz Big Band, is an institution renowned for its rhythmic precision and powerful brass section.
Stylistic Versatility: While Mambo is his backbone, his repertoire flows seamlessly through Jazz, Salsa, Mambo-Jazz, and traditional Venezuelan music.
Cult Discography: Albums such as Tropicalia, Mambo 2000, and his acclaimed tribute to Tito Puente, Fidelidad, are essential pieces for any collector of the genre.

The Person: The Educator and Music Lover

Behind the baton, Durán is known for his humility and profound work ethic; he is frequently described as a “gentleman of music.”

Nacido en Caracas, Venezuela, el 2 de enero de 1949, bajo el nombre de Nelson Valor Ramos

Relentless Researcher: Beyond performance, he is a historian of rhythm. His concerts often turn into masterclasses where he explains the origins of the pieces, always honoring the original composers.
Generational Bridge: He has served as a mentor for young Venezuelan musicians, integrating new talent into his ranks and proving that classic Caribbean genres have no expiration date.
Cultural Resilience: In an era dominated by commercial trends, Durán remains faithful to acoustic quality and the complexity of Latin Jazz, earning the respect of international critics.
Si existe un nombre que personifica la elegancia técnica y la pasión por el ritmo en el Caribe contemporáneo, ese es Andy Durán

Career and Legacy

Andy Durán is one of the greatest exponents of Salsa and Latin Jazz in Venezuela. With 16 albums to his credit, he holds the most extensive discography of any Venezuelan jazz artist. Additionally, he is recognized as the country’s premier music copyist.

His beginnings date back to his youth with the group Nelson y su Sexteto. In 1978, he founded the Orquesta Palladium. Shortly after, he adopted the stage name “Andy Durán” to avoid confusion with other artists of the era and because it was easy to remember and write.

Since 1982, he has been fully dedicated to professional music, working alongside giants such as Aldemaro Romero, Eduardo Cabrera, the Billo’s Caracas Boys, Los Melódicos, and Soledad Bravo. In 1985, he released his first LP, Mambo Salsa. Among his most notable works are:

Tropicalia Caraqueña
Canelita y Andy Durán: Tribute to Celia Cruz
Tito & Tito (A tribute to Tito Puente and Tito Rodríguez)
Salsa Dura y Descarga: A Tribute to Fania
Fiesta con Billo

Reflections by Andy Durán: Is Singing Easy?

The Requirements: Flawless pitch, breath control, phrasing, and diction; in addition, a strong memory for melodies, lyrics, and orchestral arrangements.

It is highly recommended to know how to dance according to the genre being performed (e.g., Salsa). It is also beneficial to have basic acting skills to handle dramatic themes when necessary.

Reading is mandatory to develop a rich vocabulary for improvisation or public speaking; it also prevents embarrassing spelling errors in written lyrics. Keeping the vocal cords healthy and trained is a vital matter. Music theory and sight-singing are the ideal, essential, and unavoidable tools.

Finally, a singer must define their style and repertoire with great care. One must invest in professional orchestral arrangements and have an arranger-director or advisor—this is an investment, just like stage attire.

Remember, my fellow singers: a director’s worst nightmare is a singer who is out of tune, off-beat, and forgetful.

Best regards to all vocalists and singers.

Maestro Andy Durán: Director, Arranger, and Composer

P.S. Vocalists must meet two more requirements: keep your nerves in check and sing from the heart.

Also Read: Víctor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity“

Víctor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity “

The legacy of a visionary who fused the saxophone with the essence of the Caribbean and national cinema.

Víctor Cuica was more than just a musician; he was a bridge between two worlds. Born on April 19, 1949, in the iconic Caracas neighborhood of La Pastora, Cuica established himself as a preeminent saxophonist and actor, earning global acclaim for his innovative fusion of Jazz with Afro-Caribbean roots.

His presence defined a golden era in Venezuelan culture, as he shared the stage with legends such as Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Porfi Jiménez, and Gerry Weil.

Victor Cuica “The Eternal Breath of Latin Jazz and Venezuelan Identity”

Training and First Steps: The Birth of a Style

The journey of this virtuoso—master of the tenor and soprano saxophone as well as the flute—began in 1963 at the Military Music School of La Victoria. His time in the Venezuelan Navy band served as the catalyst for his love of Jazz, leading him to deepen his knowledge of flute, harmony, and composition at the “José Ángel Lamas” Higher School of Music.

His professional career took off in Chucho Sanoja’s orchestra. Shortly thereafter, he joined Oscar D’León’s ensemble. It was actually Cuica who suggested the name “Dimensión Latina” to replace the group’s former name, “Oscar y sus Estrellas,” thereby christening what would become the most iconic salsa orchestra in Venezuelan history.

Victor Cuica in concert held on August 22, 2011 in Juan Pedro Lopez Square in Caracas

Latin Jazz: From the Silver Screen to International Stages

By the late 1970s, Cuica expanded his horizons into the “seventh art.” In 1978, he composed and performed the soundtrack for “The Sea of Lost Time” (El Mar del Tiempo Perdido), based on the short story by Gabriel García Márquez. A year later, he solidified his own group, “Víctor Cuica y su Jazz Latino,” debuting to resounding success at the Alcázar Theater in Caracas and gaining international momentum in Costa Rica.

Throughout the 1980s, critics hailed him as the most important innovator of jazz fusion in the region. His talent brought him to historic venues:

1981: He triumphed at the “Memphis in May” festival in Tennessee.
1982: He performed at the prestigious “Domicile” club in Munich, Germany.
1985: He reached a milestone as the leader of the first Venezuelan group invited to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, where he shared the limelight with the legendary vibraphonist Lionel Hampton.

Artistic Maturity and Recognition

In the 1990s, his music reached new academic heights when Maestro Eduardo Marturet composed the work “Music for Six and Sax” specifically for him. It premiered with the Sinfonietta Caracas and represented Venezuela at the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville.

Víctor Cuica was not just a musician; he was a bridge between two worlds. Photograph at Juan Sebastian Bar

His discography, which includes gems such as Que sea para siempre (1984), Noctámbulo (1993), Just Friends (1998), and Los Locos de Caracas (1999), stands as a testament to his versatility. In 1995, the Venezuelan Artist’s Guild (Casa del Artista) honored him as Musician of the Year.

A Farewell with the Flavor of the Streets and Bohemia

Víctor Cuica passed away on Saturday, December 26, 2020, at the age of 71 due to a heart attack. His departure left a void in the film industry, where he starred in memorable films such as Santera (for which he also composed the award-winning soundtrack in 1997), and in the bohemian nights of Caracas, where his saxophone was often the soul of the evening.

A Tribute from His Peers

Multi-percussionist José Hidalgo, known as “El Tokun Mayor,” describes Cuica with words that summarize his essence:

“Víctor Cuica is the finest example of an artist intimately linked to his daily reality and cultural origins, without ever losing sight of the cosmopolitan and universal nature of his musical message. Cuica is the expression of genuine jazz performed with the simplicity of the streets.

Víctor is as authentic in his personal character as he is as an artist. This virtue was his companion as he traveled across numerous international stages, spanning the worlds of music, film, theater, and opera always with the transcendence of a bohemian, simple, and bold minstrel.

Cuica never ceases to surprise us, whether through his voice or the sound of his saxophone an instrument that, with his habitual ingenuity, he turned into a centerpiece of performance through his creativity and versatility.

His talent has graced stages across Europe and the Americas. His work projects far beyond the commercial mainstream and, today, leaves us with a brilliant musical improvisation that is truly beyond compare.”

DJ Augusto Felibertt with the one and only virtuoso Víctor Cuica

Today, the name Víctor Cuica remains etched in history as the man who gave Jazz a Caribbean color and gave the Venezuelan saxophone a voice of its own.

Victor Cuica and his Latin Jazz, March 23, 1980 at the Cantv Theater in Caracas

Also Read: Oscar Rojas Oscar Rojas has 54 years of musical career full of passion, rhythm and flavor

Brian Lynch is known for his versatility, excelling in Jazz (primarily post-bop and hard bop) and notably in Latin Jazz

Brian Lynch is a top-tier jazz trumpet, flugelhorn player, and arranger, highly respected for his work in both traditional jazz and his fusion with Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms.

Lynch has been on the jazz scene for the better part of the last three decades. He is known primarily for his work as a sideman for many of the top musicians in jazz and as co-leader of a major Latin ensemble alongside Eddie Palmieri. For a long time, he has championed the music of the great trumpet players who preceded him.

Brian Lynch is a top-notch jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player, and arranger

On this album, which is a natural follow-up to his 2000 album, Tribute to the Trumpet Masters, Lynch pays homage to the works of some of the most prominent, yet undeservedly unknown, jazz trumpeters, such as Joe Gordon, Claudio Roditi, Tommy Turrentine, Louis Smith, Idrees Sulieman, Charles Tolliver, and Kamal Adilifu (also known as Charles Sullivan).

Some of the tributes consist of performing compositions by these artists. In other cases, Lynch performs a tune he composed in the artist’s honor. In all cases, Lynch and his team, which includes Vincent Herring and Alex Hoffman on saxes and Rob Schneiderman on piano, are more than up to the task. They make each of the honorees proud.

Lynch ha estado en la escena del jazz durante la mayor parte de las últimas tres décadas

While there isn’t a single bad track on the album, standouts include Gordon’s “Terra Firma Irma,” which moves along to the potent beat of Pete Van Nostrand, along with excellent solos from all three horn players; Turrentine’s “Big Red” and Sulieman’s “Saturday Afternoon at Four,” both part of a treasure trove of unreleased compositions that were part of the Turrentine and Sulieman estates and that Lynch was able to tap into for these sessions; the hard bop of Tolliver’s “Household of Saud” (again, Van Nostrand’s drumming blew me away) and Lynch’s “RoditiSamba,” a tribute to the Brazilian master.

In short, Unsung Heroes is Brian Lynch’s best album as a leader in his long career. The musical mastery is top-notch, the compositions are always interesting, and the backstory of the whole project is a compelling history lesson for jazz trumpet fans who want to dig deeper than Miles, Diz, and Satchmo. The best news is that there’s more where that came from: this is only Volume 1 of the project; Volumes 2 and 3 are currently available online as downloads.

Paying tribute to the unsung masters of the jazz trumpet is a natural project for trumpeter and flugelhorn player Brian Lynch (the original text mentioned “Bryan Lynch” in this section, it is assumed to be a typo), who has been immersed in the hard-bop lineage since he was part of Horace Silver’s band in the 1980s.

He is accompanied by a mid-sized group that includes Vincent Herring on alto saxophone, Alex Hoffman on tenor saxophone, Rob Schneiderman on piano, David Wong on bass, Pete Van Nostrand on drums, and Vicente “Little Johnny” Rivero on congas.

Herman Olivera El Sonero del Siglo XXI voz líder de La Perfecta II de Eddie Palmieri, Dj. Augusto Felibertt y Brian Lynch un trompetista de jazz ganador de varios premios Grammy.

Moving through rhythms ranging from ballads to riffs and Latin jazz, the band masterfully navigates the material with solo and ensemble passages executed with great fluidity. The title suggests that there may be more installments in this series, and hard-bop fans will certainly hope so. Lynch has a wealth of material to draw inspiration from and a talented band with which to make an indelible mark.

Brian Lynch – Unsung Heroes Vol. 1 (2011)

Tracks:

Terra Firma Irma
I Could Never Forget You
Further Arrivals
Saturday Afternoon At Four
Household Of Saud
Roditisamba
Big Red
Unsung Blues
Wetu

Musicians: Brian Lynch (Trumpet, Flugelhorn) Vincent Herring (Alto Sax) Alex Hoffman (Tenor Sax) Rob Schneiderman (Piano) David Wong (Bass) Pete Van Nostrand (Drums) Little Johnny Rivero (Congas 1-3, 1-6, 3-5)

Recorded October 12-13, 2008 and December 22, 2009 at Knoop.

Also Read: Oskar Cartaya “My Music, My Friends, My Time” Featured collaborations with illustrious friends such as Eddie Palmieri, Giovanni Hidalgo, Dave Valentin, and Justo Almario