MADRID, Spain, April 18, 2006 "“ The cool sounds of hot jazz will fill the warm skies of Spain this summer. Four jazz festivals will take place in July in Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastian in the Basque Country, in the city of Valencia and on the island of Gran Canaria, with two more set for the fall (Barcelona's in October and Madrid's in November).
The 30th Annual Festival of Jazz of Vitoria-Gasteiz "“ one of Spain's most important music events "“ takes place July 8 to 15. A star-studded roster includes Wynton Marsalis, Paco de LucÃa, Sergio Mendes and Sonny Rollins, whom the Village Voice calls the "last great jazz immortal." The festival offers music lovers a choice of several venues to hear the cool sounds. Big star performances will take place at the 4,000-seat Mendizorroza Sports Arena. New and experimental jazz groups will headline at the Antzokia Principal Theatre. After the main concerts, some local clubs feature jam sessions that go on till dawn.
Kicking off the festival at a gala inaugural on July 8 is the Brad Mehldau Trio. On July 9, a "New Orleans Picnic" will be dedicated to the Big Easy and will feature: the Dukes of Dixieland, Dr. Michael White Quartet and The Spirit of New Orleans All Star Jazz Band.
For "Electronic Night" on July 10, the acid jazz group Incognito will make its Basque Country debut on a program with Medeski Martin & Wood. The highlight of the festival will bring together two renowned musicians in an unusual performance on July 11: Grammy-winner Wynton Marsalis and flamenco great Paco de LucÃa. The next night will feature the world premiere of a new work by Marsalis with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
Other noted jazz greats at the festival will be:
July 13 Sergio Mendes
July 14 Enrique Morente and Michel Camilo & Tomatito
July 15 Sonny Rollins (in his only European concert in July)
Running concurrently from July 10 to 15 will be "Jazz of the 21st Century:"
July 10 Javier Vercher Sexteto
July 11 Lizz Wright
July 12 The Bad Plus
July 13 Mina Agossi
July 14 The Kenny Garrett Quartet
For the third year the festival will include the 7th Jazz Seminar with the collaboration of the Juilliard School of New York. Open to music students and professional musicians, the seminar offers workshops and one master class taught by Marsalis. On July 15 the final concert of the "Jazz of the 21st Century" series will be performed by professors of the Juilliard School of New York.
Programs for Spain's other jazz festivals will be announced shortly. Check the web sites for information:
15th International Jazz Festival of Gran Canaria July 1- 10 www.canariasjazz.com
10th Festival of Jazz in Valencia July 10-20 www.palauvalencia.com
41st International Jazz Festival of San Sebastian July 21-26 www.jazzaldia.com
International Jazz Festival of Barcelona October 26-December 4 www.the-project.net
23rd Festival of Jazz of Madrid November 1-December 1 www.munimadrid.es
For information about the Jazz Festival of Vitoria-Gasteiz, call 011-34-945-14-19-19, fax 011-34-945-13-02-87 or email: jazzvitoria@jazzvitoria.com or go to www.jazzvitoria.com Many of the city's hotels offer packages that include tickets to the festival. After May 2, tickets will be available on line. For information about traveling to Spain, contact your travel agent or the Tourist Office of Spain in New York (212-265-8822); Miami (305-358-1992); Chicago (312-642-1992) or Los Angeles (323-658-7188) or go to www.spain.info
