Jazz Plaza Festival in Santiago de Cuba
Jazz Plaza Festival
The Jazz Plaza Festival is a renowned annual jazz festival held at the end of January in Havana and in Santiago de Cuba each year. It is one of the most important events in the Caribbean and Latin American jazz scene and has a rich history.
The festival was founded in 1978 by the famous Cuban musician Chucho Valdés, an outstanding Cuban pianist, composer and band leader now in his eighties but still performing internationally. The festival was established to celebrate and promote Cuban jazz, a genre that has deep roots in the island’s cultural history. Cuban jazz blends rich Afro-Cuban rhythms with the improvisational styles of American jazz, and the festival provides a stage for both Cuban artists and international jazz musicians to showcase their talents. Over the years, it has grown in reputation and now attracts jazz performers from all around the world, creating a platform for both established artists and up-and-coming talent.
The festival spans several days, with concerts held at various venues in Havana, including the Teatro Mella, Teatro Nacional, and Casa de la Cultura. In Santiago, venues include the Patio Matamoros, Iris Jazz Club and the Patio del UNEAC. In addition to performances, the event includes workshops, masterclasses and jam sessions, making it a wonderful focal event for jazz lovers, musicians and music industry professionals.
This year, the festival takes place in Santiago de Cuba from 26 January to 02 February 2025.
This popular cultural celebration not only attracts jazz fans but also fosters cultural exchanges and music tourism which all contribute to the local economy. Jazz Plaza reinforces Cuba’s reputation as one of the foremost centres of music, particularly latin jazz, in the world and provides an accessible and affordable way to enjoy world class jazz music live and close up.
The Jazz Plaza Festival has consistently featured world famous Cuban musicians who have been and continue to be influential in the development of Cuban jazz and its fusion with global music genres. Here are some key Cuban musicians who have been involved in the festival over the years:
- As mentioned above, Chucho (as he is affectionately known) is a pianist, composer and bandleader. He is a central figure in the history of the festival and is best known for his pioneering work in Afro-Cuban jazz, particularly through his band Irakere which played a significant role in jazz fusion during the 1970s. He continues to be one of the most prominent Cuban musicians in the jazz world.
- Born in 1949 and a Cuban-American trumpet virtuoso and composer, Arturo Sandoval is another legendary Cuban jazz musician. He was a protégé of Chico O’Farrill and went on to achieve international fame, particularly for his skill on the trumpet and his contributions to both Latin jazz and classical music. Sandoval has been a featured artist at the festival in past years and remains one of Cuba’s most internationally recognized jazz musicians.
- Bobby Carcasses is a highly respected Cuban jazz saxophonist, flautist, vocalist and composer. He was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1938 and originally trained as an opera singer until he turned his talents to other styles of music. His work blends Cuban rhythms with jazz improvisation, and he has played a crucial role in Cuban jazz education.
- Paquito D’Rivera is one of the most influential Cuban-born saxophonists and clarinetists. Over his long career, he has successfully merged jazz with classical music and traditional Cuban sounds. D’Rivera has performed at several editions of the Jazz Plaza Festival, bringing his unique Latin jazz style to the event.
- Yusa is a younger generation Cuban musician, a singer, bassist and composer who fuses jazz with Afro-Cuban and other genres. She has also performed at the Jazz Plaza Festival, where she has gained recognition for her unique blend of traditional Cuban music and jazz.
- Los Jazzeros de Cuba is a collective of young Cuban jazz musicians who bring a fresh perspective to Afro-Cuban jazz, with a blend of traditional Cuban sounds and contemporary jazz influences
- Also worth looking out for is the Bebop Legacy group whose members are all multi-talented young Cuban jazz musicians and who can be found playing in the Fabrica de Arte in Havana some weekends and other well known venues
For more details of our January 2025 Cuba Music holiday running throughout the jazz festival, click here.