A new year begins with a new Iberojazz edition, third of its history, in A Coruña; a city that from a long time ago favoured cultural meetings in all shapes and forms.

For this 3rd edition was indispensable to make an historical balance of what is and been jazz in Spain from its origins, so the organization and artistical direction of this festival agreed on dedicating the present edition to the 60 years of jazz in Spain. So with that in mind and as prelude, the festival will have the presence of one of the jazz living legends in the peninsula, unique and versatile saxophonist Pedro Iturralde, pioneer of the famous flamenco-jazz current, whom will present the album Etnofonías with his quartet. This album is dedicated to the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) and it's going to be performed at the emblematic Rosalía Castro Teather on January 4.

As every year, the festival will take place in different locations on the city and the main place for the concerts will be the Fórum Metropolitano Auditorium, where four of nine concerts are going to be performed.

Concerts like tribute to Tete Montoliu from double-bassist Horacio Fumero, Tete's companion along sixteen years; he'll perform with catalonian pianist Albert Bover, heir of Tete's musical tradition, and drummer David Xirgu; the three of them are creator of their own works. There will also be the presentation of the first album of one of the female promises of Iberian jazz, Viguese percusionist-drummer Lucía Martínez, acompanied by a young Portuguese band. Coruna-based composer and guitarist Pepe Evangelista will make the debut of his new album, Teima, with his quartet formed by three relevant musicians from the Galician scene: saxophonist Roberto Somoza, bassist Kin García and drummer Miguel Cabana, and Belén Xestal as singer as guest artist. Them all will play at Fórum Metropolitano the days of January 17, 10 and 31, respectively.

The concert scheduled for day 18 has all the ingredients of the Iberojazz philosophy. This year is also about making musical interchanges between students of different Music colleges of Spain and Portugal. For the occasion, Galicia and Euskadi, thru arrangements between Education ministries, Conservatorio Superior de Música da Coruña - Departamento de Jazz (Cosmac), Centro superior de música do País Vasco - Departamento de Jazz (Musikene) and the Festival organization, are pleased to invite the public to enjoy of a jazz session where will perform a combo of each of the aforementioned centres. Undoubtedly, this concert will be a new point of reference of the meetings among the great diversity of current Iberian cultures.

The rest of concerts, consisting on four dates, will take place in the classical jazz clubs of the city, which we have to thank for the growth and manteinance of this music along 25 years; legendary Filloa, where we will be able to listen for first time in A Coruña to one of the Galician jazz legendary bands on 17 January: jazz pioneer in Orense Abuña Jazz, that will recall names associated to extinguished bands like Salvador Sala, Suso González and Sally Albaugh. The veteran Cuban drummer-percussionist Calixto Oviedo, companion of musicians like Rubén González, Arturo Sandoval, co-founder of orchestra "Adalberto y su Son" and leader of the band "Calixto Oviedo y su Recompensa", will perform accompanied by Cuban musicians based on A Coruña, like trompeter Hansel Luis and pianist Sergio Delgado. Viguese band Vi-Gop Quartet will present their first album Live, live recorded with compositions from pianist Antonio López (Monano), one of the new promises of Galician jazz, whom with his partners will fill the 24 January night of Galician jazz-bop at Garufa. And to end this Iberojazz edition, we'll have the chance to listen to a jazz veteran within the Galician and A Coruña scene at Jazz Vides, bassist Quique Alvarado, who will present a new project with four singers, two metals and rhythm trio.
¡Enjoy...!

Alberto Conde, artistic director of Iberojazz