Bill Evans & Dean Brown and Charenée Wade, are the billing for the Festival Canarias Jazz&Más Heineken’s concert in Fuerteventura

• The “Palacio de Formación y Congresos” (Training & Congress Centre) is the venue for performances by two of the top international groups at this 26th edition (21.00 hours)
•  Entrance tickets cost 10€ and can be obtained via the web at entrees.es

The “Palacio de Formación y Congresos” (Training & Congress Centre) in Fuerteventura wil be the venue for the very first time to stage a concert for the Festival Canarias Jazz&Más Heineken. This Saturday 8 July, it will open its doors to welcome the music of Bill Evans & Dean Brown (featuring Etienne M’Bappe & Keith Carlock) and Charenée Wade, presenting her show Offering: Music of Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson, starting at 21.00 hours. Entrance tickets can be acquired via entrees.es for 10€.

Another jazz legend, the great saxophonist Bill Evans, will perform here in the Canary Islands together with brilliant guitarrist Dean Brown, in a band of four authentic ‘All Stars’ made up of Toto’s current drummer, Keith Carlock, and the great Etienne Mbappe, the current bassist with John Maclaughlin.

Member of Miles Davis’ band from 1980 to 1984, and at the young age of twentytwo, he was nominated for a Grammy award for the disc titled Soulgrass. Following his spell with Miles, he recorded three albums with John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra and later played with Herbie Hancock, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Steps Ahead and Mick Jagger, among many others. More up to date, he released a disc with his band, titled Rise Above in the year 2016, which included the collaboration of Warren Haynes (Govt Mule), Gregg Allman, Mike Stern, Josh Dion and JJ Grey.

Guitarrist Dean Brown has performed with artists like the Brecker brothers, Marcus Miller, Billy Cobham, Bill Evans, George Duke, David Samborn, Bob James & Joe Zawinul. He substituted Mike Stern in the band Tiger’s Baku, and received the blessing of Eric Clapton himself. On his particular journey, he has released solo albums marked by the excellence of a blend of impeccable elegance and a sound drawing on references including jazz, blues, rock & funk.

Etienne M’bappe is one of the best bassists in the world today and is known for his unique style of playing, with black silk gloves which he used in the last recording by Ray Charles back in the year 2001. Etienne has played with artists such as Salif Keyta, John Mclaughlin, Robben Ford, Bill Evans among many others and was also arranger & musical director of the the National Jazz Orchestra in France.

Drummer Keith Carlock stands out for his virtuosity & versatility to play just about anything; from the language of jazz fusion of the 80s to the sounds of his current band, the mythical formation from the USA, TOTO. He has also played with artists and bands like Steely Dan, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, John Mayer, Sting & Chris Botti.

Charenée Wade is one of the most promising international jazz vocalists around. First Runner-Up in the 2010 Thelonious Monk International Vocal Competition and performer at the Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead Program, she was chosen as one of the talented four to take part at the Dianne Reeves Young Artist Workshop at Carnegie Hall.

Her tone and majestic sound reminds us at times of classic jazz by artists like Betty Carter or Sarah Vaughan, controlling her voice with surprising agility & manner while incorporating personal touches that connect to current avant-garde jazz. Her second album, titled Offering (2015), is a tribute to the repertoire of an artist who had a big influence on her, Gil Scott-Heron. The disc features musicians Marcus Miller, Lonie Plaxico, Stefon Harris and Christian Mcbride.

Charenée is currently a professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music, City College and with the Jazzmobile Workshop programme. She teaches various workshops & clinics and was an esteemed judge at the 2010 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition, alongside Dr. Billy Taylor and Grady Tate.

She regularly graces the stages of the Jazz Gallery, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the legendary Smalls and the Zinc Bar in New York City. Her debut disc, titled Love Walked In, was released in July 2010.

On this tour, Charenée Wade will perform in a quartet formation, with Óscar Pérez (piano), Paul Beaudry (contrabass) and Donald Kontomanou (drums).

The Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz&Más Heineken will cover the islands of La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and for the first time La Graciosa, where it will plant its seed. An event made possible due to the collaboration by the municipalities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Adeje, Puerto de la Cruz, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Santa Brígida, Puerto del Rosario, Arrecife Teguise & Los Llanos de Aridane; and the sponsorship by the Canarian Government, the Cabildos (Island Councils) of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote & Fuerteventura, the Town Halls of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arrecife, Puerto del Rosario, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Adeje, Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Lucia de Tirajana, Santa Brigida & Los Llanos de Aridane, Casa África, the Adán Martín Auditorium in Tenerife, the Auditorium & Theatre Foundation of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Leal, Guimerá & Guiniguada Theatres. Organised by Colorado Producciones, yet another edition is sponsored by the company Heineken.