João Bosco, Dhafer Youssef & Kenny Garrett top the list for the 27th edition of the Festival Canarias Jazz & Más Heineken

• A total of 49 concerts make up the programme for one of the most veteran cultural events on the Canarian scene
• Multiple venues will be used to stage performances between 6 & 22 July on the islands of La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria & Tenerife 

João Bosco, Dhafer Youssef, Kenny Garrett, Cyrille Aimée, Christian Sands, Keyon Harrold, Allan Harris, Michael Olivera, Eva Cortés, Gilad Hekselman, Myles Sanko, Jungle Fire, Tanika Charles, Yotam Silberstein, Iñaki Arakistain, Ida Nielsen, Julian Lage and Naughty Professor are some of the artists that make up the billing at this 27th edition of the Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más Heineken, which kicks off this week and will be staged between 6 & 22 July at venues covering once again most of the Canary Islands. ‘Noche África’ (Africa Night), featuring Alex Ikot & Nelida Karr, and various other local bands complete said billing for a new presentation of this well seasoned Canarian festive event.

The detailed programme was presented today in an act which was attended by a good many sponsors, both public & private, and was held at the Pérez Galdós Theatre. Tilman Kuttenkeuler (Managing Director of the Auditorium & Theatre Foundation of LPGC), Miguel Ramírez (Colorado Producciones), Inés Jiménez (Councillor of Tourism at the Cabildo -Island Council- of Gran Canaria), Encarna Galván (Councillor for Culture of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Town Hall), Melquiádes Álvarez (Councillor for Culture of Santa Brígida), Julio Ojeda (Councillor for Culture of Santa Lucía de Tirajana), Juan Jaime Martínez (Head of Culture & Education of Casa África) and Javier Jorge Redondo (Heineken, Brand Manager & Sponsoring) all endorsed this press conference to the accompaniment of music played by Ernesto Montenegro (trumpet), Micky Delgado (piano) & Miriam Fleitas (vocals).

The host, Kuttenkeuler, on behalf of the Foundation that he represented, was pleased for the choice of venue for four concerts; two at the Alfredo Kraús Auditorium (Christian Sands Trio & Keyon Harrold) and another two at the Pérez Galdós Theatre (Dhafer Youssef & Joao Bosco). Entrance tickets have been available offering different options of payment; one for four concerts at 60€, another for the two concerts staged at the Rincón del Jazz (Jazz Corner) and the Sala de Cámara (Chamber Hall) at 25€ and the third for the two which will be held at the Pérez Galdós Theatre at 40€, as well as that of purchasing entrances on an individual basis for each of the concerts.

Redondo, representing Heineken, which sponsors close to 40% of the festival’s budget, stressed the confidence they had in this event, which they had covered for 25 years. It was the first sponsorship they had agreed on this year and the only one they backed without even knowing the artists involved.

For ‘Noche África’ (Africa Night), which this year will feature two artists from Equatorial Guinea, Nelida Karr & Alex Ikot, winners of this year’s contest Vis a Vis, Juan Jaime Martínez valued once more the importance of promoting these artists at festivals like this, whch will turn out to be their first experience at performing in Spain.

The Councillor for Culture of Santa Brígida, Melquiades Álvarez, pointed out the difficulties in which they found themselves this year, a product of the miserly & fluctuating circumstances the administrations are placed in. But she highlighted the importance of the continuation of the festival and expressed her support with a view to repeating the experience the following year and the years to come in her municipality.

Julio Ojeda representing the municipality of Santa Lucía de Tirajana, stated that the sessions of the celebration of ‘LGTBI’ will be topped off with the concert featuring ‘Noche África’ (Africa Night), to be staged in the San Rafael square on Friday 13 July. She added that they were a municipality that was diverse and were pleased to receive this year two artists who would provide enjoyment to their public & neighbours.

The Island Councillor for Tourism, Inés Jiménez, referred to the festival as a cultural brand of the island of Gran Canaria, which aptly justifies the presence of the Department of Tourism. She also said she was pleased at the choice of venue for the presentation of the festival, the Pérez Galdós Theatre, both emblematic & symbolic of Gran Canaria.

Encarna Galván, Councillor for Culture at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Town Hall, appraised the contribution of the festival to the overall diverse programme for the month of July in the capital, and that they had to survive the ‘attack of cultural stress’, which would be difficult because in addition to this enthralling festival there was, as every year, the ‘TemudasFest’,as well as all the activities held at the Gran Canaria Arena and the annex to the Estadio de Gran Canaria (Stadium). But it was certain that at the start of August they would be much happier than before.

Miguel Ramírez, director of the festival, closed the act by inviting one and all to come and enjoy the music & artists featured this year. He expressed his regret for the late hour & assumed lack of respect shown by a few institutions with just three weeks before the start of the festival deciding to ‘abandon ship’, but was grateful for the support by all those present as well as other entities that collaborated with the festival. He then recalled that thanks to the faithful public after 27 years of the festival in the Canaries, they were no longer an ‘oasis’, and that there were many more events over the course of the year that offered jazz and that there wasn’t a theatre, auditorium or music hall that didn’t include jazz concerts in its programme.

There will be more than 50 concerts featuring 28 groups to be staged at venues on five islands- La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria & Tenerife-, for yet another year and another edition, as a result of the collaboration of 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, Teguise & Los Llanos de Aridane, and the sponsorship of the Canarian Governmant and the Island Councils of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura & Lanzarote, Casa África, the Tenerife Auditorium, the Auditorium & Theatre Foundation of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Theatres Leal & Guiniguada and the airline Binter. Organised by Colorado Producciones, yet another edition has received the sponsorship of the company Heineken.