La Gomera & El Hierro mark the start of the 29th edition concerts

• The cultural centre Luis Martín Arvelo de El Pinar will be the venue for the performance of the North Sea String Quartet with Javier Infante
• The Torre del Conde Park in San Sebastián de La Gomera will be the setting for Polo Ortí’s new group, OMN
• All the concerts will take place with maximum health safety measures guaranteed, at both closed and open-air venues

The Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más kicks off this Friday 31 July on the islands of La Gomera & El Hierro, which are added to this year’s programme of the 29th edition. A festival which, as it has no other option, adapts to the ‘new normality’  regulations, thus assuring health safety measures are complied with, both for the general public and the musicians who will participate until 15 August staging nearly forty concerts.

 The first two events will be held at the Cultural Centre Luis Martín Arvelo, in the municipality of El Pinar and in the Torre del Conde Park in San Sebastián de La Gomera. On the ‘Meridian Island’, the programme will feature the Dutch musical ensemble North Sea String Quartet, with the Gran Canarian guitarrist Javier Infante. And on the ‘Columbian Island’, the audience will be treated to a performance by the reputable pianist from Tenerife, Polo Ortí’s new group called OMN, a trio also featuring the Uruguayan violonist Federico Nathan and the percussionist from Madrid, Sergio Martínez. In both cases, the concerts will commence at 20:30 hours.

North Sea String Quartet & Javier Infante

The Dutch jazz-folk string quartet North Sea String Quartet and Canarian composer & guitarrist Javier Infante present Electric Amazigh, in a vibrant & unique collaboration in which acoustic & electric sounds converge. By means of eight fascinating pieces written by Javier Infante, influences of North-African music (berbers), sephardic songs and contemporary jazz, blend. Moreover, the Dutch quartet push the rhythmic character of these by virtue of their strong pulsating & innovative percussive sounds. At times, it seems as if there is a drum kit in the hall. The extensive electric guitar & strings give rise to a strong creative & experimental spirit, interspersing beautiful melodies with powerful rhythmic passages.

OMN

At the 29th edition of the Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más, Canarian pianist & composer Polo Ortí will present his new group, OMN, a trio also featuring the Uruguayan violonist Federico Nathan and the percussionist from Madrid, Sergio Martínez. Three generations of composers & musicians from a solid training background and recognised artistic careers, whose common thread revolves around the Berklee College of Music campus in Valencia, where these musicians practise their teaching activies. It is here that the idea to bring about a show that would combine from the same perspective, their three musical visions– melodic jazz, flamenco and contemporary popular music- was conceived. OMN is an invitation to a warm & enigmatic visual & sound journey by means of scrutiny, fusion and the exploration of new ways & channels of artistic expression. Ortí, Martínez & Nathan create music that is quite unrestricted, more versatile and unpredujiced. In essence, a project that is risky, interesting and profoundly imaginative.

Outstanding Artists

The list of artists to feature at this 29th edition will be headed by the leader & bassist of Snarky Puppy, Michael League & Friends, who will do a summer 2020 world tour with his new group, an ensemble of the first order composed of incredible musicians. Another outstanding band comes from Poland, Atom String Quartet; one of the most intriguing string quartets in the world, and also one of the best Polish jazz bands. Also on an international level are the Belgian guitarrist Julien Tassin; Dutch soulman Steffen Morrison; the Latin jazz combo The Cuban Jazz Syndicate; as well as NextApe, who are based in Brussels but with musicians of different nationalities; as representatives of national jazz  we have the trio from Galicia Sumrra; the saxophonist from Cadiz Antonio Lizana and the excellent vocalist Susana Sheiman,who will be accompanied by the Chano Gil  Quartet; and there will also be an important representation of local bands, names that have been associated with the festival for years.

In closed venues, (theatres, auditoriums, halls) the festival will apply the health protocols which are already in force. At the open-air venues, measures will be taken which would involve closing them in order to control audience capacity. At these concerts, prior registration will be necessary to limit attendance. The festival will apply all the recommendations & established rules or standards, in coordination with the health authorities.