The festival Canarias Jazz & Más Heineken kicks off by staging eleven concerts on three islands

The moment has arrived. The festival Canarias Jazz & Más Heineken kicks off this weekend with its 28th edition staging eleven concerts on three different islands, Tenerife, Gran Canaria & La Palma; the limelight being on Kennedy Administration and the trio consisting of Ferenc Nemeth, Lionel Loueke & Chris Cheek. A beginning charged with force & energy, where female vocalists, African rhythms, funk and classic jazz play a prominent role. A new edition, which will reach its high point with performances by the legendary Maceo Parker, who will visit Gran Canaria, Tenerife & Lanzarote during the last weekend of the festival.

On the island of Tenerife, this Friday 5 July in the public square – la Plaza de los Alisios (behind the Auditorium) the curtain will be raised to performances by the local band Atcheré, a top quality trio led by Hungarian drummer Ferenc Nemeth together with guitarrist Lionel Loueke & Chris Cheek on the saxophone, and finally one of the great ensembles of this year, the New York funk group, Kennedy Administration. The concert starts at 20.30 hours and admission is free.

Once again in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on Saturday there will a double feature soiree with performances by the excellent vocalist Miryam Latrece and her quartet (20.30 hours, Tenerife Auditorium, paid-entrance), and later a re-visit to the public square, Plaza Los Alisios, which will stage concerts by the Eliseo Lloreda Quintet and two British musicians, Mamas Gun (21.30 hours, free admittance).

On Gran Canaria the launching pad is located in the public square – Plaza del Pilar (Guanarteme), featuring the now traditional Africa Night, a concert staged with the collaboration of Casa África, organising entity of the contest Vis a Vis, which was held this year in Ghana, the country of origin of groups Fra! and Kyekyeku & Ghanalogue Highlife. Nayaband, a Senegalese musician living in the Canaries, will  close the evening’s entertainment. On Saturday, the musical activity will be moved to a nearby venue, the Alfredo Kraús Auditorium, and the featured artists will be the Ferenc Nemeth, Lionel Loueke, Chris Cheek Trio (Chamber Hall, 20.30 hours) and Kennedy Administration (San Borondón Hall, 22.00 hours). Both are paid-tickets entrance only.

And finally, in these early days of the festival, the island of La Palma will be host to two of the most prominent groups at this stage. The concert will be staged also on Friday 5, in the public square –  Plaza de España (Los Llanos de Aridane, 20.30 hours, free admission), and will feature performances by Miryam Latrece Cuarteto and Mamas Gun.

There will be around 50 concerts staged under the title of the Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más Heineken; made possible for yet another year by 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 Brígida, Puerto del Rosario & Los Llanos de Aridane; and the sponsorship of the Canarian Government and the Island Councils of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura & Lanzarote, Casa África, the Adán Martín Auditorium of Tenerife, the Auditorium & Theatre Foundation of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Theatres Leal & Guiniguada. Organised by Colorado Producciones, yet another edition has received the sponsorship of the company Heineken.