2016

The 51st Heineken Jazzaldia surpassed all expectations

The 51st Heineken Jazzaldia surpassed all expectations as regards both audience numbers and artistic excellence. The total number of spectators was in the region of 175,000, of whom 19,075 flocked to the ticketed concerts while the remainder enjoyed the numerous free performances.

Several of the concerts held in the Plaza de la Trinidad, the Kursaal Auditorium, the San Telmo Museum and the Victoria Eugenia Theatre had to hang up their “sold out” signs. The atmosphere in San Sebastian, packed with visitors, was one of overall satisfaction with the extensive Festival programme.

The number of stages was increased to 20, for the first time using one of the city’s most charming spots, the Plaza de la Constitución. The number of performances came to 132, of which 84 were free of charge. Furthermore, numerous establishments throughout the city programmed jazz performances on their terraces, all helping to guarantee that jazz could be heard any time, any place.

The Donostiako Jazzaldia Award went to Ellis Marsalis, venerable pianist and begetter of a saga of illustrious musicians (Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, Jason). In fact it was precisely Branford Marsalis who gave one of the edition’s most memorable concerts, together with the singer Kurt Elling. And he did it after presenting the plaque corresponding to the Award to his father, who had performed in the first half, immediately after the two had generated a highly emotional moment while playing a ballad together.

The Festival kick-off was spectacular: Gloria Gaynor attracted to the Zurriola Beach 45,000 spectators who had a great old time to themselves, with four TV channels broadcasting live for their news programmes; but the opening Jazz Band Ball was so much more: Dave Douglas, Marc Ribot, Cyrus Chestnut, Buster Williams, Lenny White, Terje Rypdal and Elephant9 took it upon themselves to produce a jazz mini-fest of the finest quality.

Apart from the engaging session headlined by the Marsalis boys, the Plaza de la Trinidad hosted a first-rate jazz line-up: the DeJohnette/Coltrane/Garrison trio, Steve Coleman & Five Elements, Steps Ahead Reunion Tour, Bobo Stenson Trio and the cherry on the cake, Diana Krall.

Top notch jazz in the Kursaal Auditorium too: another luxury trio (John Scofield, Brad Mehldau, Mark Guiliana), Jan Garbarek backed by the percussionist Trilok Gurtu, and the North American trumpeter Christian Scott. Furthermore, the French Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf brought a rather more controversial musical proposal, nonetheless endorsed by the 1,800 spectators packed into the Auditorium.

Full venues were precisely one of the trends of this 51st edition: tickets for the Marsalis family, Steve Coleman and Diana Krall in the Plaza de la Trinidad, for Ibrahim Maalouf and Mehldau-Scofield-Guiliana in the Kursaal Auditorium, and for Jerry Bergonzi in the Victoria Eugenia Club, not to mention the five San Telmo Matinée concerts were all pre-concert sell-outs, as were passes for the Kursaal.

In fact the San Telmo Matinées were one of this year’s best moves. Musical proposals as excellent and audacious as the one brought to us by the Workshop de Lyon were warmly welcomed by the audience, who also enthusiastically responded to Josemi Carmona & Javier Colina, Jerry Bergonzi backed by Perico Sambeat, Ainara Ortega surrounded by the Basque jazz crème de la crème and the live presentation of his engaging latest work by Mikel Andueza.

The stage in the Plaza de la Constitución too was a great new feature thanks both to the coming and going of the audience and to the music programmed, all under the umbrella title “From Jazz to Soul”.

The Heineken Green Stage was, as usual in recent years, a space for partying, fun and friendly gathering. The jubilation prompted by Gloria Gaynor was followed by another huge triumph in Charles Bradley with his resounding demonstration of soul excellence. All this without detracting from the success of the stupendous Snarky Puppy, the authenticity of John Nemeth and Nick Waterhouse, the Latin rhythm of Grupo Fantasma and, take note, the local group Rural Zombies, who are enjoying rapidly rising popularity.

The Kursaal Terraces were the perfect place to listen to music throughout the afternoon and the evening. An ideal stage for groups of Basque musicians and others from outside the city who study at Musikene (the Higher School of Music of the Basque Country) to show off their skills.

Deserving a chapter all of its own is their presence at the Festival of two formations brought to us by the French collective Arfi who came with two performances of enormous musical and visual strength: the Workshop de Lyon and La Marmite Infernale.

The 51st Heineken Jazzaldia hosted the 10th edition of the 12 Points fest, dedicated to discovering new European jazz talents. This was a collaboration with the Conversations line organised by San Sebastian, European Capital of Culture 2016. 12 Points is a travelling festival taking place alternately in Dublin and other European cities, and was on this occasion the perfect complement for the city in its year as cultural capital. Twelve concerts by twelve groups from twelve European cities formed the 12 Points nucleus, which also included a seminar of jazz experts (Jazz Futures) and a series of late night jam sessions (European Jams) in Tabakalera’s recently opened Kutxa Kultur Kluba.

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