Havana to Harlem: The History of the Habanera
Picture this: Havana, Cuba in the mid-19th century. There is music everywhere; infectious rhythms and lively dancing make the city feel alive. Locals tap their feet, dancing the Contradanza, a popular style of dancing based around a specific polyrhythm, the Habanera. Fast-forward 100 years to 1956, and hear the same rhythmic pulse driving tantalizing new sounds of the Horace Silver Quintet. How did one rhythm travel thousands of miles to shape the sound of jazz and all modern music?
¡Entra en el Flamenco Jazz! Capítulo Primero
El Flamenco Jazz constituye el primer mestizaje tanto del flamenco como del jazz, el más fértil y rico, el más sustancioso e interesante. Asimismo, es la mejor índole de música española de los últimos cuarenta años, la de mayor significación e inquietud. Por añadidura, también se cultiva fuera de España y por músicos extranjeros, en señal de su perfecta dimensión universal.
From Danzón to Duke Ellington: Jazz’s Mexican Journey
Jazz, which emerged in the United States at the end of the 19th century, soon found fertile ground in Mexico for its reception and transformation. Early contact between Mexican and American musicians allowed the genre to spread throughout the country, where it acquired its own characteristics through interaction with local traditions. Over more than a century, jazz in Mexico has gone through phases of introduction, consolidation, experimentation, and contemporary revitalization, becoming an essential component of national cultural life.
Whispers from Ipanema: The Jazz-Bossa Affair
In the warm sunsets of Rio de Janeiro, where the waves of the Atlantic kiss the concrete of Ipanema and verses escape between acoustic guitars, a sound was born that forever changed the history of popular music: Bossa Nova. An authentic and uniquely Brazilian expression ended up seducing the giants of American jazz, who lost themselves in the passion and quality of a genre that seemed distant but ultimately proved to be an extraordinary complement—forming one of the most striking fusions of the 20th century.
Jazz in Japan: A Never-ending Movement
The history of jazz in Japan is a fascinating journey of cultural exchange, resistance, creative appropriation, and aesthetic renewal. Since its arrival in the early decades of the 20th century, this musical genre has undergone a process of adaptation and reinterpretation that has made it an integral part of Japanese cultural life. Through different historical stages—from pre-war modernization to the postwar era and its consolidation in international festivals—jazz has acquired a unique depth in Japan, a reflection of an appropriation that is not merely imitative, but genuinely creative.
From Andalusia to New Orleans: The Crossroads of Sound
Throughout history, various musical genres have emerged and evolved as a result of interaction and fusion between different cultures. These blends enrich the musical traditions of peoples and generate unique styles that reflect diversity and evolution. Below, we’ll explore two emblematic examples: jazz, rooted in African migration and American culture, and flamenco, shaped by Arab, Jewish, gypsy, and African influences developed in southern Spain. We’ll also trace the paths forged by two key figures in this fusion process: Paco de Lucía and Chick Corea. Additionally, we’ll highlight pivotal moments involving the legendary Miles Davis, whose influence was crucial to the development of this musical convergence.
Latin Jazz Instruments: Roots, Contrasts and Musical Interaction
Latin Jazz is, by definition, a genre of fusions: it combines the rhythmic richness of Afro-Cuban music with the harmonic and melodic sophistication of American jazz. This union takes place not only stylistically, but also through its instruments, which come from very different cultural backgrounds yet find fertile ground for musical dialogue.
Pillars of Latin Jazz: Bauzá, Gillespie and Pozo
The development of Latin Jazz—or Afro-Cuban Jazz—cannot be understood without the historic convergence of three fundamental figures: Dizzy Gillespie, Mario Bauzá, and Chano Pozo. Beyond their individual careers, it was the creative exchange between these musicians that sparked a new energy in modern jazz, blending the rhythmic complexity of Afro-Cuban traditions with the harmonic freedom of bebop. This article explores how their collaboration laid the foundation for a vibrant, hybrid, and deeply influential genre.
Adrián Iaies — Buenos Aires, Jazz, Melancolía y Estilo
Adrián Iaies, pianista, compositor y arreglador, es uno de los músicos de jazz con una carrera más larga, prolífica y, lejos del último lugar en importancia, coherente. Ha grabado más de veinte discos, actúa casi cada fin de semana y se ha presentado en España y varios países de América. Fue, en 2023, el responsable de pensar y realizar las orquestaciones del espectáculo con el que el Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires homenajeó un disco histórico de la música argentina, Artaud, de Luis Alberto Spinetta, a cincuenta años de su publicación. Y fue, durante casi una década, el director del Festival de Jazz de su ciudad natal.