Cuba Jazz Travel: 28th Jazz Festival of Havana "Jazz Plaza 2012"

The 28th International Jazz Festival of Havana “Jazz Plaza 2012”, organized by the internationally renowned Cuban jazz musician Chucho Valdes and sponsored by the Cuban Institute of Music (ICM), will run December 20-23 at several locations in the Cuban capital.

Authentic Cuba Travel, in association with the Organizing Committee of the Havana Jazz Festival, the Cuban Institute of Music, Turner Music & Events and The Vancouver Jazz Festival is pleased to present the official Cuba tour to the International Jazz Festival of Havana "Jazz Plaza 2012".

Our Cuba tour will give you full access to all music venues and concerts happening in Havana, and it will also take you to explore America’s largest and best preserved historical cores such as Old Havana, Cienfuegos and Trinidad cities. You will enjoy cross cultural/ people-to-people experiences that will remain with you for the rest of your life. You will be fascinated by the Cuban people, the culture, and the social/political/economic structure of Cuba.

The last edition of the International Jazz Festival of Havana took place in December 2011 and was attended by over twenty international Jazz bands such as the Chico O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra- led by younger Arturo O’ Farril, the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra, the Joaquín Betancourt’s Jazz Band and the Michael Fleiner’s Latin Jazz Septet.

Based on the festival's booming success the concerts venues include locations in Havana, such as the Mella Theatre, Casa de la Cultura of Plaza, La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club, Palacio de La Rumba, Casa del Alba, National Theatre of Cuba, Karl Marx Theatre, Sevilla and Cohiba Hotels.

Worth mentioning are the spontaneous street jam sessions that take place outside of these halls. The event features artists that come from all over the world including U.K., Bermuda, Argentina, Chile, the United States, and many other countries that come to celebrate their love of jazz with other enthusiasts.

Renowned international jazz masters have participated in Jazz Plaza, among others Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Carmen McCrae, Charlie Haden, Michel Lengrand, Ronnie Scott, Hugh Fraser, Kash Killion, Daniel Martina, Luis Monge. Great Jazz bands such as Cubanola, the Ronnie Mathews Trio, the Kenny Barron Trio, and Dave Valentin, among others have also performed at the “Jazz Plaza” through the years.

Prestigious Cuban jazz bands and soloists take part every year, among them Mayra Caridad Valdés, Bobby Carcassés, José Luis Cortés, Harold López-Nussa, Ernán López-Nussa and Lázaro Valdés. Late night jams are a nightly occurrence and have provided interesting match-ups such as Roy Hargrove sitting in with percussion legend Changuito and others.

There’s also a space for younger talents who will soon be making their mark on the jazz world such as Elmer Ferrier, Yazek Manzano, Jesus Fuentes, Toni Perez, Alexis Bosch, Mario Hernandez, Toni Rodriguez and Jonge Chicay.