Jazz in the Park: Achievements and Desires / column by Óscar Acevedo

We arrived at the 28th edition of Jazz al Parque with several accomplishments and some hopes. I begin with the experience of listening to Tigran Hamasyan's trio in the Country Club park, about 50 meters from the stage. It's time to create an atmosphere of respectful listening among the Jazz al Parque audience. The chatter of neighbors, coupled with the harassment of cold beer vendors, makes it impossible to concentrate on the performance. Our hope of enjoying the concert seated on the grass was interrupted from the first note, when the surrounding audience stood up, obstructing our view. This forced us to focus on the side screen, where we never saw a wide shot of the concert, only close-ups of each musician alone.

Changing perspectives, I tuned into Canal Capital's live stream where I was able to enjoy Sur Wave's concert uninterrupted and from a wide angle. This band has earned the right to play at other festivals online thanks to their musicality, the balance of their group sound, and their ingenious and surprising repertoire. It's also time for national bands like this to make their way onto the Redejazz stage, a privilege currently enjoyed by only a few foreign groups.

Turning to the educational aspect, Joshua Redman's lecture at the Universidad de los Andes proved to be an honest and realistic self-portrait of a musician's life in the competitive world of American jazz . He only answered four questions from the audience, but in them he delved into aspects of his life, explaining difficult situations that many of us have had to face in our professional journeys. This openness allows the listener to understand that his experiences are not very different from those we experience in other latitudes.

The student segment has evolved over the course of these 28 editions of Jazz al Parque, thanks to the support of enthusiasts like Cesar Celis, who once organized several meetings of Fesujazz, a gathering of university ensembles that is now part of the season under the name Emergentes Jazz. This exchange of knowledge featured the participation of a dozen institutions that registered their ensembles for a gathering that has grown to include student bands that travel from other cities to participate in this musical event. We will continue to celebrate.

ÓSCAR ACEVEDO - critic and musician