On Sunday, May 4th, a series of concerts will be held on the La Paz boardwalk as part of the International Jazz Day Festival, featuring local, national, and international musicians. The event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., is free and is one of the activities organized in several municipalities across the state.
The origin of this international event dates to 2011, when Herbie Hancock approached UNESCO and requested a day to celebrate International Jazz Day. “Since then, it has been celebrated on April 30th, and we commemorate it with a series of concerts in Baja California Sur,” said Tito Rodríguez, the producer and director of the festival. He has hosted this event in municipalities such as San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos, and now in La Paz.
Tito Rodríguez also noted that the event has grown in popularity and participation. Three groups will perform at Sunday’s concert in La Paz, including his own trio. Other well-known artists such as Víctor Patrón and his band, Douglas Webb, a Los Angeles-based saxophonist who has worked on film and TV soundtracks, and Sonia Steves, a jazz and rhythm and blues singer based in New York, will also perform.
In addition to the international guests, local musicians will also participate with their own projects. Rodríguez explained that many of them alternate their work accompanying popular artists with their musical offerings, including jazz.
This year marks the fifth edition of the festival. Rodríguez mentioned that the event was possible thanks to the support of the ISC (South Californian Institute of Culture). He indicated that this type of event allows for the visibility of other musical expressions, such as jazz, in an environment where other genres prevail.