Programmers from twenty countries participate in the 8th edition of Jazz I Am

BarcelonaA leading industry event in Southern Europe: Jazz I Am returns for its eighth edition, organized by Taller de Músics. From March 11th to 13th, El Molino in Barcelona will bring together some sixty programmers from twenty countries to explore the local scene, discover new productions, and establish new professional contacts. "One of the main difficulties performers face in our country is that there are hardly any venues left that program jazz. Our goal is, above all, to book concerts, tours... to get musicians playing," explains Rosa Galbany, director of Jazz I Am.

The official program includes a dozen showcases Selected from more than three hundred proposals, chosen by a jury made up of cultural project manager Cinzia Venier; founder and director of the Cádiz Jazz Festival Marina Fernández; and cultural journalist and music critic Olga Àbalos.

This year the platform re-establishes contact with Canada, with the participation of Rainbow Robert, head of the country's festival network. "We are only just recovering from the disruption caused by the pandemic. That's why it's so important to have leading programmers who allow us to stay connected with strategic markets," Galbany emphasizes.

The proposal that will open Jazz I Am was conceived in an artistic residency at Fabra i Coats where Catalan musicians (Blood Quartet) and South Koreans (Dongyang GozupaThey worked together on the project Unknown LandThe result can be heard on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. at El Molino, before embarking on a tour of Catalonia with stops at Sala Torín in Olot (March 13), Teatro El Progreso in Martorell (March 14), and La Teca Teatro in Cambrils (March 15). Other performers will also be present. Cristina LópezDrummer Marc Ayza with his Social Base project, bassist Giulia Valle, among others. Aside from the events at El Molino, Jazz I Am is also programming a concert at the Basilica of La Mercè on Saturday, March 14th at noon. Magnified, with the flamenco singer Pere Martínez and several Italian musicians; it is an initiative that is part of the European project Spiritual Music, in collaboration with Música Morfosi (Italy).