WITH the exception of the Ibiza Jazz Festival, the Sa Pobla International Jazz Festival of Majorca is the oldest Jazz Festival on the islands.
This Summer festival, which takes place mainly in August, reaches its 13th edition this year. The four great characteristics of the festival are the quality of its programme, the level of its participants, the freedom of its open air performances in the Plaza Major in Sa Pobla, and its originality.
The policy of direct booking of the acts, which is done by the council of Sa Pobla, means that with a relatively small budget, (at times even less than it would cost for one concert in other similar events) a festival can be put together which has something for everyone. This is a trend which, it appears, is not showing any sign of changing.
This year's programme will start on July 30 with a performance by the Quintet of the drummer Al Foster, replacing Jack DeJohnette in the Miles Davis group, to whom he will pay homage during the concert, and one of the greatest innovators of this type of music. Foster is an energetic instrumentalist capable of controlling his instruments with an extraordinary sensitivity.
As is customary, there will be parallel activities such as an improvisation seminar and the showing of a film, in this case Manuel Lombardero's film Tuya siempre with a soundtrack by Horacio Fumero and Jose Reinoso.
On the second day, August 7, the festival will repay an unwritten debt to the fans. The Blueswoman Ana Popovic, who was in the programme last year but her performance was prevented by the rain, will fill the Plaza Major with energetic blues, full of soul. Fingers crossed that this year's performance is not ruined by the weather.
The double bass player Horacio Fumero's trio, together with drummer David Xirgu and the pianist Albert Bover will, on August 13, accompany the trumpeter Josep Maria Farras, in memory of Tete Montoliu on the 10th anniversary of his death.
Fumero was Tete's double bass player for more than 20 years and Farras was one of his greatest friends and, according to the Catalan pianist, the best Jazz trumpeter in Spain.
On August 21 the guitarist Marcos Collado will present his recent album What's Up, a powerful jazz/rock album to which nobody can remain indifferent.
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