The International Jazz Plaza Festival will hold its 37th edition on January 18 to 23 at Havana’s Teatro Nacional de Cuba, the Tito Junco Hall of the Bertolt Brecht Center, and the America Theater,

Victor Rodriguez, president of the event, stated his gratitude to all foreign musicians who came to the Festival despite the pandemic.

The opening concert by Cuban pianist Nachito Herrera will add to the instrumental talent of the American musicians of the Habana Jazz band, whereas the National Music Award winner Bobby Carcassés, founder of the Festival, will perform his show Del Blues a la Timba at Teatro Nacional’s Covarrubias Hall.

Carcassés recalled the 50 years of his band Afrojazz and dedicated the recital to the recently deceased trumpet player José Manuel Crego, a.k.a. El Greco, "one of the Cuban musicians who proved his worth and great human quality."

The program includes events as essential as the presentation of Congolese musician Ray Lema, who will share the stage with the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Joao Mauricio Galindo (Brazil) and Enrique Perez Mesa (Cuba), as well as performances by pianists Jacob Karl Anders (Sweden), Laurent de Wilde (France), Mike del Ferro (Netherlands) and saxophonist Pekka Pylkkanen (Finland).

Argentina will participate with a delegation of musicians spearheaded by bassist Javier Malosetti and Project La Colonia.

Roberto Fonseca, Alain Pérez and Ernán Lopezz Nussa are other renowned Cuban artists who will offer exclusive concerts during the event.