Wednesday night we had the opportunity to listen to The McNally Smith Fusion Ensemble performed for about an hour and a half as part of “XIII Festival de Jazz de Guatemala” at the atrium of the former college of the Compañía de Jesús in Antigua Guatemala. It was a breath-taking performance. The “XIII Festival de … Read more
Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. It was originally set out by Frigyes Karinthy in 1929 and popularized … Read more
The cinematic sounds of the Duo Soupstar playing at the antiguo colegio de la Compañía de Jesús in Antigua Guatemala was a total film experience; you imagine this music as soundtrack of many of the art cinema films you have watched. What a way to finish the last concert of the International Jazz Festival of … Read more
The youthful energy coming out of the Big Wy’s Brass Band was contagious and put almost everyone to dance. Jazz fans had a fabulous jamming night thanks the engulfing brass notes plus the bass player and drums. I believe this was biggest audience during the International Jazz Festival of Guatemala in Antigua Guatemala as well. … Read more
The Shuffle Demons are a primal, funky, jazz band with three saxophones, a cello and a drum set or batería as we say in Spanish. Last Thursday night, the atrium of the antiguo colegio de la Compañía de Jesús was filled with the electrifying energy coming out from the live performance The Shuffle Demons, hailing … Read more
The 17th International Jazz Festival of Guatemala is in full swing. Here’s the Thierry Lang Trio playing at as part of the Guatemala Jazz Festival in Antigua Guatemala at the atrium of the former college of the Compañía de Jesús on Tuesday night, March 7, 2017. There are two more photographs to show you the … Read more
Well, as I have reported in previous years, between precessions, a jazz festival and a Central American meeting for Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders, La Antigua has been anything but a quiet place. The roaring of hundreds of Harley-Davidson choppers from all over Central America was deafening. The long row of motorcycles overcrowding the 6a avenida was … Read more
As in previous years, once again I had the opportunity to attend one of the jazz recitals of the 12th International Jazz Festival at the Compañía de Jesús atrium. The Edgar Dorantes Quartet from Xalapa, Veracruz ignited the chilly night with a wonderful performance, a mixture of tried-and-tested classic pieces, latin jazz pieces and original … Read more
XI Festival Internacional De Cultura Paiz opened with a energy-charged reunion concert by the two most representative bands from Central America: the Guatemalan rock band Alux Nahual from Guatemala and Éditus, the Grammy-winning jazz group from Costa Rica at Ermita de la Santa Cruz; one of the best venues in La Antigua Guatemala for concerts. … Read more
I don’t know how it happened, but I had lost this vista of the Jacaranda trees in bloom at La Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park among the other 15,000 photos of my fototeca (photo library). Shame on me! 🙁 With this image of the jacaranda trees adding the subtle violet color to Antigua Guatemala main plaza … Read more
I just love the dry season that goes from late October to late April in Guatemala, also known in Guatemala as Summer even though it actually spans part of Fall, the entire Winter and half of the Spring season. Go Figure! The weather is wonderfully cool, literally and figuratively. There is no rain. The sky … Read more
Boy, didn’t I tell you that the best time of the year to visit Antigua Guatemala, top city travel destination, is during the Lent period. Not only you get the opportunity to see all the processions prior to the world-famous Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala, you also get a chance to see all the Lent … Read more
Well, between precessions, a jazz festival and a Central American meeting for Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders, La Antigua has been anything but a quiet place. The roaring of hundreds of Harley-Davidson choppers from all over Central America was deafening. The long row of motorcycles overcrowding the 7a avenida sur was something to be seen. Boy, I … Read more
The last presentation in the three-day Festival de Jazz en Antigua was the Jordi Albert Projet doing a tribute to Chet Baker and billed as a collaboration from Spain. Ironically, two of the musicians of the trio are from Guatemala. Alejandro Álvarez and Victor Arriaza {ñ} are part of the Guatemalan Jazz band called Imox; … Read more
Tonight it was the turn for Be Little! Trio which is composed of Luca Calabrese, Massimo Minardi and Francesco D’Auria. Be Little! is a jazz trio from Italy and their music takes you through the roads of improvisation of jazz with the help of rare instruments and the guitar, drums and trumpet. Below you can … Read more