Iván ‘Melón’ Lewis heads the lineup for the Fundación Caja de Burgos Jazz Festival

It shakes like the soundtrack of the Burgos winter and with each installment it positions itself as one of the essential events. Cuban pianist Iván Melón Lewis heads the bill for Session B, the International Jazz Festival of the Caja de Burgos Foundation, which will run from February 4 to March 31. The winner of a Latin Grammy for best Latin jazz album for Voyager is joined by a group of artists who draw a picture of the trends of this sound today, from the most genuine to the one that is fused without prejudice. They will pass through Burgos Chico Pérez, a revelation in the world of flamenco jazz, who is already pointed out as the successor to Chano Domínguez, and the North American Dana Masters, who dances with blues, soul and gospel; the young trumpeter and singer Andrea Motis and the MEI Project, which puts Castilla y León on the map to the beat of traditional ethnic rhythms.

Beatriz Rodríguez Unamuno, from the area of ​​Culture and Educational Innovation of the Caja de Burgos Foundation, draws attention to this varied x-ray of the jazz scene, who highlights the “beautiful journey” that Session B traces, the presence of “very young people who are sounding a lot» and the attention to less common instruments in jazz such as the piano.

And to maintain this expectation and, at the same time, arouse curiosity in new viewers, the commented concert by the Carlos Bianchini Trío (March 4) and the family concert with Mastretta (March 19) are proposed. “The objective is to bring the younger public closer to the languages ​​of jazz,” Rodríguez adds about this latest proposal, which, he observes, comes to round off an already consolidated cycle in the city’s cultural programming.

All their spotlights will be on Iván Melón Lewis (Cultural Cordón, February 10). Accompanied by Reinier Elizarde El Negrón on double bass, Román Filiú on sax and Georvis Pico on drums, he will distill the creations that have placed him in the pillory of world jazz. The international presence is completed by Dana Masters, who after working for many years as a chorister for Van Morrison, is carving out a solo career with a powerful voice between jazz, soul, blues and gospel (Avenida de Cantabria, March 11).

The generational change is also guaranteed on the national scene. One of the great finds is called Chico Pérez. His new album, Continente 27, goes through jazz, flamenco, classical… It will be heard at Cultural Cordón on February 25.

This same label of discovery on the Spanish scene is waved by Andrea Motis, especially since Quincy Jones invited her to share the stage at the Peralada Festival. Since then, the trumpeter, singer and composer has moved forward and on Loopholes, her new album, she explores electric jazz, funk and neo soul (Avenida de Cantabria, March 31).

With three years of experience, the MEI Project (Cultural Cordón, February 4) will arrive at the starting signal of this Session B, which already has tickets and season tickets on sale.

The festival is rounded off with the film series The Greats of Jazz, with screenings of Miles Davis: birth of the cool (March 1), Let’s go get lost (March 8) and Chasing Trane: the John Coltrane Documentary (March 15). of March).