jazz beats: the 37th donostia jazz festival asier leoz
(Interview hith Miguel Martin, director of Jazzaldia)
Even though is the quickest way to get your hands on the programme, we decided to go just that wee bit further. We came across Miguel Martin surrounded by books and records, in his rather jazzy little office. He is the main man behind the organisation of this year’s Jazz Festival.
So, how did last year’s Jazzaldia go?
One of our sponsors let us down and left us high and dry. We had to reconsider a lot of things then. We couldn’t bring any big name artists over, but even so, the response by the public was great. I have to say that last year’s festival was a very compact one. We opened the festival up to musical fields we’d never really gone near before. Vocal Jazz is an example of what I’m on about. That was the key to everything.
You offer us the chance to see famous artists that wouldn’t strictly be considered as being Jazz. Is this an effort to attract people who normally shy away from Jazz or is it a way of covering your costs?
Bringing over big stars doesn’t make you money. The idea behind it is to attract a new public. Although Afro-American music is not Jazz, it can’t be considered in the same light as other types of music. Afro-American styles are closely related to Jazz, they both have the same roots. Van Morrison and BB King are both representative of the different musical fields that Jazz fans respect. You need to be open-minded about this.
Like Montreux?
Well, Montreux might just be too open-minded. Their headlining artists, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie... well, most of the European Jazz Festivals are into doing a different sort of thing.
James Brown, Bill Wyman... How did it occur to you to add them to the bill?
We know people want to see James Brown. We’ve seen a video recording of a show he recently gave in New York and he’s on form, otherwise we wouldn’t bring him over. For instance, having Chuck Berry on the bill ten years ago was a mistake. He didn’t have the right attitude; he didn’t really feel like playing the gig, he didn’t know the musicians he was to play with, he didn’t pay them well at all and he caused us nothing but problems. We don’t want that kind of grief, no matter how much a part of the history of music the artist may be. Obviously James Brown now is not the same as the 25 year-old James Brown, but he gets up on stage with 22 excellent musicians and gives a long and powerful performance. It’s important for him to put on a good show because he respects the punters.
What has the Trinitate Square got that makes musicians like it so much?
It doesn’t cause a single hick-up as far as acoustics are concerned. It’s most special characteristic is that when you are up there on stage, you’ve got 2,500 people sitting right there inches from you. You can see every single face. That really motivates the musicians.
Even though is the quickest way to get your hands on the programme, we decided to go just that wee bit further. We came across Miguel Martin surrounded by books and records, in his rather jazzy little office. He is the main man behind the organisation of this year’s Jazz Festival.
So, how did last year’s Jazzaldia go?
One of our sponsors let us down and left us high and dry. We had to reconsider a lot of things then. We couldn’t bring any big name artists over, but even so, the response by the public was great. I have to say that last year’s festival was a very compact one. We opened the festival up to musical fields we’d never really gone near before. Vocal Jazz is an example of what I’m on about. That was the key to everything.
You offer us the chance to see famous artists that wouldn’t strictly be considered as being Jazz. Is this an effort to attract people who normally shy away from Jazz or is it a way of covering your costs?
Bringing over big stars doesn’t make you money. The idea behind it is to attract a new public. Although Afro-American music is not Jazz, it can’t be considered in the same light as other types of music. Afro-American styles are closely related to Jazz, they both have the same roots. Van Morrison and BB King are both representative of the different musical fields that Jazz fans respect. You need to be open-minded about this.
Like Montreux?
Well, Montreux might just be too open-minded. Their headlining artists, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie... well, most of the European Jazz Festivals are into doing a different sort of thing.
James Brown, Bill Wyman... How did it occur to you to add them to the bill?
We know people want to see James Brown. We’ve seen a video recording of a show he recently gave in New York and he’s on form, otherwise we wouldn’t bring him over. For instance, having Chuck Berry on the bill ten years ago was a mistake. He didn’t have the right attitude; he didn’t really feel like playing the gig, he didn’t know the musicians he was to play with, he didn’t pay them well at all and he caused us nothing but problems. We don’t want that kind of grief, no matter how much a part of the history of music the artist may be. Obviously James Brown now is not the same as the 25 year-old James Brown, but he gets up on stage with 22 excellent musicians and gives a long and powerful performance. It’s important for him to put on a good show because he respects the punters.
What has the Trinitate Square got that makes musicians like it so much?
It doesn’t cause a single hick-up as far as acoustics are concerned. It’s most special characteristic is that when you are up there on stage, you’ve got 2,500 people sitting right there inches from you. You can see every single face. That really motivates the musicians.
