Javier Alcántara Group (SPAIN)

NORTH JAZZ STAGE
SATURDAY 1:15PM-2:00PM

NORTH JAZZ STAGE
SUNDAY 7:30PM-8:30PM

Javier Alcántara is one of the most outstanding composers and guitarists of his generation. Proof of this is the Spanish jazz innovator’s 2019 album Ikigai (a Japanese concept that translates as “reason for being”), which was his third work as a leader and the last of a dazzling trilogy that began in 2014 with Short Stories and continued in 2016 with Resilience.

As a specialist in music therapy, Javier brings stimulating melodies and life energy to his work. Last year, Alcántara launched a long-awaited album in a powerful new formation named the Javier Alcántara Group. This band features some of today’s icons of Extremaduran jazz, including Pablo Romero (piano/keyboards), Narci González (tenor sax), Pedro Calero (piano/keyboards), Pepín Muñoz (drums) and Javier Delgado (double bass).

The group’s tour from July 6th to 16th, marks the first time that Extremaduran jazz musicians have performed in North America (Extremadura is a landlocked autonomous community in central-western Spain). This tour will provide a retrospective of Alcántara’s music career to date and preview songs on his upcoming album.