Musician and composer Danilo Perez, president of the foundation bearing his name and creator of the festival, explained to the accredited press that this type of event, despite limited support this year from the Tourism Authority and the Panama City Hall, brings together the best of jazz at the national and international levels.

The Festival, he said, will maintain its mission as a platform not only to provide a space for cultural dissemination but also to serve as a tool for preserving historical memory.

In that sense, the event will convey the message that the roots of jazz are also found in Panama, and among the forerunners mentioned were pianists Luis Russell and Sonny White, as well as percussionist Billy Cobham and saxophonists Eric Dolphy and Carlos Garnett, among others.

The opening gala stands with the presentation of Danilo Perez along with American bassist John Patituci and drummer Brian Blade, who will pay tribute to the memory of saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

Saxophonist and bandleader Ravi Coltrane (United States) will also be a special guest.

This year, the Festival will not forgo its traditional closing concert, the famous ‘Open-Air Family Concert,’ which will commemorate Puerto Rican singer Ismael Rivera (1931-1987), one of the most influential figures in Afro-Caribbean music.

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