Joan Chamorro and the SAJB in 2024
The Sant Andreu Jazz Band has been a consistently inspiring yet ever-changing entity (especially in terms of personnel) since its creation in 2006. Breathing new life into classic jazz by celebrating it, and teaching it to young musicians to perform, continues to be the SAJB’s raison d’être. So, as 2024 passes its midway point, it seems a good time to provide an update of the project’s activities, as mapped out by founder/director Joan Chamorro, by discussing with him the events that have taken place so far this year, and those still to come.
On a personal level, the most momentous event of the year came in early spring, when Chamorro and Elia Bastida welcomed their son Kai into the world.
“The experience has been wonderful,” Chamorro says. “We are super happy with Kai. Life changes completely but between the two of us we know how to adapt perfectly to new times.”
Indeed, they have already begun to mesh life as parents with that of being world-class musicians. “We have already started with the concerts and so far, with the help of family and friends who are with Kai when we play, everything is working super well.”
Elia joins former SAJB members and young mothers Andrea Motis and Rita Payes in balancing life as a working musician and mom. Did she seek any advice from them?
“I imagine that they have spoken among themselves,” Chamorro says. “I’m sure they have. They are in contact and exchange situations and emotions. From Andrea, we received some baby clothes that we are using. A baby wears a lot of clothes and changes size so quickly that they immediately have to be changed.”
After taking a few months off, Elia resumed her schedule with different formats: touring with Chamorro as a duo, with guitarist Josep Traver for gigs as a trio, and with special collaborator Scott Hamilton, with whom she has recorded many times, most notably for the album Elia Bastida Meets Scott Hamilton. “This year we have had several wonderful concerts,” Chamorro says, “especially Èlia’s tour of three concerts together with Scott.”
Chamorro’s ability to maintain his famously crammed schedule of activity is impressive enough, but the rest of us should bear in mind that for every live performance, there have been many rehearsals, traveling, and logistical issues to deal with. But this has been the case for the past 18 years. He maintains the pace simply because he loves it, and he is glad to recall still more highlights of the first half of 2024. including the Reunion Band concert in Oviedo for the Vestrusta Jazz Festival, and the concert with the Sant Andreu Dixie band, on International Jazz Day.
While the first half of the year was indeed a busy one, there is much on the calendar for the months ahead: “The recording of the Elsa Armengou CD is in July, and many other concerts to come. I’m really very happy with everything we have this year.”
He also considers the recent concert by the SAJB sax section at the Jamboree to have been another highlight. “That concert was wonderful. We had been wanting to do this repertoire for a long time. The current SAJB saxophonists sound incredible and they are all jazz musicians.”
“In fact,” he continues, “I’m thinking about doing more concerts with them, and why not record some CDs. The question is always economic. But I have a lot of desire and enthusiasm.”
The summer will include a series of Jamboree gigs featuring trumpeter Elsa Armengou, who became an SAJB member when she was six years old, and now plays lead trumpet in the band. The summer gigs will be part of her upcoming presenta CD.
“The concert for the recording of Elsa Armengou is in July,” Chamorro says, “and will be completed with some songs that we will record in September, at the Jazzing festival. We have chosen the repertoire between the two of us, and we have requested arrangements that we will perform at the Jamboree.”
Those performances and resulting CD will bring Elsa back to center stage, where she has impressed SAJB audiences with occasional and beautifully played solo pieces through the years. But she has mostly provided section work in the trumpet section alongside sister Alba, until Alba’s departure in 2022 — upon which Elsa became first trumpet.
“Elsa’s presentation album is very special to me, for many reasons, Chamorro says. “Elsa is a great trumpet player who has evolved a lot in the last two years, and I am sure that she will become, if she is not already, a great solo trumpet player, with a personality all her own. It was a matter of time before she began to bloom.”
Later in the summer, trombonist-singer Claudia Rostey will be doing a test run of sorts, in anticipation of her own presenta CD next year. Fans have been consistently thrilled by Claudia’s self-assured vocals on popular standards, as well as her skills on trombone. “In August, the concert with Claudia is not to be recorded,” Chamorro explains. “It is only a preparation, for what is to come — some songs in September at the Jazzing festival, and by 2025 we will record the presentation CD for it.”
And, for those who are curious, Elsa and Claudia will still be around for a while — demonstrating that, along with Koldo Munne’s presenta CD release last year, each milestone on disc need not always indicate a prompt departure from the band. “In principle, both Elsa and Claudia will be with us next year,” Chamorro says, “I also have Lola Peñaranda’s and Pau Garcia’s in mind. And other names that will appear in the future. I hope to realize all these dreams in the next three or four years.”
The SAJB’s annual Jazzing Fest will also return, beginning in the last week of August, and extending for a longer duration than usual — nearly a full week.
The theme will be “The New York-Berlin-Barcelona Connection,” and will see the return of several American musicians who have played with the SAJB in years’ past. An essential element of Jazzing is the Education Stage, consisting of workshops and master classes for amateur musicians (guests are invited to bring their own instruments to take part), rehearsals, and demonstrations by musical guests.
The extended nature of the festival this year, Chamorro says, comes from “the idea of doing a more extensive jazz education, to be able to work a little more with the people who come. This year there are also fewer concerts.” He adds, “I think that the idea for coming years would be to further promote the jazz education stage, although without abandoning the concerts, of course. The concerts at the Jazzing Festival in September will also be very special. ”
Each November, the SAJB takes part in the Barcelona Jazz Festival by presenting a special concert at the ornate Palau de Musica in the city.
“This year’s Palau concert will be a tribute to Sinatra, and of course the main voice will be that of [former SAJB musician-singer] Edu Ferrer.” Ferrer has been performing his Sinatra tribute program in recent years, including the 2023 Jazzing. “I have been working with Edu for a couple of years,” Chamorro says, “and I think that the Palau concert could be a challenge for him and a key point in his career.
“There will be some classics in the repertoire, but the idea is to write some different arrangements, with the addition of the Èlia Bastida String quartet. The proposal is working very well in terms of input. I hope the palau fills up to hear and see our show.”
Thinking much further ahead, 2026 will be the SAJB’s 20th anniversary year. “I’m already thinking about it, but since I have so many activities and also a new important person in my life, I haven’t done it in depth. But yes, we will do something to celebrate the 20 years of the SAJB.
IT’S A MIRACLE TO HAVE GOT HERE.”
A miracle, maybe. Hard work and perseverance, for sure. A gift to the city of Barcelona and jazz fans around the world, without a doubt.
Until next time…
You can read my 100+ online articles, including nearly 30 related to the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, at the links below, and at the “Garry’s Blog” page on my website, www.GarryBerman.com. The site also includes synopses and reviews of my books, which you can order via the links to Amazon.com.
Please click the “follow” button and follow me on Medium (for no charge) for more articles on popular culture, music, films, television, entertainment history, and just plain old history.
“Lola Peñaranda’s Sax Does the Talking” | by Garry Berman | April, 2024 | Medium
“Catching up with Anastasia Ivanova” |April, 2024 | Medium
“The Jazz House Story”| by Garry Berman | March, 2024 | Medium
“Joana Casanova Finds Her New Musical Direction” | by Garry Berman | Jan. 2024 | Medium
“Andrea Motis: Europe’s Jazz Queen” | by Garry Berman | Jan. 2024 | Medium
“Bossa Nova Returns to Barcelona” | by Garry Berman | Medium| by Garry Berman | Medium
“Carla Motis: A Quiet Force on Jazz Guitar” | by Garry Berman | Sept, 2023 | Medium
“Memories of my Visit to Jazzing Fest, 2023” | by Garry Berman | Sept, 2023 | Medium
“Meet Asier Vázquez, The SAJB’s Eager New Guitarist” | by Garry Berman | Medium
“Koldo Munné’s Musical Journey” | by Garry Berman | June, 2023 | Medium
“Claudia Rostey’s Rising Star” | by Garry Berman | June, 2023 | Medium
“A Film About Kids and Music: Ten Years Later” https://medium.com/@garryberman/a-film-about-kids-and-music-ten-years-later-50d5bf96f53b
“Marching to a Different Bassist: The Music of Magali Datzira” | by Garry Berman | Medium
“Kindred Spirits: How Joan Chamorro and Isidore Rudnick Teach Jazz to Kids” https://medium.com/@garryberman/kindred-spirits-how-joan-chamorro-and-isidore-rudnick-teach-jazz-to-kids-2d0cb80bed77
“The Compelling Music of Elia Bastida and Carolina Alabau” https://medium.com/@garryberman/the-compelling-music-of-%C3%A8lia-bastida-and-carolina-alabau-65da74f07804
“The SAJB’s Koldo Munne Steps into the Jazz Spotlight” https://garryberman.medium.com/the-sajbs-koldo-munn%C3%A9-steps-into-the-jazz-spotlight-238b3231626f
“A Tale of Two Albas” https://garryberman.medium.com/a-tale-of-two-albas-904849a5e697
“How a Kids Band in Barcelona Rekindled My Love of Jazz” https://garryberman.medium.com/how-a-kids-band-in-barcelona-rekindled-my-love-of-jazz-a20ea8873670
“Jan Domenech’s New Chapter as a Jazz Musician” https://garryberman.medium.com/jan-domenechs-new-chapter-as-a-jazz-musician-e1f0da8b19b9
“Joan Chamorro and the SAJB: Past, Present, and Future” https://medium.com/@garryberman/joan-chamorro-and-the-sajb-past-present-and-future-573eedcbff76
“Josep Traver: Guitarist of All Trades” https://garryberman.medium.com/josep-traver-guitarist-of-all-trades-608296f9d00a
“When American Jazz Pros Meet Spanish Jazz Kids” https://garryberman.medium.com/when-american-jazz-pros-meet-spanish-jazz-kids-25c7f5023571
“Claudia Rostey: The Life of an 18-year-old Bacelona Jazz Trombonist” https://garryberman.medium.com/claudia-rostey-the-life-of-an-18-year-old-barcelona-jazz-trombonist-d13b82c770a3
“The Magic of the Voice: The Singers of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band” https://garryberman.medium.com/the-magic-of-the-voice-the-singers-of-the-sant-andreu-jazz-band-208dfb629221
“Jobim is Alive and Well in Barcelona” https://garryberman.medium.com/jobim-is-alive-and-well-in-barcelona-d384b40d8c2e
“Did Someone Say Anastasia Ivanova?” https://garryberman.medium.com/did-someone-say-anastasia-ivanova-dd6f67277c64
“Struck by (musical) Lightning” https://garryberman.medium.com/struck-by-musical-lightning-6583ecb0de13
You can become a member in the Medium Partner Program for a modest fee to help support my writing! https://garryberman.medium.com/membership
The Sant Andreu Jazz Band is always grateful for donations large and small to help the project continue to record and release new albums, perform live concerts, and maintain a successful project, with all that it entails.
