Mantova Jazz Festival Opens with Cubanismo’s Cuban Rhythms

The concert in Piazza Castiglione last night, opening the Mantova Jazz Festival, concluded with a warm applause from the audience.

Performers and International Successes

On stage was the group ‘Cubanismo’, composed of fourteen members led by the great Jesùs Alemany, a young and talented trumpeter: the orchestra comes from notable international successes at jazz festivals in New Orleans, London, Lugano, and Montreal. Last night, they made a full Piazza dance to the rhythm of rumba.

In 1996, the band released the self-titled album ‘Cubanismo’, which entered the top ten of the salsa chart. Yesterday, with a rich and lively program, the group engaged the Castiglione audience with captivating Cuban rhythms, including styles such as rumba, cha-cha-cha, son, and the lesser-known danzón and paca rhythms.

Style and Line-up

All songs composed and arranged with great expressive power by Alemany’s band: they are performed through the traditional ‘descarga’, developed by Cuban jazz musicians of the 1940s. The group, besides having a renowned director, boasts the presence of Tata Gines, a famed conga player, Alfredo Rodriguez, one of the best ‘Latin’ pianists, and other stars of Cuba’s musical scene.

The Caribbean island itself was the inspiration for the inaugural evening of the Mantova Jazz Festival in Castiglione: ‘Cubanismo’, as the name suggests, produced rhythms and sounds exclusively from the Cuban tradition, not to be confused with the genre known as Latin jazz.

Contributions and Atmosphere

The orchestra celebrated the importance of music and dance from the Caribbean island, especially the son, which originated at the end of the 19th century and is the foundation of a genre today with various facets depending on the geographic destination: from African soukous to New York salsa.

The group’s skill, the rhythm of the music, and the sensuality of the dances created a warm and joyful atmosphere in the square, where the large audience couldn’t help but accompany the Cuban notes with clapping and body movements.

Future Activities

After the opening evening, tonight at 9:30 PM in Piazza Castello, the Mantova Jazz Festival continues in the city with Zawinul.