Panamá Jazz festival 2020

Everything is set for the 17th Panama Jazz Festival, one of the country’s most important annual cultural events. This year, the festival will be dedicated to the life and work of Reggie Johnson, an extraordinary saxophone player and worthy representative of Panamanian music. The festival will take place from January 13-18 in theaters and on stages in the City of Knowledge and at the Anayansi Theater, the Atlapa Convention Center, and other spaces in the Panamanian capital.

Guest artists include jazz stars such as the festival’s founder and artistic director, Panamanian pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, and famous singer, Dianne Reeves, along with many other prominent musicians. There will be plenty of Panamanian talent on hand as well, including accordionist and folk icon Osvaldo Ayala, singer-songwriters Carlos Méndez and Lilo Sánchez, and groups such as Las Hijas del Jazz, Joshue Ashby & C3 Project, and Reggie Johnson All-Stars.   

And, of course, there will be the usual educational activities and workshops, an important part of the Panama Jazz Festival’s mission. Renowned musicians will hold clinics and master classes, the Latin American Symposium on Music Therapy will meet, and there will be auditions for admissions and scholarships organized by Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory. 

For details of scheduled events and to purchase concert tickets, visit https://panamajazzfestival.com