The Beatles said it and it was proclaimed to all and sundry from the Green Stage by the extraordinary guitarist Gary Clark Jr., maker of the most powerful version of that huge hit. Blues and rock ’n’ roll flowed from Clark’s guitar to the delight of those gathered on the beach at midnight. That same Gary Clark we already discovered here in 2012, when he was starting out on his triumphant career.
Blues congregates people from all over the world. Mikel Laboa united the Basques around his songs. His beautiful melodies of unmistakable facture awoke, and continue to awaken, deep feelings in the Basques, and in those from other places who have had the luck to discover his work. He left us ten years ago and among those who miss him most is Iñaki Salvador, the musician who best knows his repertoire, having been his pianist for 25 years. Iñaki therefore put together an excellent band of three instrumentalists and two singers for a tribute concert which thrilled the audience packed into the Victoria Eugenia.
The Plaza de la Trinidad too was full to the gunwales. Coming together to applaud Jacob Collier in his world debut with a band, on this, his first time with musicians; until now, Jacob had built his fame on the videos in which he gives solo performances with several instruments. Later came some of the best exponents of the intermediate jazz generation: together yet apart, because each one maintains their personality, and prodigiously so, like Robert Glasper, Christian Scott and Terrace Martin.
What a lovely concert by Izaro on the Green Stage as the sun went down. An audience of all ages, whole families, came together to listen to this girl whose singing has that charming indefinable quality.
What a lovely concert too in San Telmo. Not to mention the cultural public-spiritedness of those who listened attentively to the interesting talk given by Patri Gioalde on the irreplaceable Billy Holiday prior to appreciating the concert by Skytrain.
What a joy to listen to the pianist Marco Mezquida at midnight in the Victoria Eugenia, drawing the utmost from Ravel’s repertoire. What a pleasure to watch the comings and goings throughout the afternoon and evening of people on the Kursaal terraces. Here, at the Heineken Jazzaldia, there’s something for everyone. Come together.
