Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve

It was the year 2004, when this Jazz Orchestra was founded within the Lagos Jazz Festival. A formation in the classic style of the Great Orchestras that Jazz gave to the World from the late 20's, namely by the hands of Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. This would not be a simple implementation project. It was created spontaneously, without the support or direct will of the Central Portuguese Government, at that time. Thus, the support and willingness to start was that of the Municipality of Lagos - Algarve.

Hugo Alves is the founder of the project, a portuguese trumpeter of recognized national and international value, who in addition to being a Musician, Musical Director and Producer, holds the Academic Title of Specialist Professor in Jazz (Polytechnic Institute of Porto, 2013), along with a degree in Business Admionstration (University of The Algarve, 1996). Lagos Jazz was already a production of his, which lasted ten years, and which placed Lagos on the European Jazz Map, sort of speaking.

The Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve was from early on a project with a clear defined strategy, based on three pillars and still fundamental in the development of its activity: Music on Stage, the Educational Service, and Production. The project, considered by many to be unique at the national level, grew and grew on all fronts. It is today one of the projects in the national musical area, which receives the most support, as a result of its recognized activity: since 2006 it has received support from the General Directorate of Arts - Ministry of Culture, currently with Sustained Support (2018-2021 and 2022), and it is supported directly by most of the 16 Municipalities that make up the Algarve map. It also brings together other relevant private supporters, of which we can highlight the Vale de Lobo Resort. The Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve also holds all possible official recognitions: Portuguese Public Utility, Cultural Patronage, Declaration of High Cultural Interest, to name a few.

The Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve has been a partner of several public and private entities, such as the 365 Algarve Program managed by the Algarve Tourism Region, which for example allowed the production, in the years 2017 to 2020, of the Algarve Jazz Gourmet Moments Festival , the biggest event of its kind in that Region since the Allgarve, which combined the concept of regional gastronomy, Gourmet food and Jazz.

The course of these 16 years of activities has allowed us to collect an enviable record of international renown, having welcomed great names of World Jazz: Tom Harrell, Benny Golson, Silge Nergaard, Rick Margitza, Dena DeRose, Tutu Puoane, Silvia Donati, Max Ionata, Andrej Olenijack , among many others. Or even the no less important national or resident musicians: Jeff Davis, Michael Lauren, Maria Anadon, Ana Rita Inácio, Kiko Pereira, Sara Miguel, Clara Buser, Mário Delgado or Desidério Lázaro, Ana Laíns, Cherry, to name a few. The lists, on the one hand, and on the other, would go on for a long time. Alongside all these musicians and artists, diverse repertoires were created and recreated, which in addition to stimulating national creation, put on stage sounds that time insists on erasing.

This is how this Orchestra is presented, and the reason why, despite wearing the name of a Region in its designation, it makes it all of us, and a national Portuguese Asset. It resides in the Algarve where it was founded, but again is a national asset, in favor of Culture in our Country, and its dissemination. Being this national asset, we believe that everyone should take advantage of, taking advantage of our continued daily work that involves a professional structure, with more than 16 musicians, and about 24 people in its total and full operation.

The sustainability of this Orchestra is currently maintained by the unconditional support of the Municipalities of the Algarve, maintaining its registered office in Faro, and the Artist Residency in Lagoa. It is also maintained by the support already mentioned from DGArtes and some Private Supporters. In recent years, the average occupancy of Concert Room and Venues is over 92%, with annual audiences of more than 32 thousand people (data from DGArtes Reports).

Awards

National Portuguese Grants for Music. Declaration of Superior Culture Interest, by the Ministry of Culture Officially Elegible for Private Culture Grants in Portugal