Jazz Festival in "El Tambo" Punta del Este, Uruguay

In spite of the difficult economic situation in which (for a change!) Argentina and Uruguay are going through, the enthusiastic impresario Francisco Yobino managed to present with much success the 9th edition of the Festival International de jazz de Punta del Este, in his gorgeous “Tambo (dairy farm) El Sosiego".

The annual event opened on January 9th with the release of trumpeter Diego Urcola's new recording Soundances; and for the next three days, presented on its wonderful outdoors stage, jazz greats such as Dave Samuels, the Cyrus Chestnut trio, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Trio da Paz, James Carter, The New York Voices and the Uruguayan composer-bassist Popo Romano The closing of the festival was a surprise celebration of my 50th anniversary as a musician with a typical group of afro-Uruguayan Candombe drummers, and the presentation of our GRAMMY winning CD Brazilian Dreams with my quintet and the amazing New York Voices.

~ Paquito D'Rivera