The Voice, the Focal Point of the 15th Tarragona Dixieland Festival: From African Roots to Big Bands

The voice, the oldest musical instrument, will be the focal point of the 15th Dixieland Festival of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. After an artistic selection where excellence has outweighed other considerations, the audience will have the opportunity to live and listen to the evolution of jazz throughout different ages. It will range from the deepest African roots, with the black diva Dee Dee Bridgewater, to the deepest and most religious feelings of gospel, with the Catalan singer Big Mama and the extraordinary choir of the Esclat Gospel Singers. From the particular scat style that Cab Calloway sang during the first half of the 20th century and which is now revisited by the historical Argentinian Portea Jazz Band, to the Divinas, who transport us to the forties and fifties to recreate the female group with most sales ever (The Andrews Sisters). And then from the times when big bands alleviated the grief for wars, to one of the most interesting gospel voices produced in France, with the North-American Monique Thomas and her Voices of Praise.

Twenty-seven bands that will be protagonists at this festival during the week before Easter, with nine participating countries and one-hundred and five activities during six days. Apart from traditional stages like The Metropol Theatre or the concert halls at Fundaci la Caixa and Fundaci Caixa Tarragona, music will be present in markets, streets and squares, which emphasizes the Mediterranean character of the Festival. At the same time, the attractive atmosphere of cafs, pubs and night clubs in Tarragona, plays its fundamental role in the entertainment life of the city. The restaurants that offer dinner with live music are offering a wider range of activities that allow the combination of usual meals with Creole and with different bands. For the first time, the Public Library is taking part in the Festival presenting and showing their list of recordings and publications, and the penitentiary of Tarragona opens to the rhythms of jazz. The Festival will also get to a new district of the city where it's never been before, Bonavista.

Other main bands in this festival are: Brass Band Rakovnik from Czech Republic, Les Zauto Stompers, D'ixie et d'Ailleurs, Five in Orbit from France, Cottas Club Jazz Band from Portugal, Alabama Dixieland Jazz Band, Nova Dixieland Band, Rino Dixie Band, Ron en la Sonda, Boogaloo Stompers Sextet, Xavier Pie&Ignasi Gonzalez, Pixi Dixi Band, Small River Dixie, Tandarica Orkestar and Cooperativa Rakia from Spain.