Is there good jazz in Tenerife? Of course! What's more, you can see a great jazz concert outside at any time of the year, because winter in the Canary Islands won't make you run inside. Temperatures that hover around 22º and spectacular sunsets over the Atlantic are yours to enjoy year-round in this holiday destination, as we recently experienced at the Abama Sunset Festival, our resort's first-ever outdoor music event. We were delighted to host the Atlantic Jazz Lab Orchestra (AJLO) and the Carousel Chamber Music Ensemble, as their rhythm and harmony filled the exceptional Abama Event Garden.
For the AJLO, this was the second in a series of concerts that comprised the recently launched No Winter Music Fest, a nod to the islands' exceptional climate even at this time of year when the rest of Europe is hunkering down for its traditional winter festivals. We spoke with the orchestra's director, Canary Islands trumpeter Natanael Ramos, about his group's event and its additional didactic and cultural work.
How did the first edition of the No Winter Music Fest go?
First-time events always involve a lot of trial and error, but on the whole we thought it went really well and we’re happy that everyone was content with the results. The public interest was significant and we saw that there really is demand, both from locals and from visitors, for quality cultural offerings in Tenerife during this season.
While the rest of Europe is preparing its winter events, here in the Canary Islands, we’re enjoying a No Winter Music Fest. Do you like the idea of promoting our weather as an important part of the culture of the islands?
The No Winter Music Fest was designed to create a space for good music in the autumn-winter season, when the cultural agenda is less full. But this is actually high season in the Canary Islands, and we have lots of visitors who can benefit from quality cultural programming.
Have the island and local governments gotten on board with the initiative?
Yes, we’re sponsored by organizations like Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias, part of the Tourism Department of the Canary Islands Government, and the Canary Islands Institute for Cultural Development. No Winter Music Fest’s mission has regional scope, and within that we wanted Abama Sunset to be a central nucleus of this activity and give it its own brand.
You performed classics by Frank Sinatra in this first performance. What criteria did you use to choose the material?
We were very clear that both the No Winter Music Fest and the Abama Sunset Festival needed to adhere to the highest artistic standards, as a proper accompaniment to the elegance and excellence of the Abama brand. Jazz, swing, and classical are genres that reflect those values and within jazz, Sinatra especially represents a certain standard of sophistication. In addition, we believed that his music would be attractive enough to bring a large public to a new event. The Sinatra name is a draw for many visitors to the islands.
How was the experience of doing the event at Abama Resort Tenerife?
Very positive. On behalf of Atlantic Jazz Lab, I want to thank the entire Abama Resort Tenerife team for their support in the planning and development of this event, and also especially the community of owners and guests who attended and approached us to offer their congratulations and feedback. We're counting on all of them to make future editions successful and to strengthen the Abama Sunset Festival.
What does your jazz promotion work consist of in the Canary Islands?
When I was studying off the Islands, I saw that the musical scene in other places is very rooted in the social and tourism environment, and that there was a lot that could be done here. Slowly we’ve been making significant progress, though it is difficult to get new initiatives off the ground in the Canary Islands. But we’re incredibly happy that now, in 2023, the public recognizes the Atlantic Jazz Lab brand as being synonymous with excellence in jazz in Tenerife.
Our mission has three parts: artistic, educational, and social. Artistic development is fundamental because its high level depends on continuing to develop festivals like No Winter. The educational aspect is geared towards music students because there isn’t a school in the Canary Islands solely dedicated to jazz, and we hope to fill that gap. And socially, our mission is to bring this music to the people through primary and secondary schools.
What plans do you have for next year? Anything you can announce?
This edition of the No Winter tour has absorbed us so much that we've delayed some of our plans for 2024. We have some programs in mind but they're in a very embryonic stage and announcing them would be like selling a bear skin before hunting it. We want to close our deals with guest artists before announcing them. But we already have super cool stuff in the pipeline; it'll be as much or more fun than this year.
Whatever the season of the year, it's a good one for Tenerife holidays and jazz in Tenerife, with the island being one of the best warm winter destinations. The Atlantic Jazz Lab Orchestra is here to stay and will definitely be bringing forth more versatile proposals featuring and directed by professional musicians driven by the promotion of this genre as a cultural pillar.
