Top artists for fourth edition Curaçao North Sea Jazz
These first names will splendidly continue the Curaçao North Sea Jazz tradition. The organization is still busy with various other artists who will be announced in the course of the coming months. El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico is confirmed for the free concert on the Brionplein on Monday 26 August.
The Mexican singer Luis Miguel, also known as “El Sol” (the sun), is an icon in the Spanish-speaking countries. He has won five Grammy’s and four Latin Grammy’s among other numerous awards. He is the only Latin American artist to have two Spanish-language albums (Romance and Segundo Romance) go platinum in the US. More importantly even, he is known for his fantastic live performances as we will experience at the end of August.
The Roots is one of the first live hip-hop acts with musicians instead of turntables and indeed much talked about in r&b, soul and funk circles. Live performances by The Roots are a true adventure, full of original ideas and they often work with new surprising talents. The Roots keep hip-hop exciting and alive, not only on North Sea Jazz, but worldwide!
The old-school soul that Raphael Saadiq loves to play has been in the spotlights for quite a number of years already. Saadiq first made himself heard in the soul trio Tony! Toni! Tone! in the eighties. After that success, he worked behind the scenes with everything that sounded catchy: The Roots, D'Angelo, Joss Stone, Stevie Wonder, you name it. But after the success of The Way I See It from 2008, he fortunately also lets his own voice be heard again.
Los Lobos is much more than the gigantic hit La Bamba with which they broke through worldwide in the late eighties. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the band and they have numerous albums and hits to their name. Last summer, the band came with a new release of the album Kiki to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this legendary album by Los Lobos.
Christian McBride will come to Curaçao with his Big Band. This influential bass player and composer has played an important role in jazz music for almost twenty years. He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries such as Sonnie Rollins, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny.
It will definitely be party-time as the Dutch band New Cool Collective takes the stage. New Cool Collective consists of Benjamin Herman (sax), Anton Goudsmit (guitar), Joost Kroon (drums), Frank van Dok and Jos de Haas (percussion), Willem Friede (piano), Leslie Lopez (bass) and David Rockefeller (trumpet).
Two years ago, Esperanza Spalding won a Grammy award for “Best New Artist” and was named “Jazz Artist of the Year” at the Boston Music Awards. A wonderful recognition for the American who with Chamber Music Society (2010) in addition to the real jazz aficionados also won the hearts of the mainstream public. Radio Music Society, that was released last March, succeeds Spalding’s acclaimed album and has a host of renowned guest artists. Saxophonist Joe Lovano, rapper Q-Tip and legendary drummers Billy Hart and Jack DeJohnette have all contributed to the record.
Prior to the festival there will again be various performances on the island of which the first is now known: El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. El Gran Combo, also referred to as the most popular salsa orchestra, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. This will guaranteed be a party on the Brionplein on Monday 26 August.
