Tanjazz 2024: A Spectacular 22nd Edition Celebrating the Diversity of Jazz

For its 22nd edition, from September 19 to 22, Tanjazz transforms into the Festival of Jazz in the plural sense. This iconic event in the city of Tangier, produced by the agency Seven PM and the JAM association, supported by the BMCI Foundation, reinvents itself with a fresh image and an expanded lineup. Concerts will take place across venues like the Palace of Arts and Culture, the Italian Institutions Palace, Bab Marsa, and the Kasbah, with prominent acts such as the Gipsy Kings, Omar Sosa, and Keziah Jones.

While jazz has deep roots in Tangier, this year’s festival embraces the diversity and ever-evolving nature of the genre, showcasing how jazz has continuously infused popular cultures across the globe. The BMCI Palace Stage returns to the outdoor gardens of the palace, hosting two headliner concerts. These gardens will be transformed into vibrant spaces, with two food courts, live fanfares between concerts, and festive activities creating a lively and welcoming experience. Inside the palace, dance courses will open the celebrations, followed by jam sessions that will bring the nights to a close in the courtyard.

From Stage to City

On September 21, Roberto Fonseca, the virtuoso pianist and former member of the Buena Vista Social Club, will resurrect the spirit of 1930s Cuban nights with his project La Gran Diversion. The Volkswagen Fleet Solutions stage will offer jazz in all its forms, along with a touch of rock. The eclectic Spanish band Wax & Boogie ft. Drew Davis, known for revisiting the boogie of the 1930s, the swing of the 1940s, and the rhythm ‘n blues of the 1950s, will perform on September 20. Franco-Swiss saxophonist Léon Phal, offering modern jazz with a groove, will take the stage at 11:30 p.m., followed by a jam session at 1:15 a.m.

Tanjazz will also be a journey through the old streets of Tangier, where music, art, and culture intersect. Starting on Thursday, September 19, at 6 p.m., the fanfare Lazcar Volcano will animate the medina’s alleys, from Bab El Kasbah to Petit and Grand Socco, each evening until Saturday, September 21.

The BMCI Ville Stage at Bab El Marsa will host two free concerts each night, featuring both young local talents and established Moroccan musicians, including M’hamid Band, Jubantouja, Saad Tiouly, Maalem Hamid El Kasri, Gnawa Express, and the rock-infused Hoba Hoba Spirit. Additionally, electronic music after-parties are scheduled at the Rembrandt Hotel’s Blue Pub with performances by Daox and Sound of Mint on Thursday, September 19, and Friday, September 20.

Cuba, Spain, and Ethiopia on Center Stage

One of the festival’s standout performances will be from Cuban maestro Omar Sosa, a four-time Grammy Award nominee and a regular at major jazz festivals worldwide. His Quarteto AfroCubano will collaborate with the Majid Bekkas Afro Gnaoua Blues Trio for an original creation as the festival’s opening concert. Majid Bekkas, a native of Salé, Morocco, blends the rich heritage of Gnawa music with Afro-Cuban influences, a fusion that promises to take the audience on a transcendent musical journey across continents.

The legendary Gipsy Kings, featuring founding member Nicolas Reyes, will also grace the stage on September 20, following Mulato Astatke. Astatke, the father of Ethio-jazz and a pioneer of the genre, was the first African student to attend Berklee College of Music in the 1950s. His impressive career includes collaborations with icons such as Alice Coltrane and Duke Ellington, as well as composing part of the soundtrack for Jim Jarmusch’s film Broken Flowers.

Keziah Jones: The Father of Blufunk

Nigerian artist Keziah Jones, the pioneer of blufunk, merges the sounds of blues and funk with Yoruba rhythms and global influences. Since his international breakthrough in 1992 with the album Blufunk is a Fact!, Jones has captivated audiences worldwide with hits like Rhythm is Love. He draws inspiration from legends such as Fela Kuti, Jimi Hendrix, and Miles Davis, and his work highlights the vibrant energy of contemporary African urban culture, particularly in Lagos, where music, fashion, and art converge.

As Jones puts it, his mission is to showcase postcolonial Africa’s modernity, far from the famine and war-torn images that have historically dominated Western narratives. He celebrates the dynamism of urban African youth, particularly in Lagos, a bustling metropolis of 25 million people. Tanjazz offers the perfect stage for Jones to share his vision with the world.

With an eclectic mix of global sounds and artists, Tanjazz 2024 promises to be a memorable celebration of jazz’s past, present, and future, making Tangier the epicenter of musical fusion this September.