We are celebrating the 13th anniversary of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, through which around 60 musicians (currently 24) have passed, with this new jazzing, the ninth, in three volumes. Jazzing 9 (vol.3) (Temps Record, 2020).
At the same time we continue with the Joan Chamorro presents series, of which we have just published the 11th by Alba Armengou and the 12th by Carla Motis, and of which we are currently recording for the following ones, by Jan Domenech and Joana Casanova, and we already have others in mind.
I never imagined that we would be here, but here we are, with more enthusiasm than ever, with more happiness than ever, seeing how our way of working, our methodology and our philosophy is admired and required from all parts of the world.
Something as simple as falling in love with music through listening to it, feeling like musicians from the first moment, giving us the opportunity to enjoy from the first day, singing melodies that are inside us and incorporating new ones based on listening to the greats like Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Ben Webster, Charlie Parker, and a long etcetera.
Jazz is universal and has no frontiers, no ages, nor is it one for a few. Jazz belongs to everyone, it's popular, and if young people are given the opportunity to get to know it and are told "You can also play and enjoy", the rest will come. To improvise is to create, it is to feel that you can develop your own voice, and nowadays that has an incalculable value, in a society that tends to the unification of ideas and thoughts.
The members of the SAJB are unique individuals, as we all are, and that is important when facing education.
I am proud of my work, which I do not know how long I will be able to continue, but, after these 13 years, I can only reiterate, as I said at the beginning of the text, that I feel more excited, happy and energetic than ever.
Thank you, Nicolás, once again, for teaching me so much in such a short time.