# Jazz in Spain



## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Hi,

I'm a jazz musician who may be wanting to move to Spain. What are the best cities for jazz?

Regards,
Kevin


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

ksjazzguitar said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm a jazz musician who may be wanting to move to Spain. What are the best cities for jazz?
> 
> ...


Kevin, you're in one of my favourite cities! 

Cant help you on the Jazz, although if you type Jazz Madrid into google you come up with a lot of information


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

ksjazzguitar said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm a jazz musician who may be wanting to move to Spain. What are the best cities for jazz?
> 
> ...


This might help: jazz clubs Spain

What sort of stuff do you play? Gypsy jazz (Django Reinhardt etc) is quite popular, at least I´ve heard it on Spanish radio.


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## jmhalton (Apr 4, 2008)

As a piano playing musician I have to say that since the credit squeeze took a hold here on the northern Costa Blanca, opportunites for live music have become limited along this coast. A good centre for Jazz has always been around San Javier area and quite famous musicians attend an international jazz festival there, or consider anywhere where there may be still a large population of Northern europeans. There maybe some opportunities in the larger hotels at Benidorm or further south at Malaga.

Have you considered Cruise Ships?


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## ksjazzguitar (Dec 22, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> What sort of stuff do you play? Gypsy jazz (Django Reinhardt etc) is quite popular, at least I´ve heard it on Spanish radio.


I've played some gypsy, but it isn't really my thing. I tend to do more swing and bebop. But I'd play gypsy if it got me gigs.



jmhalton said:


> Have you considered Cruise Ships?


I actually worked many years on the ships here in the States. But my wife and I are looking for a vehicle for immigration. I don't know how it works in Spain, but in the States, a cruise ship job does nothing as a path to immigration.

Ultimately we are trying to immigrate. I know that a music job probably won't help, but I was just asking for background information.

Regards,
Kevin


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## Robanderson (May 5, 2012)

*jazz in Spain*



ksjazzguitar said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm a jazz musician who may be wanting to move to Spain. What are the best cities for jazz?
> 
> ...


Madrid and Barcelona both have several good Jazz clubs. In Barcelona the Si, Jamboree and Harlem jazz clubs have jam nights.A good way to get familiar. Madrid has the Central jazz club. What instrument do you play and what genre of Jazz?
Regards Rob


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We've had quite a bit of Jazz here in Nerja and along the eastern coast of the CDS; however, as someone has already mentioned, opportunities for live music are in decline at present. Having said that, there are still quite a few bars, restaurants and clubs in and around Nerja offering live music. We have a young toddler so we don't get out much due to a severe lack of babysitters so I can't tell you what the quality is like.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Jazz in Valencia*

Hello Kevin

Valencia is a_ great_ town - the old town reminds me of Soho circa 1968. The vistor figures are very impressive. Here's an example.

_In 2011, the number of overnight stays in the city of Valencia continued to grow, reaching a total of 3.9 million. This figure, an 8% increase compared to the previous year, has raised the bar in the trajectory of the city. The increase in demand by foreign visitors, which grew by 16%, is especially relevant in this data. Together with this, the average length of stay has also increased. Tourists spend ever longer in our city, with an average stay of 2.12 nights per person._

I intend to move there as soon as 1] My house in UK sells 2] I decide that the world is not about to end courtesy of planetary-wide financial mismanagement. 

I have scoped the streets of inner Valencia on foot hour after hour, and it strikes me that a jazz club - or a more visible jazz club - is just what it needs. I have had a fancy to run one. Of course, it's madness, financially, but if Ronnie Scott's can survive 60 years in Soho, there's hope for the rest of us.

For years I played jazz drums, not as a pro but accompanying a pro piano player rehearsing 5-6 hrs at a time on weekends and an hr or two many weekdays. The Great American Songbook and everything else between Bird and cool Miles.

So I'll be Grady Tate [I wish!], you can be Kenny Burrell - all we need to do is find a Jimmy Smith! My keyboard pal from before is solidly into his 70s, hasn't had the best of health and I doubt he could be prised away from UK now.

But check out Valencia. A table of visitor numbers I saw had the City of Arts & Sciences ahead of The Prado in Madrid and The Alhambra in Grenada. Some of them might like to hear Love For Sale.





ksjazzguitar said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm a jazz musician who may be wanting to move to Spain. What are the best cities for jazz?
> 
> ...


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## Tency (Jun 9, 2010)

I vote for Nerja, since I am close by there in the hills of Frigiliana.
Please tell me if you do decide to move here.
/SNIP/
Cheers,
10C


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Nerja has a thriving "open mike" type thing. Various sorts of music and musicians who visit different bars on different nights, bringing their friends and followers with them - I think its 1€ to play!???

Jo xxx


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

_They charge the musos to play_? What kind of joint is that? It's not jazz, that's for sure. I don't care if it's 1 cent to play - they've got it a*@e back'rds.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hang on a minute everybody!:hand:

Did you see that the OP is American? How on earth could he get a visa and work here legally?:noidea:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hang on a minute everybody!:hand:
> 
> Did you see that the OP is American? How on earth could he get a visa and work here legally?:noidea:


it would be interesting if he came back & told us


he posted his question nearly 18 months ago


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> it would be interesting if he came back & told us
> 
> 
> he posted his question nearly 18 months ago


Hahaha.
Well, I'm guessing he's still "on his way". What do you think?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Something tells me it's another plan that's gone awry.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thrax said:


> Something tells me it's another plan that's gone awry.


or he went to Italy - that's where he was last posting....


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chrisnation said:


> _They charge the musos to play_? What kind of joint is that? It's not jazz, that's for sure. I don't care if it's 1 cent to play - they've got it a*@e back'rds.



Its open mike nights, you're not meant to earn a living out of it. There are a group (several groups in fact) of musos, who enjoy playing. So just like some folk pay to go to the gym, horse ride, go to a fun fair, waterskiing, go clubbing...... this lot enjoy playing. Its great fun, they bring loads of friends and if its a good night the musos get a free drink. they travel around many of the bars in and around Nerja and Torrox. Theres something on every night of the week. Some of them join together every now and again and do a gig that they get paid for. But thats not really what its about. the best one is at "Numero seis" on a Friday night run by a lovely chap called "Jonny unplugged" Jonny Unplugged | Facebook

My best friends husband used to be a famous musician and they spend their winters in Nerja simply because of this. My OH and I visited them a few times cos my OH plays guitar - its brilliant fun!!!

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

chrisnation said:


> _They charge the musos to play_? What kind of joint is that? It's not jazz, that's for sure. I don't care if it's 1 cent to play - they've got it a*@e back'rds.


It's done all over the place, here and abroad


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