21st Leonardo Acosta International Colloquium in Memoriam at UNEAC
The Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) is joining the celebrations of the 2026 Jazz Plaza Pre-Festival with the hosting of the 21st Leonardo Acosta International Colloquium in Memoriam at its headquarters.
The academic program will run from January 21 to 24, with the Villena Hall serving as the main venue for debates, presentations, and tributes.
On the opening day, a panel of distinguished speakers will highlight the contributions of jazz musicians Armando Romeu, Mario Bauzá, Frank Emilio Flynn, and José Luis Cortés. The session will be moderated by Neris González Bello, general manager of Bis Music.
Meanwhile, the segment Detrás de la portada will offer audiences a look at new recording projects from the Recording and Music Publishing Company (Egrem) and Producciones Colibrí. Featured releases will include the album Nueva era by Camerata Cortés and the extended play (EP) Regreso imaginario by Jorge Kendry González, the institution reported.
The program will also include the presentation of the Jazz a lo Bis collection, which brings together Cuban performers in a tribute to the saxophone tradition. Thursday, January 22, will be marked by a tribute to the Valdés family, with celebrations honoring the anniversaries of Chucho Valdés and Mayra Caridad Valdés.
That same day will see the presentation of several periodical publications, including Clave magazine, the Música Bulletin of Casa de las Américas, and the blog of the Center for Research and Development of Cuban Music.
The agenda will feature a panel on the presence of jazz in the media, as well as the screening of the audiovisual work Las Adalias: el empaste de cinco voces, by Yasmani Castro, alongside a workshop led by French-American musician Gino Sitson.
On Friday, January 23, a dialogue will explore the relationship between jazz and the visual arts, spotlighting works by creators such as Nelson Domínguez, Roberto Fabelo, and Zaida del Río. The day will also include a tribute to painter Alfredo Sosabravo on the occasion of his 95th birthday.
The program will further include presentations on the Santiago de Cuba sound, research by young musicologists, and a master class on improvisation for guitar and the Cuban tres, in addition to a concert by the Manuel Saumell Orchestra, Sonido Auténtico, under the direction of maestro Janio Abreu.
Activities will conclude on Saturday, January 24, at Pabellón Cuba, where the exchange space Arte Soy will take place. The event will combine exhibitions by students from the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts with concerts by string and saxophone quartets and dance projects.
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
