All That Jazz: Almunecar International Jazz Festival Hits A High Note

ALMUNECAR’S annual Jazz Festival once again drew massive crowds, with organisers estimating over 6,000 music lovers packed the venues over the six day festival.

The jazz festival hit 98 per cent of capacity with ticket sales, almost completely sold out, showcasing the major popularity of this world-class music event.

Festival coordinator Jesús Villalba added that every show met or exceeded capacity. The in-demand concerts featuring international stars like Lizz Wright, Kurt Elling, Hiromi, Abdullah Ibrahim and Stanley Clarke had fans jammed in shoulder to shoulder.

Councillor Alberto García also called the jazz festival an “absolute success” and essential part of the city’s cultural calendar.

Organisers expanded seating within safety regulations to accommodate the jazz-loving crowds. The festival, which ran until Sunday, July 23, took place in the centre of Almunecar, with the Castillo de San Miguel lighting up the background.

The Performers

Legendary 86-year-old jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, globally-renowned for his unique style of mixing jazz with African influences, received the ‘Key to the City’ from the Mayor and Councillor for Culture in a traditional ceremony. Ibrahim left his mark in the ‘Jazz Boulevard’ by signing his name.

After-hours jazz sessions also saw record numbers dancing into the early morning hours. Local group the Costa Jazz Quartet hosted nightly jam sessions, with surprise appearances by festival performers joining in the impromptu collaborations.

Economic Impact

With nearly all hotels booked to capacity, more than 75 per cent of festival-goers traveled from outside the Granada province. Experts estimate the jazz festival injected over €1 million into the local economy.

Villalba credits the jazz festival’s continued growth to a “professional team, passionate support from fans, and unique concert venues”.

He highlighted the “quintessentially jazz” programme with diverse styles which attracted music lovers from across Europe.

The Costa Tropical’s flagship jazz festival has sparked a movement, becoming the model for six other jazz programmes now held across Andalucia.

With world-famous performers, energetic jams, and legions of fans, this year’s jazz festival was a major celebration of the genre, and the biggest yet!