Barcelona will host a series of free outdoor jazz concerts on Passeig de Gràcia this Sunday, 26 April, to mark International Jazz Day. The city's council has organised 10 hours of continuous music, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy various performances throughout the day.

International Jazz Day, proclaimed by UNESCO in November 2011, is observed annually on 30 April. This day highlights jazz as a tool for education, tolerance, and intercultural dialogue, recognising its historical significance as a symbol of struggle and resistance against slavery.

The celebration in Barcelona is part of wider commemorations across Spain. Tarragona, for example, is also marking the occasion with its Dixieland Festival 2026, a four-day event showcasing international jazz artists.

The Roots of Jazz

Jazz originated in the communities near the Mississippi Delta in the United States, according to the Miguel de Cervantes Library. Some authors suggest the term 'jazz' comes from an African root related to sexual acts, though it has also been linked to a diminutive of 'jasmine', a perfume often used by prostitutes.

African slaves, brought to the US from the 18th century to work on cotton plantations, used singing and dancing, often accompanied by banjos and other percussion instruments, to ease physical fatigue. These 'work songs' served as a therapeutic outlet for pain and a way to preserve traditions and collective memory.

African traditions involved simple melodies with 'call-and-response' techniques. These later merged with European musical elements, creating new harmonies and rhythms, most notably 'swing'. Swing is described as a dynamic pulse that gives the music a sensual quality. The term also refers to a period in jazz evolution, the 'swing era' of the 1940s, which helped launch the careers of female singers like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

Influential Jazz Currents

The Miguel de Cervantes Library identifies three main currents that inspired modern jazz: blues, spirituals, and ragtime.

Blues is an harmonic structure, typically a 12-bar cycle, forming the basis for improvisation. It uses melodies from work songs and features melancholic lyrics, often with guitars, banjos, or harmonicas. A well-known blues song is 'The Thrill Is Gone' by B.B. King from 1969.

Spirituals are a subgenre that aims to evoke higher states of consciousness through music. More than a technical style, it is a form of popular singing that, in the 1940s, used texts from religious scriptures, hymns, and messages of fraternity among slaves. From the 1960s, groups like the 'jubilee singers' popularised this spiritual form, leading to pieces such as John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme' from 1965.

Ragtime, meaning 'torn time', emerged in the late 19th century. It is characterised by a syncopated melody and a cheerful rhythm that encourages movement. On plantations, this rhythm was marked with the left hand, mimicking a banjo. Composer Scott Joplin gained prominence with his song 'The Entertainer' in 1902.

Concert Programme in Barcelona

To honour this rich legacy, Barcelona City Council has scheduled six free concerts on Passeig de Gràcia for Sunday, 26 April:

  • 12:00: Sunset Rhythm Kings, a band from Girona.
  • 13:30: Quiet Colors, a duo featuring Joanna Kucharczyk and Marcelo Woloski.
  • 15:30: Glenda de l'E Q-ban Mixology, a composer and singer.
  • 17:15: Laura Simó & Ignasi Terraza Trio, a Catalan group.
  • 19:00: Momi Maiga, a musician from Senegal.
  • 20:45: La Vella Dixieland Big Reunion, a classical jazz ensemble.

These performances offer a chance to experience the diverse sounds of jazz, from traditional styles to contemporary interpretations, celebrating its enduring cultural impact.