Festival Jazz en Otoño – Almuñécar

Ticket Sales: Casa de la Cultura and Viajes Azulmarino.

Online Sales: https://bravoentradas.es/

Box Office: One hour before each concert.

Price per concert: €15

Program:

Thursday, October 9, 8:00 p.m.: Film “KöLN 75” (Germany, 2025. Directed by Ido Fluk) – Free admission.

Friday, October 10, 8:00 p.m.: Concert by Michael Mayo.

Saturday, October 11, 8:00 p.m.: Concert by Arturo Cid and Carmen Alcolea Quintet “Jazz and Cinema”.

Parallel Activity: Thursday, October 9, 10:00 a.m.: Workshop and educational concert for schoolchildren “From the Classroom to the Stage”.

Michael Mayo

Michael Mayo has become one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz. Born in Los Angeles to a profoundly musical family—his father, Scott Mayo, guitarist and musical director of Earth, Wind & Fire, and his mother, Valerie Pinkston, backing vocalist for legends such as Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston—Mayo grew up surrounded by sounds that shaped his artistic identity from childhood.

His academic training reflects the same level of excellence: he studied at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston and later at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, where he learned under masters like Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Luciana Souza. This blend of family roots and rigorous training has enabled him to develop a unique style: balancing the vocal jazz tradition with a fresh contemporary perspective.

His debut album Bones (2021), released by Mack Avenue Records, was enthusiastically received by critics, establishing Mayo as one of the new voices to watch on the international scene. The record showcases his remarkable ability to intertwine vocal improvisation, contemporary harmonies, and grooves that draw from jazz, soul, and R&B.

Mayo doesn’t just sing—he uses his voice as a true instrument. His mastery of live looping, harmonic precision, and expressive power turns each concert into a sonic journey where tradition meets innovation. He has shared the stage with figures like Esperanza Spalding, Christian McBride, Gretchen Parlato, and Jacob Collier, always leaving his distinctive mark.

At this year’s Jazz en Otoño, Michael Mayo comes to Almuñécar with a vibrant repertoire, full of emotion, virtuosity, and closeness to the audience. An exceptional opportunity to experience an artist who embodies both the present and the future of jazz vocals.

Line-up:

Michael Mayo: vocals and piano

Andrew Freedman: keyboards

Kyle Miles: bass

Robin Baytas: drums

Arturo Cid & Carmen Alcolea – Jazz and Cinema

Jazz and cinema were born almost at the same time and have since maintained a constant dialogue, enriching one another. The very first sound film was The Jazz Singer (1927), released at the height of Louis Armstrong’s global rise. Even in the silent film era, ragtime and early jazz already set the rhythm of screenings, while lyrics of popular songs often parodied film hits or celebrated cinema as the great cultural innovation of the time.

With an educational and engaging approach, Arturo Cid, Carmen Alcolea, and their ensemble present a musical journey through this long-standing and fruitful relationship. They will perform melodies conceived in jazz from the beginning, as well as songs originally created for the big screen that later became celebrated jazz standards. Anecdotes, stories, and eras where music and film intertwined—along with the figures who made them possible—serve as the thread of this repertoire, originally commissioned by the International Jazz Festival on the Coast and premiering in Spain as part of Jazz en Otoño in Almuñécar.

Arturo Cid has an extensive career as a musician, writer, multi-instrumentalist, columnist, scriptwriter, and screenwriting teacher for film and television. He has composed soundtracks and developed a distinguished career as an educator and creator of internationally recognized projects. He has staged numerous shows and performed at countless festivals and TV programs, always with the mission of sharing the love of jazz.

Carmen Alcolea, vocalist and musicologist, began singing lessons at the age of ten. Early on, in her hometown of Lorca, she collaborated in various musical projects, exploring pop, rock, and singer-songwriter styles. After part of her training in Alaska (USA)—where she discovered blues, jazz, and soul firsthand—she pursued a degree in Music History and Sciences at the University of Granada. Today she combines her career as a jazz singer in several ensembles with teaching vocal technique.

Line-up:

Arturo Cid: saxophone, clarinet, vocals, presenter

Carmen Alcolea: vocals

Jaume Miquel: piano

Eric Kopetz: double bass

Elena Berrocal: drums