12 Points 2016: This year’s European ‘Jam Sessions’ at the Tabakalera, San Sebastian
12 bands, 12 countries and 12 fresh perspectives...as you might already know, 12 Points celebrates what is new in European jazz. The Festival presents the work of carefully selected artists on the vanguard of musical creation in 12 different European countries. What this means is that you may not be familiar with some of the artists in our programme but you are guaranteed only the freshest sounds from Europe’s most innovative and dynamic artists. In addition to 12 performances from a broad spectrum of artists, 12 Points hosts an anything goes, freewheeling European ‘Jam Session’ after concert performances which has in the past been the genesis for many fantastic new collaborations, forged spontaneously on the bandstand.
"So this is Europe’s new jazz? This energising, sociable, genre-defying festival is all about confounding expectations." - The Irish Times
Each year the Jam Sessions bring something completely new to the table as 12 Points artists from all over Europe join together with local musicians for a spontaneous musical exchange of ideas and styles. It’s exciting to watch and the result is always impressive due to the bright talent involved. To complement the free spirited nature of the sessions, this year the jam will be held in the ideal setting of the Tabakalera, an old tobacco factory that has changed it’s function from making tobacco to creating contemporary culture, the perfect place for a musical exchange of the newest sounds in European jazz. The Tabakalera is beautifully located in the city centre of San Sebastián, opposite of the North train station and by the riverside and we encourage all to get involved with the music and also to get a look at this spectacular building.
There will be a session on Thursday 21st, Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd with different local musicians attending each night from 11.30pm-1.30am. In the past this totally free environment has been the perfect place for the formation of new musical friendships. Come along to this voyage of musical discovery and your curiosity will be rewarded when you can say you saw them first at 12 Points.
Here’s a list of local artists attending each night of the sessions. The musicians of these bands are teachers and students of Musikene (Higher school of music of The Basque Country):
Thursday: Aarón Castrillo (drums), Erik Niemietz (piano), Jesús García (double bass), Joaquín Chacón (guitar).
Friday:Víctor Antón (guitar), Unai Olabarri (drums), Imanol Iribarren (trombone), Gonzalo Tejada (double bass).
Saturday: Martin Holland (drums), Daniel García (bass), Chris Kase (trumpet), Mikel Andueza (sax)
12 Points 2016 is part of Heineken Jazzaldia Festival, Donostia San Sebastian from July 20th-25th.