Guide to Malaga Jazz Festival 2023

One of the biggest events in Malaga during the autumn is the annual Malaga Jazz Festival when the city brings together some of the brightest musicians and singers to the Cervantes Theatre stage. This year’s event is the 37th edition. 

When is Malaga Jazz Festival 2023?

This year’s edition runs from Monday 6 November to Monday 13 November.

What’s the programme this year?

As usual, Malaga Jazz Festival showcases the best of the genre in the world, with top class musicians and singers on stage. This year, you can enjoy:

Monday 6 November – Saxophonist Joe Lovano and guitarist Jakob Bro play at the inaugural concert as part of a sextet, paying tribute to the drummer and composer Paul Motian. At the concert, Joe Lovano will receive the Malagajazz Prize in recognition of his skill on sax.

Tuesday 7 November – Maria Schneider and the Classijazz Big Band. Schneider ranks among the best big band composers in the world and her orchestra for this concert includes some of the best musicians in Spain.

Wednesday 8 November – the Ron Carter Foursight brings together Carter on double-bass, Renee Rosnes on the piano, Jimmy Greene on tenor saxophone and Payton Crossley drums. Carter is one of the world’s most prestigious jazz musicians, an expertise he’ll be showcasing at this concert.

Thursday 9 November – Andrea Motis and Marco Mezquida are two regulars on the Cervantes Theatre stage as well as some of the top jazz musicians in Spain. Motis sings and plays trumpet and alto sax, while Mezquida is a pianist.

Friday 10 November – Shai Maestro Quartet take the stage, led by Maestro on piano and with Philip Dizack on trumpet, Joe Martin on double-bass and Ofri Nehemya on drums.

Saturday 11 November – the jazz singer Youn Sun Nah is joined by Benjamin Moussay on piano. Sun Nah is known for her seductive tones and will perform new songs, accompanied by Moussay, rated as one of the best pianists in France.

Sunday 12 November – Paquito D’Rivera presents “10 years without Bebo”, a concert that pays homage to the great Bebo Valdés and includes some of Valdes’ best-known jazz tunes.

Monday 13 November – the final concert at the Malaga Jazz Festival is with Mulatu Astatke, a legendary musician and composer who founded ‘ethio-jazz’. He’ll be playing this unique mix of jazz, soul-funk, traditional Ethiopan music and African funk with his band.

See the full programme for the Malaga Jazz Festival.

Note that all concerts start at 8pm.

How much are tickets for the Malaga Jazz Festival?

Tickets cost between €12 and €42 (an absolute bargain to listen to some of the world’s top jazz musicians).

Are there discounts this year?

Yes, the Cervantes Theatre applies the usual discounts when you buy tickets to 3 or more concerts.

• 3 concerts – 15% off
• 4 concerts – 20% off
• 5 concerts or more – 25% off

Where can I book tickets?

The programme includes links to buy tickets online.

• You can buy tickets for the Malaga Jazz Festival through the following outlets:
• By phone – (+34) 902 360 295 or (+34) 952 076 262)
• At the Cervantes Theatre box office, open Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 2pm and 6 to 8.30pm, and Saturday 6 to 8.30pm.

What about other jazz events in Malaga?

The Malaga Jazz Festival usually includes free jazz concerts at venues around the city (restaurants and hotels) and in open-air spaces.

Concerts in parks outside the city centre

Saturday 4 November – the Raquel Pelayo Trio play in Parque de la Alegría in Ciudad Jardín at 1pm (Google map link – get the No 2 bus from Atarazanas (25-min journey)) and at 5pm in Parque Martiricos (Google map link – 25-min walk from the city centre).

Sunday 5 November at 5pm – Noe Sakura Naganawa plays in Parque San Rafael (Google map link – a 40-min walk from the centre or get the No 20 bus from the south side of the Alameda Principal).

Saturday 11 November at 1pm – Arenedo, Carra, Oliver & Foster play in Huelin Park (Google map link – 25-min walk from the city centre or get the No 7 bus (20 mins)).

Sunday 12 November at 1pm – Carlos Sarduy & The Groove Messengers play at the Auditorio Curro Román in El Palo (Google map link – get the No 3 or 11 bus from the Alameda Principal (30-45 mins).

Entry is free to all the above concerts and seats are provided.

Concerts in the city centre

There are also free jazz concerts in squares and hotels:

Thursday 9 November

• 5pm – Hotel La Chancla in Pedregalejo, Arturo Serra Duo
• 6.30pm – Plaza de la Merced, Caramelo de Cuba Quintet
• 8pm – Novotel Suites, Eneko Alberdi
• 8.30pm – Hotel Ibis Malaga Centro, Stefano Tomaselli & Pablo Guzmán
• 9.30pm – Hotel Molina Lario, Antonio González Duo
• 11.30pm – Antojo Restaurant in the Soho district, Carlos Sarduy & Ariel Bringuez Quintet

Friday 10 November

• 5pm – Hotel La Chancla in Pedregalejo, Guillem Arnedo Trio
• 6.30pm – Plaza de la Merced, Ariel Bringuez Trio
• 9.30pm – Hotel Molina Lario, Enrique Oliver & Dee Jay Foster

Saturday 11 November

• 4.30pm – Plaza de la Merced, Melon Lewis (piano solo)
• 5pm – Hotel La Chancla in Pedregalejo, Antti Sarpila Hot Club
• 6.30pm – Plaza de la Merced, Carlos Sarduy & The Groove Messengers
• 9.30pm – Hotel Molina Lario, Antti Sarpila Hot Club

Sunday 12 November

• 5pm – Hotel La Chancla in Pedregalejo, Maria Gil Duo
• 6.30pm – Plaza de la Merced, The Malaga Jazz Collective
• 9.30pm – Hotel Molina Lario, Maria Gil Duo

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