2010 Riviera Maya Jazz Festival

Riviera Maya Jazz Festival 2010

“A festival is a celebration of life….people….for a variety of people… Many people will tell you: you must fulfill your dreams, you must follow your dreams. Don’t hesitate to dream large.”
Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick/ bass player and band leader of Incognito, Nov. 26th 2010/ Playa del Carmen


Variety, diversity, colorfulness, richness: this is what the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival is all about. It is exotic and vibrant. In 2010, the festival took place on Playa del Carmen, on the beach of the Mamita’s Hotel, from November 25th until November 28th, featuring Incognito, John McLaughlin, Yekina Pavon, Eugenia Leon, Armando Manzanero and many others.

The festival blends cultures and musical influences and sensibilities such as British, American, Mexican and French – and the fact that Toussaint, the Festival’s musical director and drummer of the band Aguamala is a musician himself certainly made for a musical program of high quality.

Toussaint dreamt very large when he started this project in 2002. The festival has hosted artists such as Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller and George Benson. For the fest's most recent edition, 14 groups delighted an audience of over 25 000 people. Every show was free and from 7pm every evening, music poured from the Festival Stage.

Troker performed on November 26th and proved to be a lively, original, crazy and fun band which really added to the overall lineup of the festival - because these musicians are inspired, clever, and fearless. They can easily start with what sounds like straight ahead jazz and infuse it with a cumbia song or with hip hop vibes.

Guitar virtuoso Al Di Meola (with 20 records to date) also reminded the audience that jazz is ever expanding, mingling flamenco and tango with middle Eastern influences, Brazilian and African music. And Incognito’s show was a most energetic and exciting way to end the evening. The choreography of the band was captivating. Incognito’s songs, such as “Don’t You Worry ‘bout A Thing” are about love, feelings… and the entire audience danced to that soulful music.

The last day of the festival welcomed the three unforgettable Mexican singers Yekina Pavon, Eugenia Leon and Armando Manzanero, each with their own unique style and sensibility. Pavon’s warm and powerful voice was a treat. And life before and after Eugenia Leon is not exactly the same. Leon’s performance was extremely moving, with a music telling multifold stories and expressing despair, passion, and love. Reminiscent of Mexican singer Placido Domingo in her eloquence and elegance, she was intensely and beautifully romantic. The seduction, weight and charm characteristic of Leon’s music easily make her the voice of Mexico. For those who couldn’t make it to the festival, she shares her songs online. Her femininity only complemented her gripping talent as a performer and a musician.

As Bluey, bass player, leader and founder of Incognito, explained during his press conference of November 26th, “You find that in the 90s jazz equaled dance. DJ equaled make people dance. It was all mixed up. That’s why we call it acid jazz. It’s a corruption … a healthy corruption …. It was all about story telling. Even when the dancers danced it was storytelling.” During his show, Bluey made sure his most elaborate bass section accompanied the singers’ sexy voices. For him, “when you’re in disguise you can be anything,” which is why, cleverly enough, he called his band “Incognito.” The music of that show was smooth, profound, sexy, alluring, seductive, funky, disco and psychedelic. It made people groove and vibrate. And the pleasure was as visual as it was auditory.

For those who might think jazz is not present in Mexico, it is time to rethink: the Riviera Maya Jazz festival not only brings astounding talents to Yucatan – it also offers free shows to thousands of locals and tourists.