Highly talented saxophonist Enrique Oliver brought his skills from Málaga to Valencia this week with an intimate performance at ‘Mar d’Amura’ in the hip Cabanyal neighbourhood. He was accompanied by a mix of international and local talent which included Valencian native and teacher at Berklee Valencia, pianist Albert Sanz; drummer Tico Porcar who is a familiar name in the city’s top bands; and bassist Dario Di Lecce, who was London-based but is now in the Valencia area.
Shyamala, the organizer of the event, described the show as “the beginnings of a new jazz community in Valencia.” She also stated how important it was that prominent musicians from across the region came together to show their support for the event.
The show was scheduled for 8:00 PM and there was a crowd of roughly 50 people, many of whom are regulars at local jazz events, along with special guest and prestigious Spanish saxophonist Perico Sambeat.
The show officially began at 8:30pm and immediately the energy and passion of the artists could be felt by all in attendance. The musicians were very lighthearted, they were in constant communication with one another and you could see their smiles of acknowledgement and hear their conversation between songs. Their chemistry was evident as each musician had a moment to shine throughout the night which contributed to the music creating a carefree and wonderful atmosphere.
The music was lively and upbeat and each musician was able to show off their immense talent with their own solos throughout the night. Each song would usually start with all four instruments and halfway through, the saxophone would mellow out and allow another instrument to take its place as the centre of the music before coming back in to finish the song. Albert, Tico, and Dario put all of their skill up for display and being able to see their focus and concentration during their solos gave the crowd a lot of energy. ‘Calypsonny’ was one of the songs announced to the crowd before being played, and it was the perfect representation for the night, as it was also lighthearted and upbeat.
‘Mar d’Amura’ was the perfect venue for the show, it was very intimate, and the band was directly in front of the crowd, only separated by a few feet. This setup ensured that the music could be heard by everyone and allowed the crowd to also interact with the musicians throughout the set.
The night was further elevated when jazz legend Perico Sambeat accompanied the quartet for one final song, creating a beautiful finale for an incredible night of music, community, and growth. More than a concert, this night was a celebration of Valencia’s growing jazz community.
Report by Karwan Ahmed
Article Copyright by 24/7 Valencia
Photos copyright Phillip Solomonson/ ’24/7 Valencia’
More info about Enrique Oliver: https://www.enriqueoliver.com/
More info about the photographer: www.philamonjaro.com
https://www.facebook.com/philamonjarostudio
https://www.instagram.com/philamonjaro/
Mar d’Amura
Tel: 635 53 66 21
Instagram: @Mardamura
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