2018 Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival

Deanna Bogart describes the BJBF atmosphere best when she said, “The festival has an organic aura around it, allowing for unexpected musical and personal moments to happen both on and off stage for all who attend. When that exists, it grows on its own and that makes it exciting to be a part of as a festival goer and exhilarating as a musician.”

This year the main events are being held at the, La Feria grounds. This is the usual venue for the annual Boquete Flower & Coffee fair. Festival organizers explain that the move to this larger venue will allow the BJBF festival to include art exhibits, vendor stands and a greater variety of food and beverage. The fairgrounds also offers more seating capacity. While there will be plenty of space to party at the main stage, the essence of the festival is often experienced at the night jams that take place in packed local restaurants and bars.

The festival itself is put on by a charitable private not-for-profit foundation dedicated to supporting and enriching cultural life in Boquete and supports musical education in local schools.

This year’s festival’s line up include:

Spyro Gyra, who have consistently been one of the commercially successfully pop-jazz groups of the past 30 years. Spyro Gyro’s music combines R&B and elements of pop and Caribbean music with jazz. Their live performances are often unlike their recordings in that they emphasize the danceable melodies.

Maria Rivas. Known as one of the most versatile voices in Latin America combines American and Latin Jazz / Blues rhythms. She performs her own blend of traditional standards and her own compositions.

Osvaldo Ayala. A Panamanian accordionist who combines folklore and different Latin pop rhythms. He formed his own band, called Ritmos Santeños that revolutionized the typical environment with his voice.

Malamanya, is a band comprised of musicians who share a mutual respect and enthusiasm for traditional rhythms and melodies from Cuba and Latin America.

Their style is vintage and their sound is classic. Their onstage energy and compositions reflect the communal, complex, and celebratory spirit prevalent in these musical genres.

John Carney, a favorite in the Coronado music scene, many people have seen John play at Picasso, but few know of his impressive musical background and experience. John was born in Panama City and began his musical career there before moving to the U.S.  He continued his career playing Country, Rock, R & B, Blues, Latin Jazz and Classical.  In addition to playing in Panama, New Mexico, and Texas, John has performed in Atlantic City, Cancun, Orlando, New Orleans, and in Europe with award winning Swiss Blues guitarist, Andy Egert.  John has also opened for Bo Diddley, Styx, Little Richard, Clint Black, and backed such legendary artists as Joe Cocker and Percy Sledge.  In 1991 John became lead guitarist for the "Big Otis Show Band" and spent the following 8 years playing beside many of the best musicians in Texas. In 2000 John started his own smooth jazz band "Max Cat", as well as performing with the well-known Nicaraguan singer, Yelba.

Charlie Marre, is a regular at the BJBF. You will see him backing up performers of various genres. Charlie is a conga player who was born in Panama City, Panama. Charlie has played with several salsa and latin jazz bands in Cuba and Panama. Director of his own salsa group "Son Pa Ti". Marre formally works as a lawyer in Panama City.

Dwayne Dopsie, tore up the festival stages last year and has recently won the title of  “America’s Hottest Accordion”.  Dwayne (Dopsie) Rubin, plays a unique, high energy style of zydeco. Dwayne hails from one of the most influential Zydeco families in the world. Although inspired by tradition, he has developed his own high energy style that defies existing stereotypes and blazes a refreshingly distinct path for 21st century Zydeco music. This singer/songwriter and accordionist has performed all over the world since debuting his band, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, at age 19.

Otis Taylor. With Otis Taylor, it’s best to expect the unexpected. While his music, an amalgamation of roots styles in their rawest form, he discusses heavyweight issues like murder, homelessness, tyranny, and injustice but his personal style is lighthearted. "I’m good at dark, but I’m not a particularly unhappy person," he says. "I’d just like to make enough money to buy a Porsche." Part of Taylor’s appeal is his contrasting character traits. But it is precisely this element of surprise that makes him one of the most compelling artists to emerge in recent years. In fact, Guitar Player magazine writes, "Otis Taylor is arguably the most relevant blues artist of our time.”

The Nighthawks are an American blues and roots music band based in Washington, D.C.  Formed in 1972, the Nighthawks underwent several personnel changes before stabilizing as the lineup of Mark Wenner (vocals and harmonica), Jimmy Thackery (lead guitar), Jan Zukowski (bass guitar), and Pete Ragusa (drums). The Nighthawks go against the rules of mixing blues, R&B, honky-tonk country, doo-wop, gospel and rockabilly. What they get is one delicious musical stew.

The Iguanas. Hailing from New Orleans, the Iguanas reflect the diversity of musical styles found in their home state by fusing Blues, classic R&B, Zydeco, Cajun, Tex-Mex, and Roots Rock & Roll.

Magic Dick and Shun Ng. Magic Dick is a founding member of the J. Geils Blues Band. By the time he was eight,  Dick knew that music, painting and physics would be his primary interests. The trumpet was his constant companion and served as a springboard to the harmonica.  Shun Ng is an award-winning finger style guitar virtuoso, singer and songwriter, known for his unique style which infuses elements of Soul, Funk, Blues and Jazz. Shun dazzles audiences from all over the world with his flamboyant technique, soulful vocals and hypnotic groove.

The José Ramirez Project. For over 10 years, Jose developed a Blues scene in his country of Costa Rica, starting his first band when he was 17 and producing various Blues events and festivals. He has played with musicians such as, Smokin’ Joe Kubek, Bnois King, Debbie Davies and John Carey.

Ian Siegal. Born in the deep south (of England!) in 1971, Ian’s earliest musical memories are of the likes of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and Chuck Berry, but it was on hearing the great Little Richard that he really caught the music bug and became nothing short of obsessive about it. This lead him into a life-long passion for the Blues and all of its various branches, and most of all, the man he calls "God" - the inimitable Muddy Waters.

Anne Harris.  This quote from BluesWax says everything you need to know about Anne Harris. "Once you have witnessed Anne Harris play the violin, you aren’t likely to forget the experience any time soon,  it’s not just the wondrous music she makes drawing her bow across the strings, it’s also the way the spirit of the music emanates from her physically.  She inhabits the music, or maybe the music inhabits her, but it is impossible not to be drawn under her spell” (BluesWax)

Deanna Bogart. For me, Deanna makes the festival. I would be hard pressed to attend, if I didn’t see her name on the bill. Along with Lance Anderson, Deanna is an Executive producer of this year’s festival. One of her key jobs is to put people on stage together. When you watch Deanna play, you feel as if she eats, drinks and lives the blues. She coined the phrase “blouson”, saying, “… it all grows out of the blues...just doesn’t always end there..."

When it comes to Deanna Bogart, everyone wants to claim her as their own -- her hometown, her fans, her fellow musicians and even her instruments. She’s that good–and that good-natured.

At this year’s festival you will see Deanna on the stage with other artists and on her own at the jams.

Lance Anderson. Anderson was named Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year at the 17th annual Maple Blues Awards gala in Toronto after being nominated in the category eight times in the past 12 years. "What I enjoy the most is playing the piano and the Hammond organ, so this is the first time I was really recognized for that, for actually playing,” Lance is a successful producer, with recording credits such as Leahy (double Juno, Platinum Virgin Music recording artists) and a number of recent recordings under his own label, Make It Real Records. These include the internationally acclaimed 2B3 the Toronto Sessions, Live at the Wolf by Garth Hudson (The Band), Brotherhood by Blackburn, and All Play and No Work by the Cameo Blues Band. Lance also initiated and co-produced the Oscar Peterson Multimedia CD ROM, now treasured by jazz fans and players worldwide.

Along with Deanna Bogart, Lance is an executive producer of this year’s festival. You will see Lance preform with other artists and of course you can expect to see him rocking out at the jams.

The 2018 Boquete Blues and Jazz Festival takes place in the Boquete from February 22 to 25th.

Buy Tickets here and use Playa2018 Code to Save 10% on BJBF Tickets:

https://www.mieventos.com/event-detail/2018bjbf

https://www.mieventos.com/event-detail/2018bjbf
Program of Events Here:

http://www.boquetejazzandbluesfestival.com/program5.html