Gran Canaria Big Band
Musical director and arrangements: Juan Manuel Alemán.
Artistic direction: Esteban Ponce y Sebastián Gil.
Saxophones: Esteban Ponce, Francisco Alonso,
Antonio Guerra, Sergio Yánez, Eladio Díaz.
Trumpets: Sebastián Gil, Juan Ramón Martín,
Santiago Guerra, Vicente Araña.
Trombones: Orlando Mújica, Juan Carlos Santiago,
Franklin Castillo, Juan Bosco Arencibia.
Drums: Javier Montero.
Piano: Rayco León.
Bass: Mario Rivero.
Guitar: Carlos Pizarro.
The Gran Canaria Big-Band began forming part of the Canarian musical heritage in the year 1997, and the formation came about as a result of two musicians Sebastián Gil and Esteban Ponce, who coincided at different times and at different musical gatherings. From thereon in they started working together using a standard Big-Band repertoire, performing at a number of concerts held at the "Conservatorio de Música de Las Palmas" (Las Palmas Music Conservatory).
Soon after that they were offered an excellent opportunity to perform at the "Festival de Jazz de Canarias2 (Canary Islands Jazz Festival) in the year 1999, which they did successfully sharing stage with the very talented vocalist Carmen Lundy.
After that they went on a tour of the islands which was sponsored by La Caja de Canarias.
One of the outstanding activities achieved by this band is the recording of a Norwegian television programme featuring the local singer Cornelius Lund, which achieved very high audience ratings, thus making the Gran Canaria Big-Band known for the first time abroad.
It is worth pointing out the resounding success they had in the last three editions of the "Festival de Jazz de Canarias" (Canary Islands Jazz Festival) (2004/2005/2006), receiving high acclaim from both public & press, and great praise from Robben Ford, with whom they shared the stage. The Band also participated at the "Spajazz" with the Catalan vocalist Laura Simó in 2005, organised by the Fundación Auditorio Alfredo Kraus (Alfredo Kraus Auditorium Foundation).
More recently they performed at the "I Festival de Jazz de Telde" (1st Telde Jazz Festival), also achieving resounding success acclaimed by critics & public.
Future projects include the recording of their first disc titled "Gran Canaria Big Band" as a self-tribute gesture, and the possibility of performing in a jazz festival abroad. We can also count on their presence at the coming "Festival de Jazz de Canarias" (Canary Islands Jazz Festival) 2007.
