The Barcelona International Jazz Festival

The autumn will resonate with jazz rhythms with the arrival of the Barcelona International Jazz Festival, offering over 80 activities on its programme, including music dinners, family breakfasts, jazz-rhythm performances at the Montjuïc Magic Fountain and an area for professionals that is still to be decided on. The festival will also support Barcelona’s promising new jazz artists.

Andrea Motis (16 years) has become a new sensation, along with the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, on the Barcelona jazz scene. The trumpeter and singer will perform with Europe’s youngest big band during the Barcelona International Jazz Festival.

The event gives resolute support to new Catalan talent, as it did for Llibert Fortuny, who will give a guest performance with La Locomotora Negra, a group that celebrates their 40th anniversary this year, and is due to receive the festival’s Medal of Honour. The award will be shared with the composer and band-leader Maria Schneider.

Paolo Conte will draw the festival to a close at the Auditori on 1 December, offering songs from his latest project, Nelson. Other attractions in the festival include Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Michel Camilo Trio with Giovanni Hidalgo, Pat Metheny Trio with Larry Grenadire and Bill Stewart and the Joshua Redman – Brad Mehldau Duo.

::.. Barcelona International Jazz Festival ..::

The Four Puig i Cadafalch columns, symbol of Barcelona’s Historical Memory

In 1919 the architect Puig i Cadafalch built four columns in Montjuïc symbolising the stripes of the Catalan flag but they were demolished by Primo de Rivera in 1928 are back again opposite the Magic Fountain in Montjuïc.

Now, almost ninety years later, the Puig i Cadalfach columns can be seen again in all of their glory opposite the Magic Fountain in Montjuïc, following the removal of the scaffolding around them.

The columns are 20 metres high and have been erected at their original site in the Plaça del Marquès de la Foronda.

The monument was reconstructed using the architect’s original plans and period photographs.

The project will include improved paving for the surrounding area. What is more, the area underneath the columns will be the site for a new Line 2 metro station connecting the Fira de Montjuïc with Gran Via.

Barcelona Three Kings of Orient Parade

Magic and surprise will be with the procession from start to finish. Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar are getting new floats and outfits for their visit to Barcelona.

The new floats will include the “bed-time” float, the Carrossa de L’Hora d’anar a dormir, which will tell children they need to go to bed early. There will also be a brand new float with African musicians and others with toys.

As they do every year Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar are coming to Barcelona by sea. They will arrive on board the Schooner Santa Eulàlia, though they will have also covered some distance beforehand on board an Imoca yacht, like the ones competing in the Barcelona World Race.

At 5 pm on Wednesday 5 January, Their Majesties are expected to reach the Moll de la Fusta wharf, where they will be received by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, who will hand them bread and salt, as a symbol of welcome and hospitality, as well as the key to the city that opens all the city’s gates.

The Kings will set off on their tour of the city at 6.30 pm, from Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, making for the Montjuïc Fountain, on Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, where they will arrive at around 9.20 pm.

Their Majesties will go up Via Laietana (around 7.15 pm), Plaça d’Urquinaona and Carrer de Fontanella (7.35 pm), Plaça de Catalunya and Carrer Pelai (7.45 pm), Plaça de la Universitat and Ronda de Sant Antoni (8.05 pm), Carrer de Sepúlveda (8.30 pm) and Avinguda de Paral·lel (9.00 pm).

More than 1,200 people will make the procession possible , among them artists, theatre and dance-school students, volunteers and city residents.

Swatch FIVB Beach Volley World Tour’09

Everything is ready at the Magic Fountain of Montjuic for the Hyundai Open Barcelona, the Spanish stop most event titles in a season. Players have enjoyed training on an amazing scenery, including local ones Esther Alcon and Olga Matveeva. The winners of Spanish Championship last weekend, Liliana Fernandez Steiner-of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour, where the Brazilian Larissa Franca and Juliana Felisberta will look for a record for Elsa Baquerizo, are also arrived to Barcelona.

From 8th – 13th September the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (la Font Màgica de Montjuïc) will be home, for the second year running, to the women’s stop of the Swatch FIVB Beach Volley World Tour’09. Entrance is free – seating is limited to the capacity of the enclosure.

125 players from 50 countries, 4 playing courts, more than 100 games and 200,000 dollars in prizes are some the numbers in this event with the best beach volleyball in the world. The building operatives have started to pour the 1.500 tones of silica sand that will cover over the four competition tracks and the training track. Together with the five tracks, the tiers of seats for 3.000 spectators were also built.

NN Hotels: www.nnhotels.com | B-Hotel is our nearest hotel is located in Plaza Espanya, only 3 minutes walking to Magic Fountain of Montjuic.