The Jazz Plaza Festival is a musical event held in Havana every winter. Its main venue is the House of Culture in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality (Calzada No. 909, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana). Maestro Chucho Valdés serves as its honorary president.

Although the first Jazz Festival in Cuba took place in 1963 at the Payret Theater (Paseo Martí No. 513, Old Havana, Havana), with the participation of many of the era’s leading groups, including Maggie Prior, Omara Portuondo, and Leonardo Timor’s Jazz Band. It wasn’t until 1979 that the majestic Bobby Carcassés organized a series of concerts at the Casa de la Cultura in Plaza (Calzada No. 909, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana), which achieved notable success. This led to the following year (1980) when Bobby and Armando Rojas prepared a nationally significant event aimed at promoting jazz music in Cuba, giving rise to the first edition of the Jazz Plaza Festival.

The Plaza Cultural Center (Calzada No. 909, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana) remained the main venue during the early years. Prominent national bands and musicians participated in the festival’s first editions, including Irakere and Chucho Valdés, Emiliano Salvador, Fernando Acosta, Bobby Carcassés, and Los Van Van, among others.

Gradually, other sub-venues and spaces began to sprout and host the festival, such as: the Hotel Habana Riviera (Paseo and Malecón, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución. Havana), the pool of the Hotel Nacional (Calle 0 corner 21, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución. Havana), the Hotel Habana Libre (Calle L, corner 23, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución. Havana); the Fox and the Crow (23rd Street No. 155, Vedado, Revolution Square. Havana), Jazz Café (1st Street and Paseo, Vedado, Revolution Square. Havana) Hotel Presidente (Calzada No. 110, Vedado, Revolution Square. Havana), Amadeo Roldán Theater (Calzada and D, Vedado, Revolution Square. Havana), the National Theater (Paseo and 39th Street, Vedado, Revolution Square. Havana), the Mella Theater (Line No. 657, Vedado, Revolution Square. Havana), among others.

From 1982 to the present, Jazz Plaza gained international status. It has hosted performances by renowned jazz musicians from various countries, as well as groups such as Barbara Dane, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Valentín, Flora Purín, Rey Hargrove, Boby Sanabria, Ronnie Scott, and others.

Jazz Plaza is the ideal stage for the performances of different generations of Cuban jazz musicians who are now true international stars, including Ernán López Nussa, Javier Zalba, Robertico Carcasés, and Gonzalito Rubalcaba.

In 2004, French artist Michel Legrand performed. In 2007, José Luis Cortés and NG La Banda, Jesús Fuentes y las Canelas, and Los Van Van participated. In 2008, a special program was held throughout February with musicians performing at the clubs of La Rampa. In the 2009 edition, the Casa de Cultura returned to its venue, featuring figures such as Chucho Valdés and other guests, including emblematic Cuban singers such as Beatriz Márquez, Mayra Caridad Valdés, and Omara Portuondo.

This year, the event took place from December 16th to 19th. Renowned Cuban and international jazz musicians performed spectacular concerts. The 6th Theoretical Colloquium was also held, along with master classes, lectures, discussions, and documentary screenings, among other activities.

The festival fosters the exchange of experiences, styles, and ideas among participating musicians. Each edition of the Jazz Plaza Festival has further invigorated and strengthened jazz in Cuban culture, transforming it into a true fusion of musical rhythms.