The IslaJazz Festival starts a new edition with one of its Unusual Jazz, specifically the one that took place in the Marisma de Joyel together with the Casa de Mareas, and which featured as its star the fusion between salsa and jazz by the Trío Siguaraya, in a spectacular night that left none of the attendees indifferent. The audience, which for the most part came dressed in white as a nod to the Cuban trio, had the chance to sample Dougall’s craft beers and natural juices, along with fruit skewers, dance to the Caribbean rhythm and admire a spectacular sunset over the Marisma Joyel.
Today and tomorrow the Unusuals continue, which have already sold out since last week, with the concert in the vineyards of Bodegas de Isla and the Trío Malecón, which will include a Latin Jazz repertoire, to accompany the tasting of wines from the island winery, along with some local appetisers. Tomorrow we move to Castillo, where we will begin with a visit to the SAT Disama livestock housing facilities, a surprising look at cutting-edge premises where every process is digitised, and the cows that listen to music have assisted ventilation, automatic scratchers and are milked when they feel the need. The programme is completed by the concert next to the chapel of San Juan by La Flaca de Beat, the Cantabrian group that will offer a very jazz-filled repertoire with swing notes, with original songs and some classics.
On Thursday, the main concerts begin in Isla’s historic centre. A truly lovely cultural setting, where you can pay more attention to the music, in the form of more classic-style concerts and with top-tier bands, where the presence of musicians with long careers stands out in line-ups in which quality and great workmanship are particularly evident. The last available tickets will very likely sell out in no time. However, for these concerts it is possible to try to find a ticket on the same day, although there is no guarantee of having a seat.
This part of Isla Jazz 2026 begins with the concert by Erwyn Seerutton and the BIG BAND Santander, a line-up of 14 musicians led on this occasion by the singer, musician and composer Erwyn Seerutton from Mauritius, with an extensive musical career in the Jazz, Gospel & Black Spirituals, Soul, Funk scene. He will be accompanied by a sizeable Big Band with notable and experienced Cantabrian musicians.
On Friday, it’s the turn of the Asturian band The Soulers, who do SOUL—but they don’t settle for putting it on in strict accordance with the rules. Their references are the great names of the style: from the rhythm & blues of Etta James or the stylised charm of the Supremes, to the gospel of Aretha Franklin or the energy of Sam Cooke, through to the electrifying shows of James Brown and the reinvention proposed by Michael Jackson. They will also present original songs from their first award-winning AMAS-winning album.
We close the main stage with a mythical band closely linked to the Festival, as they have repeated their appearance on several occasions—and they are always called for by the Isla Jazz regulars. We’re talking about Soul City, who, with nine musicians and three singers, offer a truly vibrant and very danceable show, with classics from all eras such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder
Coinciding with the main concerts, on Thursday and Saturday the Gastro Jazz experience is offered, with a visit to Isla’s historic centre, vineyards and market gardens, where thanks to our silent system headsets the public can take a guided tour of this cultural setting brought to life by a soundtrack that tells the story of this musical style.
We wrap up an intense week of Jazz: on the 9th, with our “Jazz Marinero”. The great themes of Jazz will be with us on a lovely stroll along the Quejo coastline, where we will visit the old lobster hatcheries, now natural pools, and learn about some of the most long-forgotten traditions, such as whale fishing along our coasts. We’ll continue with a visit to the lobster hatchery at the Astuy restaurant, coinciding with the fact that this venue hosts the concert by Black Grooves, to round off a memorable experience.