Alexandre Frazão, Emma Frank and Jorge Rossy among the artists performing at sunset at Jazz at Monserrate

From 6 to 28 September in Sintra, Fridays and Saturdays will be Jazz at Monserrate days, a meeting point for cultures, generations and experiences that reflect both the fusion of architectural styles of the palace that presides over the great lawn and the exotic garden that hosts this experience. Under the new artistic direction of Inês Laginha and with the motto "Nature and Jazz with your toes in the grass", the festival returns for its third edition with eight sunset concerts, four family concerts, and a free masterclass; a programme full of new features that goes beyond borders for the first time, bringing together 55 Portuguese and international artists, and which has the ambition of involving the whole community: the public, students, and jazz professionals.

Sunset concerts in Monserrate: a magical atmosphere to the sound of jazz

Always at 7pm, when the colours of the sunset further enhance the beauty of the Park and Palace of Monserrate, these concerts will bring to the stage located on the lawn musicians from Portugal and abroad, both young and established, as well as singers and instrumentalists who started out in jazz but didn't stop there.

The opening honours of Jazz at Monserrate 2024, taking place on 6 September, go to vibraphonist and composer Eduardo Cardinho, who will be presenting his latest project "Not Far From Paradise." Accompanied by some of the best musicians of the new generation of Portuguese jazz, he brings his unique rhythmic approach and sonority.

The following day, 7 September, it's André Rosinha's turn to present "Triskel", his new album. Joining his double bass with João Paulo Esteves da Silva's piano and Marcos Cavaleiro's drums, he lets free improvisation flow, where melody plays a central role, with influences from classical music and the lyrical aesthetics of European jazz.

The sunset of 13 September on the lawn of Monserrate will be accompanied by the ethereal and intimate songs of Emma Frank, an American singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, who is accompanied by a premium band. Following the line that characterises her most recent album, "Interiors", the artist expresses feelings and recounts stories in an honest and universal way.

On 14 September, singer-songwriter Filipa Franco takes to the stage in a quintet with João Gato (alto saxophone), Vasco Pimentel (piano), Francisco Nogueira (double bass) and João Lopes Pereira (drums), to perform songs from the kaleidoscopic "Imagem" project. The originality of their music lies in the combination of opposites: both raw in its exploration of free improvisation and imbued with delicacy and lyricism.

On 20 September, the public will have the opportunity to attend an unprecedented and unrepeatable concert that unites the Loulé Jazz Trio (with João Pedro Coelho on piano, António Quintino on double bass and João Lopes Pereira on drums) with the acclaimed Catalan drummer and vibraphonist Jorge Rossy. Bringing their influences together, they explore a range of jazz styles to achieve a distinctive sound.

On 21 September, a transatlantic duo composed of Brazilian guitarist Augusto Baschera and Portuguese pianist João Bernardo will offer a performance marked by deep interaction and strong chemistry. On the stage of the Monserrate lawn they bring compositions based on the timbral fusion of these two instruments, drawing inspiration from popular, classical and jazz music to portray the juxtaposition of different realities.

The sunset concert on 27 September will be given by Margarida Campelo, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and arranger, who made her solo debut with the album "Supermarket Joy", produced by Bruno Pernadas. An artist with a unique musical identity on the Portuguese scene, her music reveals a profusion of influences, ranging from pop to dance music, R&B, experimental jazz and neo soul.

On 28 September, Alexandre Frazão will bring this edition of Jazz at Monserrate to a close. The renowned drummer who has made his mark on Portuguese jazz is finally making his debut in his own right, surrounded by young musicians. The dynamism and excitement that characterise his work have served as a driving force for the experimentation and creation necessary for the collective construction of "Quintessência", which will be presented to the public this evening.

Showing families and new generations "What is jazz?"

On Saturdays 7, 14, 21 and 28 September, at 11am, the Jazz at Monserrate programme will be dedicated to families. With the collaboration of jazz students from the Artistic School of Music at the National Conservatoire, singer and teacher Catarina dos Santos will be asking the younger public (and others) to discover "What is jazz?" in a journey through the history of this musical genre.

In each session, the vast repertoire prepared by these young musicians will take you back in time and demonstrate that jazz is, after all, an accessible and stimulating music, full of interaction and possibilities. At the end of each concert there will be a jam session open to any young student who already plays a bit of jazz and wants to try playing with the students performing that day.

Jorge Rossy conducts a free masterclass

On Saturday 21 September at 2pm, there is a unique opportunity to train with the renowned Catalan drummer and vibraphonist Jorge Rossy, who has worked with some of the most important jazz musicians of his generation, such as Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson, Chris Cheek, Joshua Redman and Kurt Rosenwinkel, among many others.

In this masterclass, he will address how each and every musician should be aware of the roles they play in their relationship with themselves, the band, the music and the audience. In the process, he will help the young students understand how to manage the expectations that other musicians have of themselves and others, what life is like for a professional musician and how this affects the music itself, and the socio-political role of jazz musicians in the past, present and future.

Perico Sambeat's sold-out concert rescheduled for 5 September

The concert presenting the Jazz at Monserrate 2024 programme by Perico Sambeat, which had been scheduled for June 8 and was sold out, has been cancelled due to rain, as the necessary comfort and safety conditions were not met.

The show has been rescheduled for 5 September, and all tickets already purchased are valid for that date.

Alternatively, the public can request a refund by filling in the form available on the Parques de Sintra website.

A regular on international stages, the prestigious Spanish saxophonist Perico Sambeat has more than twenty albums to his name and several collaborations on albums by some of today's most important musicians, including Dave Douglas, Ron Carter, Michael Brecker and Bernardo Sassetti.

In this concert, he will be accompanied by a trio of Portuguese musicians (João Pedro Coelho, piano; Romeu Tristão, double bass; and Bruno Pedroso, drums) and will explore music entirely his own, giving it a new lease of life and offering the audience a sound that perfectly balances energy and melodic clarity.

Jazz at Monserrate was born in 2022 from an overwhelming desire to see the public enjoy one of the most beautiful and contemplative places in the world. Once there, visitors can let themselves be captivated by the emotions that only music can stir, something that is complemented by a relaxing ambience and contact with nature, thereby allowing unique shared memories to be made.

Combining the beauty of Monserrate with a top-class programme that has thus far encompassed various currents of contemporary Portuguese jazz and generated dialogue with other arts such as cinema and the spoken word, the success of the first two editions has shown that Jazz at Monserrate is filling a hitherto neglected niche. The festival's stage has already welcomed the likes of Mário Laginha, Afonso Pais, Maria João, Carlos Bica, Filipe Raposo and Rita Maria.

This third edition will feature the artistic direction of Inês Laginha, composer and lecturer at the Artistic School of Music of the National Conservatory and, since the end of 2017, artistic director of Casa Bernardo Sassetti.

Tickets for the sunset concerts cost €15 and are now on sale on the event's official website. Ticket holders will have access to free transport provided by Scotturb on the days of the festival.

Concerts for families are free with the purchase of an entrance ticket to the Park and Palace of Monserrate. The masterclass with Jorge Rossy is free of charge but requires prior registration. Applications open until 31 August. 

Jazz at Monserrate is organised by Parques de Sintra, sponsored by BPI and the ‘la Caixa’ Foundation and supported by Sintra Municipal Council. Smooth FM is the festival's official radio station.