It’s been 15 years since we were first introduced to what would become a benchmark festival in the Riviera Maya. With its 16th edition, the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival keeps proving that hosting a free event for locals, expats and tourists is both rentable, profitable, and most importantly, fun. This year, they’re bringing a stellar line up, much like what they’ve brought before, and promise three nights of amazing music and coexistence.
These Stars Shine Brighter Than the Sky
This year’s line up will feature the following jazz musicians:
- Bobby McFerrin
- Lalah Hathaway
- Pepe Hernández
- Paco Rosas & PK Band
- Cristina Morrison
- Norah Jones
- Drew Tucker and The New Standard
- Bebel Gilberto
- Lori Williams and Bob Baldwin
- Kike Pat – Un Maya en el Jazz
Dario Flota Ocampo, the director of the Tourism Promotion Council for Quintana Roo, spoke highly about the quality of the artists. The event will take place from November 30th to December 2nd and will be hosted, as always, at Mamitas Beach Club.
The array of artists will delight attendees with a wide selection of sounds, such as Bebel Gilberto’s Brazilian sounds taken from bossa nova and turned into electronic. Another nice surprise will be Kike Pat, who takes from his Mayan roots and is perhaps one of Quintana Roo’s most prominent musicians.
Norah Jones, of course, is one of the biggest names who will be on stage. With 9 Grammys under her belt, she will showcase her incredible versatility and amazing voice by closing the second day.
Be a Part of the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival
With such amazing line ups in the past years (including artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Celso Piña and John Scofield), it is obvious that everyone wants to be present for this amazing musical party. Jazz, of course, is the music of the people and throughout the years, many have come to enjoy its rhythmic vibes. Because the festival is free (and honestly one of the best events in the region), it is important to take some recommendations into consideration:
Get there early
The beach is everyone’s and – as they say – first come, first served. Hundreds upon hundreds of locals, expats and tourists attend the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival. So, get there early to pick a nice spot on the beach to sit, lay down a cloth and have yourself a little picnic. You may also want to either take a taxi or be patient with parking. It might be hard to park due to the amount of people.
Be prepared for “the cold”
Of course, the Riviera Maya is known for its year-round summer weather; however, the wind can get chilly during winter – especially at night time. So, make sure you come prepared with a light sweater. Sitting still by the ocean can definitely get you shivering.
Make your own picnic
While there are vendors roaming around the beach offering food and drinks (and you have the Mamitas Beach Club restaurant at hand), you might want to pack some stuff and make a picnic. Sitting by the sea and listening to amazing jazz musicians make for a great date or night out with friends. So, pack up some wine and a few snacks to enjoy in their company.
Relax and enjoy
If there is one thing jazz has taught is to go with the flow. No scripts, no guidelines, just feeling. Sit back, relax and enjoy these amazing versatile artists. Make sure to use the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival official hashtag #JazzInParadise to find all the official news, photos and videos of the event.