By Ken Grady

THE CITY  of Knowledge was again the venue for the 2015 Panama Jazz Festival (PJF), which ended   on Saturday, January 17,  with a crowd undeterred  by  unseasonal  rain.

This was the third year for the festival at the new site, and this year’s event should have answered any questions critics may have had about the move from Atlapa.

The smaller Teatro Ateno provided a more intimate hall than the auditorium at Atlapa. Also, this year there seemed to be more of a Jazz crowd. I have been a regular at the PJF since 2009. For me, this was one of the better editions.

This year’s festival was dedicated to the memory of the great Eric Dolphy*. Dolphy’s recognition was due to his stellar career, and  to celebrate his Panamanian roots.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights PJF stalwarts  Danilo Perez*, John Patitucci, and  Brian Blade* performed in various groupings throughout the festival, accompanied by Children of the Light andThe Fellowship Band.

Tuesday night began with the tribute to Dolphy. with members of Dolphy’s family in attendance, Avant Garde arranger, composer and spiritual inspiration trombonist, Phil Ranelin, opened.  I was familiar with Ranelin because of his work with Big Black in the 60’s & 70’s. It was classic experimentation trombone, accompanied by international musicians, and  local favorites like, Luis Carlos Perez, who had more than one solo on the alto sax.

The Benny Golson Quartet* followed on Tuesday’s late set with their own tribute to Dolphy.  Now, there are legends and, there are living legends, like Benny Golson. In fact, Golson iswinner of the 2007 Mellon Living Legend Legacy Awardfor his distinguish career and continuedmentorship of much younger musicians. Even at 85 younger musicians still can’t keep up with him. Golson used his sax to weave his way through his 60 year career with classics like, Whisper Not, which he composed in 1957, and the touching,  I Remember Clifford,  for the late trumpeterClifford Brown. Benny Golson also shared stories of growing up with John Coltrane in Philadelphia. The 2 teenaged tenor sax hopefuls were playing professionally before leaving high school.  They dreamed of making it big, and I think they did.

Thursday night featured Chilean saxophonist, Patricia Zarate, with special guest Claudia Acuna*, who has earned the title of the greatest Chilean Jazz and folk vocalist of all time. And, she’s all that!  I found Acuna’s music her in 2004 release, Luna. Patricia Zarate, co-founder of the Panama Jazz Festival, is an accomplished alto sax musician in her own right. And, on this night, she blew the roof off the place with her scorching, improvised solos on the alto sax, while both ladies danced to the sounds of Chilean Jazz from Patricia’s group, Mapu Jazz. Bravo!

Of course, there were other great performances. Too many to catch! And, that’s a good thing. What can we look for next year? Let’s see how they top this one.

*To read my complete articles on these artists go to the search box on the home page.