JAZZOPA EN

JAZZOPA

Jazzopa is an annual collaborative composition and performance workshop that explores the sounds of jazz, hip-hop, and spoken word in dialogue with other artistic languages.

It's a continuation of the pedagogical work developed by the Associação Sons da Lusofonia (ASL) over the past 20 years through OPA – Oficina Portátil de Artes project. Its methodology is based on a creative laboratory model, incorporating multidisciplinary professional training in both practical and theoretical aspects.

With a socially conscious artistic approach aimed at participants with solid musical skills, each edition’s participants compose the music, lyrics, and poems that will become the repertoire of each training year, drawing from the concept of real-time improvisation.

This collaborative workshop is sometimes open to the community, fostering listening and exchange around the work developed, or featuring guests from the music industry to engage with specific formations.

Under the artistic direction of musicians Carlos Martins and André Fernandes and produced by ASL, this project aims to promote a program for the qualification and professionalization of young talents, enhancing their skills in musical creation and artistic performance within the targeted genres. It encourages the development of creative languages where the arts intersect with social engagement, fostering changes in practices that help us reduce growing inequalities in our society.

The result of this collective work is presented annually in live concerts, including at the Festa do Jazz festival.

Line up of 2025: Cynthia Perez (spoken word), jedza (rap), Gabriel Gomes (voz), André Murraças (saxofone), Vicente Pechorro (teclas), José Indi (baixo) e João Parracho (bateria);

Line up of 2024: Razy (vocals and bass), Nitry (rap), Mariana Bonito (spoken-word), Francisco Bettencourt (saxophone), André Silvestre (trumpet), Gonçalo Diogo Morais (guitar), Rodrigo Lima (guitar and bass), João Pedro Melão (keys & synths) and Fillipe Padrão (drums);

Line up of 2023: Vanessa Parish Crooks (vocals and spoken word), Luís Perdigão (spoken word), Vileiro (MC), YA SIN (MC), Ricardo Rosas (saxophone), Kiko Sá (trumpet), Jery Bidan (guitar), Débora King (piano and synths), Francisco Nogueira (bass) and Samuel Dias (drums);

Line up of 2022: Cádi, May e Noiatt (MCs), Mateja Dolsak (saxophone), Mariana Trindade (trumpet), Tom Maciel (keys e synths), Zé Almeida (electric bass) and Miguel Fernández (drums)

"Singer-bassist Razy and rapper Nitry were notable alongside drummer Fillipe Padrão in Jazzopa, a group purveying hip-hop edged soul that would have been better suited to a club rather than a concert hall"

Kevin Le Gendre in Jazzwise

"Por cima de um tapete instrumental sólido, somavam-se as vozes, em registos diferentes – cantado, spoken word e rap. A música assenta num soul/R&B jazzificado, com as vozes a alterarem entre diferentes registos, sobretudo spoken word."

Nuno Catarino in jazz.pt

"Uma generosa e talentosa formação alargada, disposta e muito bem disposta, comunicante e, sobretudo, entusiasmante. Musicalmente encontramos em Jazzopa uma lição em curso do que um dia nos ensinaram outros mestres, de Madlib a James Dewitt Yancey (aka J Dilla), desde então prosseguem em legados como este."

Ricardo Vicente Paredes in Rimas e Batidas