Creative cities honour healthcare workers with jazz performances

An initiative for the International Jazz Day joined by eight UNESCO creative cities

Eight cities part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network have chosen an artistic way to honour the work of healthcare staff and other personnel involved in providing essential services. On 30 April, International Jazz Day, they will be sharing a locally-performed version of the famous Nat Adderley's 'Work Song'.

Jazz – a universal language

The Spanish city of Seville, member of the network since 2006, recognized as a creative city of music, proudly announced its support for the initiative. In this critical situation, the collective effort aims to recognize through a universal language the efforts that workers in fields such as health, food or security have been doing for weeks to protect us from the coronavirus threat.

Work Song · Cannonball Adderley Sextet, Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises

Musicians from other cities (like Kansas, USA, Kingston, Jamaica, Praia, Cape Verde, Brno, Czechia, Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal or the Llíria and Terrassa, Spain) will also perform versions of the emblematic Work Song throughout the day. Their performances will be shared on the social media channels of the respective municipalities.

Jazz in the time of Corona

Alongside this initiative, Sevilla partners up with Assejazz to celebrate Jazz Day, albeit virtually, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Citizens will be able to enjoy pieces of a good part of the concerts that have been held this season in the Turina Space in the framework of the Jazz & Clubs cycle.

"It is one of the most consolidated events in the programming of this municipal space that offers the public a varied agenda of musical proposals weekly," explained Seville’s Deputy for Urban Habitat, Culture and Tourism, Antonio Muñoz.

Starting today, International Jazz Day, until May 10, everyone can listen, via the YouTube channel of the City Council, to two songs per day from each of the 11 groups and artists included in this selection of recordings, made by Assejazz during the cycle.