The relocation will be celebrated with a musical parade through central Madrid, conceived as a “Jazz Funeral and Resurrection” and inspired by the tradition of New Orleans marching bands. The event will start at 5:00 PM and will cover the route from Plaza del Ángel to Calle Santa Catalina, where the Ateneo is located. The festive procession will be led by saxophonist Miguel Malla, aiming to “collectively transfer” the club's spirit.
The farewell to its historic venue will take place the day before, on Wednesday, with a final concert at the establishment that, for over four decades, has been “much more than a stage,” hosting “music, gatherings, and nights that are part of Madrid's cultural memory.”
“"It is not an end, but a transition."
The group responsible for both closing the historic venue and opening the new one at the Ateneo will be Miguel Malla FT Racalmuto, a sextet led by Miguel Malla on saxophone. The lineup also includes Pascual Piqueras (trumpet), Juan Luis Ramírez (clarinet), Javier López (piano), Pablo Navarro (double bass), and Gabriel Marijuán (drums). Racalmuto has also left its mark beyond jazz stages, participating in film soundtracks such as Días de fútbol and Días de cine by David Serrano, La suerte dormida by Ángeles González-Sinde, El lunar by Miguel Ángel Calvo Buttini, and Gente de mala calidad by Juan Cavestany, in addition to regularly collaborating with the theater company Animalario.
From this Thursday, the Café Central's programming will be integrated into the Ateneo, which, according to the club, will “host and preserve its magic, safeguarding its history and giving continuity to everything built night after night.” Founded in 1982, Café Central has hosted nearly 15,000 concerts and welcomed major international jazz figures, establishing itself as a reference point for the genre in Europe.
A new series of concerts at the Cátedra Mayor del Ateneo will begin on April 24. This space is described by the club as “a bonbonnière with delicious acoustics” that maintains “the closeness and intimacy that have always characterized the Central.” The inaugural program will feature two consecutive concerts: the Joshua Edelman Quintet at 7:30 PM and the Jorge Pardo Trío at 9:30 PM.
In May, on the 8th, Cecilia Krull Quintet (7:30 PM) and Lluís Coloma & His Musical Troupe (9:30 PM) will perform. The program will continue on May 22 with Sheila Blanco & Federico Lechner Tango Jazz Trío (7:30 PM) and Ulf Wakenius & Ignasi Terraza (9:30 PM), who will close the day.
“"For decades, Café Central has been a witness and protagonist of some of the most memorable jazz moments in Madrid, hosting national and international musicians who have made its stage an essential meeting place. With this new program in the Cátedra Mayor, Café Central not only expands its activity but also reinforces its vocation for cultural dissemination, creating a bridge between its history and new audiences."
