El Siglo del Jazz [The Century of Jazz], a highly recommended exhibition.
If you live in Barcelona or are thinking of visiting the city before the 18th of October, make sure to see the excellent exhibition on the history of Jazz at the Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Barcelona (CCCB). As well as taking a look at the history and evolution of this musical genre by means of a wealth of sound and documentary material, it explores the influence it exerted on other cultural expressions in the 20th century, particularly cinema, illustration, painting and literature, with the most innovative artists finding inspiration in Jazz right from its beginnings. In addition, it offers a chronological journey through the different Jazz currents and trends in seven chapters which examine its influence on the world of culture: Before 1917 –the year in which the New Orleans Chinese Quarter was shut down, putting pay to its seedy bars and brothels, and causing the emigration of the city’s musicians to Chicago and York–, The Jazz Era in America, Harlem renaissance, Crazy Years in Europe, The Era of Swing, War Time, Bebop, Jazz-Art in Barcelona, The West Coast, The Free Revolution and Contemporary.
The exhibition includes absolute gems, not only in terms of its sound material, but also its visual elements, with fragments from films by Meliès and Murnau, footage of Josephine Baker and legendary bands from the 1920s and 30s, as well as posters, illustrations, paintings, photographs and all sorts of other items dating from the early part of last century, with pieces by Delonay and Man Ray, until today, with works by Jeff Wall, David Hammons and Lorna Simpson. In parallel, the exhibition will offer film screenings, lectures and jam sessions. A must-see. To whet your appetite, please check out the excellent website of the CCCB: www.cccb.org/elsegledeljazz
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