Hello Everyone!

I recently got back from the 7th Annual Panama Jazz Festival with a group from Scullers and JazzBoston and it was so much more than any of us could have hoped for. However, this wasn’t my first trip there. In 2008, Fred and I went down because our dear friend, Grammy-nominated pianist Danilo Pérez had started this festival right in Panama City, Panama on and wing and a prayer and we wanted to support him in any way we could.

The music was terrific. Inspired performances by an international cavalcade of students, faculty and acclaimed jazz stars took place day and night in various lsettings. We were also treated to a broad range of panel discussions, master classes and fantastic jam sessions.

But that is really just the beginning.

What happens down there is just magic, that guy (Danilo) must have fairy dust. You are not just a participant or a witness to the cultural tidal wave that is mounting, you are a vital piece of the equation, an essential partner in global responsibility. By the second day, you get it. The festival isn’t just about great music, great weather and giving under-privileged children the opportunity to explore options in music. It’s about broadening all of our horizons, letting the music open hearts and minds; performer, student and listener alike.

Danilo will tell you time and again that what they are doing in Panama is not about building world class musicians but unleashing the best in their young people. The goal is developing well-rounded, open-minded young people who feel empowered to be the best they can be, not solely from a musical perspective.

In a converstation with one of the festival organizations, I mentioned Scullers Entertainment Bailout Program we started back in October 2008, giving away over 5,000 free tickets during the economic downturn. “Good, but not nearly enough� was the response I received. He wanted to know what we did to bring in new generations of listeners such as master classes, workshops, school visits. What educational programs did we have? Who were our academic partners?

All good questions; I had few answers. But I'll have them for next years trip. So here we are in 2010, expect some new things from this little club... stay tuned.

Oh that Panamanian Devil! Danilo’s mission is inspirational, his energy is contagious and his ability to lengthen your to-do list by 1000 is just spell-binding. Needless to say, we’ll be back next year.

For more information on The Danilo Pérez Foundation, check out http://www.fundaciondaniloperez.com/. Maybe you’ll be inspired to join us next year.



Dayla Arabella Santurri
General Manager
Scullers Jazz Club