Upcoming Concerts

Iván Sangüesa – piano
Fernando Sangüesa – sax
Roberto Pacheco – trombone
Javier Moreno – double bass
Gonzalo Maestre – drums

Their music combines the essence of blues, swing, funk, and Latin rhythms, appealing both to jazz lovers and to fans of other styles. The band’s main characteristic is the strong interaction with the audience during their concerts, making them part of the music at all times.

Pepe Rivero – piano
Reinier Elizarde “El Negrón” – double bass
Yuvisney Aguilar – drums

The renowned Cuban pianist Pepe Rivero, recently nominated for the Latin Grammy alongside Paquito D’Rivera for the album “La Fleur de Cayenne,” will revisit, together with Gastón Joya on double bass and Georvis Pico on drums—also Latin Grammy nominees—the most outstanding pieces from some of his recordings. These range from “Tonight Latin” to Los Boleros de Chopin, Monk en su Rumba, Quizás Quizás, Piano y Trova, Siempre en mi Corazón, dedicated to Ernesto Lecuona, and his latest work “Estampas y Raíces,” dedicated to great Spanish composers.

Compositions that draw on classical music, jazz, and, of course, Cuban music, all of which have strongly influenced his artistic career.

Rachel Reyes – vocals
David Sanz – sax
Joe McEvilly – piano
Tom Jackson – double bass
Andrés Freites – drums

Swinging Mad is a quintet made up of musicians from different nationalities (Argentina, Australia, Spain, and Venezuela) who share a deep admiration for the great bands that made millions of people dance during the golden age of jazz.

Through their songs, they tell a story as a journey through time, which still today continues to serve as the soundtrack to our life experiences.

Iván “Melón” Lewis – piano
Gastón Joya – double bass
Georvis Pico – drums

Iván “Melón” Lewis, a Cuban pianist, is also a composer and music producer. Throughout his career, he has performed at major international jazz festivals, sharing the stage with figures such as Bebo and Chucho Valdés, Mulgrew Miller, Bill Mobley, John Hicks, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Wynton Marsalis.

On stage, Melón combines technical precision, lyricism, and a strong ability for collective improvisation, moving away from the “Latin jazz” cliché to explore a modern, emotive, and highly personal language. Accompanied by two top-level partners on double bass and drums, each concert by the trio becomes a journey that moves from the most energetic groove to the intimacy of ballads, capturing the audience from the first piece to the last.

A regular presence in some of the most renowned jazz venues and festivals in the world, he has been nominated six times for the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2021, he received the award for Best Latin Jazz Album for Voyager. True to his Cuban roots, he appears at Café Central with his trio, one of the most consistent and distinctive projects on the current scene.

Manuel Machado – trumpet
Bobby Martínez – sax
Sergio Fernández – piano
Yandi – bass
Ramón González “El León” – drums, percussion

Trumpeter Manuel Machado and saxophonist Bobby Martínez come together on stage with Sergio Fernández on piano, Yandi on bass, and Ramón González “El León” on drums and percussion to offer a musical journey full of energy, improvisation, and flavor. With careers linked to the best of jazz and Latin music, they present a repertoire that combines original compositions with great Cuban standards. This event also marks their farewell at the Central, a special concert to celebrate music and close a chapter with the intensity that defines them.

Last night at our beloved venue.

Miguel Malla – sax
Pascual Piqueras – trumpet
Juan Luis Ramírez – clarinet
Javier López – piano
Pablo Navarro – double bass
Gabriel Marijuán – drums

Racalmuto has recorded several film soundtracks composed by Miguel Malla, including 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. They are also regular collaborators with the theater company Animalario.

In July 2010, they closed the 12th Barcelona Jewish Film Festival, attended by Stan Warnow, son of Raymond Scott, who presented the documentary Deconstructing Dad about his father. They also traveled to Thessaloniki (Greece), where they performed at its Jazz Festival.

In April 2016, Miguel Malla presented a concert/screening at the United Palace Theatre in New York, featuring Spanish animated films and New York musicians, for which he composed a series of original pieces.

On April 16 at 5 PM, musicians, customers, former staff, and friends are invited to take part in a public farewell: a Jazz Funeral and Resurrection that is, in itself, an act of transformation. Anyone who wishes may join, and musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments. Inspired by the tradition of New Orleans marching bands, the procession will depart from Plaza del Ángel and make its way through the streets to the new location on Santa Catalina Street. Through music, this collective ritual will gather the energy, history, and memory of the old venue and symbolically carry them forward, freeing Café Central from its physical ties to that space and allowing it to exist as a living, unbound project. That energy will be placed in the Ateneo, where the spirit of Café Central will be protected and allowed to keep growing.

On April 15, the historic Café Central will close the doors of its current venue to begin a new chapter at the Ateneo de Madrid. It will be a musical farewell: that same day, the final concert at the current location will take place, led by Miguel Malla Project, a group that will also inaugurate the new space at Café Central – Ateneo on April 16, as a symbol of continuity and renewal.

This transition represents not an ending, but an emancipation and a rebirth. In the year marking the centenary of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Café Central begins a new chapter while remaining firmly committed to jazz and live music. At its new home in the Ateneo de Madrid, the goal is to continue its regular programming of two concerts every night of the year, offering the people of Madrid and its visitors the chance to end their day with live music. In parallel, several nights will be programmed at La Cátedra del Ateneo, a historic auditorium with exceptional acoustics that will allow for an expanded artistic offering in a unique setting.

For this new phase, performances are already confirmed by musicians who have been part of Café Central’s history, such as Joshua Edelman, Jorge Pardo, Guillermo McGill, Cecilia Krull, Lluís Coloma, Sheila Blanco, Federico Lechner, and Ignasi Terraza.

Until then, Café Central will continue celebrating its final nights at the current venue with concerts by great artists and close collaborators, including Manuel Machado, Canal Street Jazz Band, Pepe Rivero, and Iván “Melón” Lewis.

Café Central bids farewell to a space that has been a landmark for decades, but does so by affirming its identity beyond a physical location—now free from its former setting and looking toward the future, reaffirming its vocation as a meeting place for music and for those who live it every night.

April 16
Time: 5 PM
Location: Outside Café Central, Plaza del Ángel 10
Free admission

First night at the Café Central Ateneo.

Miguel Malla – sax
Pascual Piqueras – trumpet
Juan Luis Ramírez – clarinet
Javier López – piano
Pablo Navarro – double bass
Gabriel Marijuán – drums

Racalmuto has recorded several film soundtracks composed by Miguel Malla, including 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. They are also regular collaborators with the theater company Animalario.

In July 2010, they closed the 12th Barcelona Jewish Film Festival, attended by Stan Warnow, son of Raymond Scott, who presented the documentary Deconstructing Dad about his father. They also traveled to Thessaloniki (Greece), where they performed at its Jazz Festival.

In April 2016, Miguel Malla presented a concert/screening at the United Palace Theatre in New York, featuring Spanish animated films and New York musicians, for which he composed a series of original pieces.

Guillermo McGill - drums
Darío Guibert - double bass
Juan Sebastián Vázquez - piano
Daniel Juárez - sax

“To inaugurate the new chapter of Central and get off to a great start, what better than to share the stage with some very special colleagues who, years ago, were my students, but today are part of the elite of the Madrid scene. Part of the repertoire we will perform will remind us of those days of artistic and personal growth.” Guillermo McGill.

Dany Noel - bass
Adrián Estévez - piano
Alejandro Chávez - drums

A project born in Madrid, an eclectic and international metropolis, “Dany Noel” emerges from an idea by bassist, singer, arranger, and composer Dany Noel. With his bass and a high-level trio, the artist shapes music full of nuance and atmosphere, in a constant dialogue between genres ranging from Latin to fusion, from jazz to bolero and flamenco.

In this unique and outstanding trio, the Cuban bassist, joined by Alejandro Chávez on drums and Adrián Estévez on piano, invites us on a fresh and captivating musical journey. A sonic experience that reveals the essence of Latin jazz and conveys the culture and sensitivity of his country of origin.

All that’s left is to let yourself go and enjoy it.

Patxi Pascual - sax
María Zerpa - vocals
Gabriel Szternsztejn - guitar
José Ramón Abella - bass
Raúl Rodríguez - drums

Jazz saxophonist. From Madrid. A specialist in wind instruments, both flute/sax and ethnic wind instruments. A musician with extensive experience in concerts and festivals, Patxi Pascual has collaborated with artists such as Paul Wertico (Pat Metheny Group), John Patitucci, Jerry González (one of the pioneers of Latin jazz), Julio Awad, Pepe Rivero, Carmen Linares, Rasha, Mariem Hassan, Eliseo Parra, Javier Ruibal, José Antonio Ramos, and has released several albums both as a solo artist and in collaboration.

Such a versatile professional career cannot be understood without a self-taught and precocious background, beginning when he first got hold of his brother’s guitar, his first wind instrument—a transverse flute—and a fascination with those exotic musics he discovered in his childhood during visits to his family in Tangier. His curiosity for Latin, Andean, Indian, and other world music traditions—rich in secrets, chords, combinations, virtuoso musicians, and improvisation—found a natural connection with jazz.

Yuvisney Aguilar - composer, director, timbales
Gito Maleta - piano
José Raúl Machado - double bass
Carlos Cano - flute
Ángel Herrera - congas

Special guests:
Idania Valdés - vocals
Amadito Valdés - timbales

“The CUBintage” performs as an ambassador project of the golden age of Cuban music from the 1950s and 60s, paying a cultural and musical tribute that blends tradition, sophistication, rhythm, and glamour. Inspired by great masters such as Bebo Valdés, Israel “Cachao” López, and Pedro Justiz “Peruchín”, the quintet reconstructs with contemporary sensitivity a distinctive style that shaped the history of Latin music.

The evening will feature the exceptional participation of singer Idania Valdés and timbalero Amadito Valdés, internationally renowned artists linked to the historic Buena Vista Social Club, witnesses and carriers of a living musical heritage. Their presence reinforces the unique character of a project that not only performs, but embodies a living memory of Cuba’s musical tradition.

“The CUBintage” is more than a concert: it is a celebration of Cuban musical heritage and its living presence today.

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.
Calle del Prado, 21, 28014, Madrid

Joshua Edelman - piano
Saúl Santolaria - vocals
Adrián Zarrabeitia - trombone
Loisel Machín - double bass
Richard Pacheco - congas

We are honored to kick off our Café Central programming at La Cátedra del Ateneo with the musician who has performed most frequently at our old venue. Over nearly 800 nights, he has offered a unique presence that blends elegance, sensitivity, and mastery. His fusion of the Manhattan style with Latin jazz has opened new horizons for audiences, and his intelligent, profound approach to jazz has made each concert a memorable experience.

“I have a very long love affair with Latin jazz, which I caught in my native Manhattan in the 1970s. The passion for this music has been one of the driving forces of my professional life and has led me, over decades, to an intensive schedule of recordings and concerts. After nearly forty years performing regularly on the stage of the legendary Café Central, it brings me immense joy that the Central has overcome all adversities to continue in this new location. And of course, it is an honor to inaugurate this new chapter with this band.” Joshua Edelman

Yuley Díaz - piano
Yelsy Heredia - double bass
Georvis Pico - drums
Inor Sotolongo - percussion

Yuley Díaz, a Cuban pianist and composer based in Madrid. Her project combines arrangements and original compositions with an elegant, jazz-oriented, and theatrical approach. With roots in Cuban music and a solid classical background enriched by Latin jazz, her music—imbued with a feminine sensibility—is expressed with delicacy and emotion. Accompanied by a trio of exceptional musicians, Yelsy Heredia, Georvis Pico, and Inor Sotolongo, she is able to connect with diverse audiences and transform each space into an emotional experience.

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.
Calle del Prado, 21, 28014, Madrid

Jorge Pardo - flute, sax
Jerónimo Maya - flamenco guitar
Bandolero - percussion

On this first night of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo, the second concert of the evening will be led by the Jorge Pardo Trio, with a proposal that fuses flamenco and jazz.

Jorge Pardo, born in Madrid, is a benchmark as a composer and performer on flute and saxophone, and a pioneer in integrating flamenco into these instruments alongside figures such as Camarón de la Isla and Paco de Lucía. Since 1979, he has participated in landmark albums such as La leyenda del tiempo, being key in the development of “flamenco jazz.” With more than twenty albums as a leader, he was recognized as Best European Jazz Musician by the French Jazz Academy for Huellas (2013). Additionally, he received the National Music Award in 2015 and was awarded the American Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2020 for his participation in Antidote, by Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band.

He is accompanied by Jerónimo Maya, a guitarist of great personality and virtuosity, recognized for his ability to expand the language of flamenco, and Bandolero, a percussionist with an extensive career, noted for his energy, rhythmic precision, and stage presence, regularly collaborating with major figures and international festivals.

A concert that proposes a meeting between tradition and innovation, with three musicians exploring new sonic frontiers from flamenco.

Mario Siles - guitar
Guillem Ferrer - sax
Carmen Vela - flute, clarinet
Dani García - drums
David Herrington - tuba

With more than 15 years on the music scene, Jazz on Five has established itself as the leading group in the “jazz güateque” genre. They promise fun…

Leo Minax - guitar, vocals
Germán Kucich - piano
Toño Miguel - double bass
David Gadea - percussion

Brazilian composer Leo Minax returns to the legendary Café Central on April 27, performing in quartet format alongside Germán Kucich on piano, Antonio “Toño” Miguel on double bass, and David Gadea on percussion. In the repertoire, Minax presents his well-known songs along with many previously unreleased compositions. Brazilian rhythms that constantly seek the freedom of jazz, energy, and the boldness of more experimental music within the song format. A seductive and unique project, highlighting the originality of the performance, the beauty of the compositions, and the chemistry and talent of the musicians accompanying the artist.

Leo Minax is undoubtedly one of the major names among Brazilian musicians of his generation. He has lived in Madrid for many years and has released eleven original albums, with different approaches and formations. His career is associated with names such as Toninho Horta, Vitor Ramil, Javier Ruibal, Miguel Poveda, Ronaldo Bastos, Suso Saiz, and Moska, among other great artists, as collaborators or co-authors. His music has been recorded by Jorge Drexler, Brazilian artist Joyce Moreno, and Spanish singer Ana Belén.

Minax has performed in many countries and has composed alongside major artists. He is also developing a project with the quintet of Danish musician Steen Rasmussen, with whom he has been collaborating actively in recent years.

“…Leo does it organically, and the rhythmic complexity is almost imperceptible—the refined music that flows from his guitar and his impeccable performance. The absurdly poetic lyrics go down like water through the throat of the ears. His current work undoubtedly reaches the maturity of that search. And, with the luminous chemistry of his acoustic trio, presents a stimulating sound full of creative adventure.” Chico Amaral

“Innovative, creative, a master of composition, fully in tune with his time, Leo Minax brings us the conviction that composition is something transformative, always (…).” Lô Borges

“(…) The trio opens and closes like a valve, tightening around Minax, then releasing him again, but always in support of the songs. It’s a tough balance: finding the freedom of improvised music while maintaining the calm control required by a singer-songwriter. Jazz, pop, and chamber music come together in this delicate balancing act.” Leo Sidran

Astrid Jones - vocals
Carlos Bratt - guitar
Carlos Soria - bass
Arnaldo Lescay - drums
Ernesto Millán - sax, keyboards

“Shine!”. It’s a statement of intent. A call to SHINE. With her new album, Astrid Jones & The Blue Flaps invite us to bring light to our personal story, to what defines who we are, and to embrace the beauty and strength that come from that awareness. A unique blend of multiple identities that musically translates into a combination of rhythms, harmonies, and melodies evoking soul, jazz, reggae, and African rhythms, with an elegant and very personal sound.

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.
Calle del Prado, 21, 28014, Madrid

Cecilia Krull - vocals
Carlos Sarduy - trumpet
Luis Guerra - piano
Francisco López “Loque” - double bass
Alberto Brenes - drums

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.

Cecilia Krull has earned gold records in countries such as France and double platinum in Italy, becoming number 1 on global viral charts thanks to “My Life Is Going On,” the soundtrack of the hit series La Casa de Papel.

She is one of the most recognized singers on the national scene within the new generation of jazz musicians. Her voice, velvety and distinctive, combines talent, skill, and elegance, always leaving an unforgettable impression on those who listen to her.

On this occasion, she will delight us with a varied repertoire ranging from pure jazz to bossa nova, French chanson, and some bolero, demonstrating the versatility that characterizes this Madrid-born singer of diverse roots (France, Cuba, Germany, and Spain), for whom the most important thing is to sing songs and tell stories.

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.
Calle del Prado, 21, 28014, Madrid

Lluís Coloma - piano
Kid Carlos - guitar
Manolo Germán - double bass
Arnau Julià - drums

25 years of music
Blues & Boogie Woogie & Jazz and more

Twenty-five years ago, Lluís Coloma began a musical journey that has taken him to the most important stages around the world within the Blues and Boogie Woogie piano scene. In addition, he has done so by creating his own personal and unique musical language.

A restless musician, he is currently in a moment of creative explosion in his career, breaking musical schemes and boundaries. A turning point, where he naturally creates pieces that sound organic and original. Compositions that evoke an epic, cinematic imagination… that take you out of conceptual thinking and transport you directly and involuntarily to a sensitive and dynamic dimension. All of them connected by the common thread of Blues and a shared rhythmic pulse, which feels driving even in slow tempos.

Captivating and danceable music, with a clear and forceful language, crafted with care and full of details, making it rich in sensations and nuances; rooted in the traditions of Blues, Boogie Woogie, Rock & Roll, Classical Music, and Country Music… which are simply the starting point for exploring new paths that lead to unexplored sonic spaces.

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.
Calle del Prado, 21, 28014, Madrid

Sheila Blanco - vocals
Federico Lechner - piano
Tomás Merlo - double bass
José San Martín - drums

The group was born as a musical laboratory to blend the worlds of Jazz and Tango, using some traditional tangos, some iconic jazz standards, and some original compositions created from the very spirit of this fusion.

For this new project, the very special guest soloist is singer Sheila Blanco, a versatile and highly talented artist, with a strong stage presence and deep knowledge of both jazz and tango.

The result is a program that brings together classic tangos, original compositions, and jazz standards, all with an innovative range of colors, where the voice is not limited to singing the lyrics but sometimes joins the improvisational celebration as another instrument. A unique, high-quality proposal that is also suitable for all audiences.

First concerts of Café Central at La Cátedra del Ateneo.
Calle del Prado, 21, 28014, Madrid

Ulf Wakenius - guitar
Ignasi Terraza - piano
Special guest:
Reico Fujisaki - vocals

The duo formed by Ignasi Terraza and Ulf Wakenius performs the music of the legendary Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson, following the celebration of his centenary, with a project that combines original compositions with pieces from the historic Peterson-Joe Pass duo.

The connection of these two musicians with Oscar Peterson is deep and personal. Ulf Wakenius had the privilege of being part of Peterson’s group during the last decade of his career, taking his guitar to stages around the world alongside the master. For his part, Ignasi Terraza has found in Oscar Peterson an inexhaustible source of inspiration since the beginning of his career, reflecting in his style the energy, creativity, and elegance that defined the Canadian pianist.

Together, these two exceptional musicians offer a vibrant and personal reinterpretation of Oscar Peterson’s universe, celebrating his legacy with their own singular voice and keeping alive the spirit of swing and improvisation that characterized him.

A unique opportunity to relive the magic of the Peterson-Joe Pass duo through two virtuosos who have embraced his legacy and projected it into the present. The concert will also feature the talented Japanese singer Reico Fujisaki, who will add her unique voice to the evening’s repertoire.