The young Alba Esteban (22) and the teenagers Elsa Armengou (17) and Koldo Munné (16) are making their international breakthrough in Cologne, playing with the WDR Big Band, one of the best European jazz orchestras, if not the best. They are already well known in Spain, as members of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, the best young jazz orchestra in the world for many years, a fantastic creation of the maestro Joan Chamorro who has been bringing out precocious geniuses for 16 years. Alba has become one of the best baritone saxophones on the continent, playing with incredible technique and feeling. His sounds are pure magic. And she is also a very good vocalist. Koldo plays both alto and tenor saxophones, at a truly amazing level for his young age. He is also since very recently the vocalist of the band, with a good crooner style. And Elsa ... is a really special case. She only plays trumpet, but she has been doing it since she was a very young baby. She made her debut as a soloist at the age of 6 in a concert in front of more than 2000 people, playing right between two great and very famous American musicians, Jesse Davis and Wycliffe Gordon, who looked at her in amazement without believing what they were seeing and hearing. Absolutely incredible. Since then she hasn't stopped growing and now she looks looks like a fantastic and experienced veteran at the age of 18. Because she really is. Three young Spanish jazz stars who will undoubtedly make history.
I'm one of those who have followed Joan Chamorro's various ensembles and student performers for years. It's not just the musicianship that's extraordinary. The sound quality and technical quality of the Chamorro videos are exceptional, and the musical arrangements are generally wonderful. By the way, nobody should miss Elsa's rendition of "Mood Indigo" at age six, where she performs with musicians of several generations. And her sister Alba's rendition of "Triste" is a classic. It's good to hear these young people performing with WDR....
I think you're referring to the 2013 version of Mood Indigo, when I think she was eight. There's a terrific 2011 version of Undecided in which the six-year-old (?) Elsa plays with Jesse Davis and Wycliffe Gordon, who tower over her.
When I first started watching this I had tears in my eyes, so I stopped the video. When I started it again I finished up crying like a baby. The power of music is in the hands of the musicians and Joan has given us some of the best talent mundial. Gracias Don Joan.
What a technological miracle it is that we, complete strangers scattered across the globe, have been able to enjoy an intimate, ring-side seat as Alba, Elsa and so many others of Joan's 'family' have progressed from their first tentative notes as SAJB children to the impressive young adult musicians they have become! None of it would be possible without their hard work and the unflagging encouragement of an inspired teacher. R (Australia)
Elsa, there are other great jazz trumpeters from San Andreu -- Alba and Andrea are terrific, but you have the purest tone and the best technical skills of all. In a few years you will be a star in your own right. It has been so great watching you grow and develop as a jazz musician over the years. You are fantastic and you are only going to get better and better. You are a joy to watch.
Those who have followed Elsa Armengou closely over the years, and I have, will be able to follow her development from "I want" to "I can" in this title. And that is probably what unites everyone around Joan Chamorro. The will to success and perfection. This could also be seen in the best way in Alba Esteban and Koldo Munné, whom I had the honor to hear and see in unison with the WDR Big Band from their first performances until today. Even though I don't know them all personally, they have grown very close to my heart over the many years. Thanks to Joan Chamorro for making this possible.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this performance is not only the progress Elsa Armengou shows, but seeing her playing over all that time. She looks so timid in the earliest videos, but it was easy to see even then that she would be a phenomenal trumpet player. Her otherworldly calm when playing slowly has allowed her from the start to play with time, and with phrasing and tone that a jittery kid could never achieve. In everything I've seen with her, she seems to perceive rhythm on a much larger scale than any "normal" person of her age. This is an essential skill for a truly developed musician. She seems to have been, as Lady Gaga put it, "born this way."
Quelle émotion en écoutant la jeune Elsa et , à voir le sourire de satisfaction de sa camarade Alba ! Un sourire de joie en écoutant sa jeune collègue qui ne trompe pas : elle apprécie tout simplement !...Bravo à ces jeunes et à tous les autres
Nunca felicitamos a los músicos.que son fantásticos , supongo, a las mujeres ; porque partieron antes ; a mi experiencia con Joan Chamorro Son tidos magníficos
May I add: it’s REALLY worth reading the replies/respuestas to H-J Breutkreuz’s comment below, notably the really perceptive analysis of Elsa’s playing by N Farrell. Wonderful!
