Search results matching tags 'Events' and 'Live Music'

Dates Set for 2013 Riviera Maya Jazz Festival

435836 — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 18:37:00 GMT

Organizers of the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival have released the concert dates for 2013. This year's festival will be held November 28 - 30, 2013 at Mamitas Beach Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival brings together music lovers of all kinds and combines the best selection of famous jazz musicians worldwide with the breathtaking view, relaxed atmosphere and culture of Playa del Carmen. Three nights of great tunes under the moonlit sky, on the beach, for free... what more could you ask for!?

Stay tuned for more information....

Performers Announced for the 10th Annual Riviera Maya Jazz Festival

435836 — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:14:00 GMT

RIVIERA MAYA, Mexico - The 10th annual Riviera Maya Jazz Music Festival will feature a one-of-a-kind lineup of some of today's greatest jazz performers. Nestled between the white sand beaches and verdant jungles along the Eastern Caribbean coast of Mexico's Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya will vibrate to the rhythm of Jazz for 3 days on November 22nd 2012 through November 24th.

The festival, hosted in Playa Mamitas and considered to be among the top 10 jazz music festivals in the world will allow music lovers to enjoy stellar performances by world-renowned artists. Over the past 10 years the festival has hosted big names such as George Duke, Four Play, Sergio Mendes, Herbie Hancock, Ivan Lins, Armando Manzanero, Sacbe, Stanley Clarke and Yellowjackets.

"The tenth annual Riviera Maya Jazz Festival will showcase jazz at its finest," said Dario Flota Ocampo, general director of the Riviera Maya Destination Marketing Office. "Every year we continue to improve the festival and we are pleased to provide travelers the opportunity to enjoy the performance of world-class jazz artists at one of the world's top travel destinations."

The lineup is as follows:

Thursday, November 22nd

Joe d'Etienne and his Big Band: The trumpet player, composer, arranger and pianist will kick off the festival.

Pete Escovedo: The legendary percussionist will marvel festival-goers with a mix of Latin rhythms and jazz.

Victor Wooten: The day will end with a performance by the 5-time Grammy award winning musician and talented bass player.

Friday, November 23rd

Nortec: This band will get the crowds dancing with its mix of traditional Mexican, electronica and dance music.

Poncho Sanchez: One of the most influential conga players and percussionists in Afro-Cuban jazz.

Level 42

Saturday, November 24th

Aguamala: This group born in Playa del Carmen will charm the crowds with a fine mix of influences, made of a base of jazz with touches of funk and rock, giving it a particular, delightful sound.

Wayne Shorter: The 6-time Grammy award winner and one of the most significant and prolific saxophonists and composers in jazz and modern music.

John Scofield: Tee masterful jazz improviser whose music falls somewhere between post-bop, funk edged jazz, and R & B will close the festival.

The 10th annual Riviera Maya Jazz Festival will be a celebration of music, history and culture in a beautiful venue that will provide sea, sand and sunsets, adding to the magic and beauty of the event.

For more information on the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival visit www.RivieraMayaJazzFestival.com

Twitter: @RivieraMaya - Facebook: www.facebook.com/RivieraMaya

Wah Wah Beach Bar to Open in Playa del Carmen

435836 — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:53:00 GMT

Today is the day! After months of planning, construction and much anticipation Wah Wah Beach Bar in Playa del Carmen will welcome friends both near and far under its giant palapa on the beach, just south of calle 2 on the site of the old Cabanas Las Ruinas.

Wah Wah was conceived and created by Kim and J.J. Johnston and will be the new home to Playa del Carmen's beloved Nasty Bastards Band and the Jam Session Combo, two bands that have risen to the top of the Riviera Maya music scene, entertaining locals and visitors from across the globe. This exciting new venue will have live music Thursday through Sunday on the 70 sqmt stage and will welcome guest bands and performers from the United States and Canada.

The opening festivities will kick off today at 4pm with The Nasty Bastards Band taking the stage from 6-10pm.

On Sunday, February 5th, Wah Wah will host the biggest Superbowl Party in Playa del Carmen with music from the irreverent Chris Bolister and Blues musician Brent Parkin starting at noon. The game will be telecast LIVE on several screens including Wah Wah's 20' x 25' high definition projection TV screen, reported to be the largest on the Riviera Maya. The kitchen will be open and feature Smokin' John's signature smoked meats and BBQ. We are looking forward to the house made gourmet pizzas that will come out of the new handcrafted pizza oven.

If you like to hang out in the sun, drink cold beer, eat good food and listen to good music in a family friendly atmosphere, Wah Wah is going to be the place for you! We will be there tonight to christen the new bar. Stay tuned for an update with pictures!

Wah Wah!!!!

9th Annual Riviera Maya Jazz Fest Posts Preliminary Line-Up

435836 — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:41:00 GMT

Plans are being made and performers booked for the 9th Annual Riviera Maya Jazz Festival to be held November 24 - 26 2011 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival combines the best international jazz musicians with the world renowned beaches and cosmopolitan atmosphere of Playa del Carmen. Three nights of great Jazz under the moonlit sky, on the beach and best of all, admission is FREE! More performers and bands are yet to be confirmed but this is the preliminary line-up as it stands right now.

Thursday Nov. 24
Natalia Lafourcade
Jeff Lorber
Randy Brecker

Friday Nov. 25
Aguamala
John Anderson
Stanley Clarke

Saturday Nov. 26
Alex Otaola
Richard Bona
Yellowjackets

For more information about the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival, contact: mili@rivieramayajazzfestival.com or visit the official website. Updates can also be found on the festival Facebook page and on Twitter!

Playa del Carmen 4th of July Party at Wicky's Beach Club!

435836 — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:14:00 GMT

Looking for a place to celebrate the 4th of July with your family and friends in Playa del Carmen? Don't miss the annual 4th of July Celebration and BBQ at Wicky's Restaurant and Beach Club! The festivities begin at noon with live music starting at 1:30pm and FIREWORKS at dusk! Wicky's famous Beach BBQ Buffet will be open from 2pm - 7pm. This is an event that is not to be missed if you are visitor or an expat from the US you will be sure to have a great time!

Filharmonia at Xcaret - Amazing!

435836 — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:16:00 GMT

Sometime in the Fall, Papalote parents were asked if their children would like to participate in a performance that was to take place sometime near the end of the 2010-2011 school year. There were to be required in-school rehearsals and books to buy and uniforms to order and little or no information about exactly what kind of event we could expect. The children would be learning some songs on the Flauta Escolar (that's a recorder to you and me) which, like all good Waldorf children, they become quite proficient with at a young age. Frankly, the prospect of MORE recorder practice in my house filled me with dread, but as Cole and his pals seemed keen to do it, I signed him up and paid for the music book. Having lived here for almost 7 years now, I secretly wondered if this "performance", would ever actually take place. I've seen lots of these bright shiny ideas take off like a rocket only to fizzle and die out. Events are rarely, if ever, planned a whole year in advance and I questioned whether the organizers and the young participants could keep up their enthusiasm and the momentum to make it through!

As the year progressed, I was curious to find little or no recorder being practiced at home with the exception of John Williams theme from "Star Wars" which Cole played over and over again until I heard it in my sleep. Having no musical skills whatsoever, I was delighted that he was able to accomplish this one song and that he seemed to really enjoy it. So great. We will watch Cole and his class perform "Star Wars" on the recorder, everyone will take pictures and shoot video. We will all cheer and praise them for their dedication and grumble about plopping down 300 pesos for the big music book and wonder why we couldn't have just banged out a couple dozen copies of the sheet music at Copyvanka.

More time went on, informational meetings were scheduled (meetings which I conveniently forgot about), uniforms were paid for and ordered, tickets were reserved for this event which was to take place at Xcaret. Xcaret? That made me stop and think. What on earth could they be doing that would take up the theatre at Xcaret? Maybe I SHOULD have gone to the informational meetings.Damnit! There goes my parent-of-the-year award. Again.

Determined not to screw this up completely, on the appointed day...at the appointed hour...printed minute-to-minute time table in hand...I brought Cole to Xcaret for a mandatory rehearsal...scheduled to last 6 hours! Greeting us when we arrived were throngs of other students, each clad in their respective school uniforms, each with the aforementioned big music book and flauta in hand, waiting with their parents. It was bedlam. Cole was delighted. I felt a migraine coming on and cursed myself for having that last after dinner cocktail. This was no time for the spectacular hangover I was sporting. I somehow managed not to embarrass myself or my son and made a mental note to get a good night's sleep and eschew all thoughts of cocktails.

The next morning, with a clear head and a full night's rest, I arrived at Xcaret and dropped off Cole to meet up with his group. I had pre-purchased tickets and easily found my way across the park, aided along the way by the helpful and charming Xcaret staff. Our seats were good and I settled in fully expecting to have a good long wait ahead of me. As 1st and 2nd call was announced over the loud-speaker, I began to panic that perhaps "Mexico Time" was not in effect here! Rob and Birdie made it just in time for the opening number!

What I experienced then and for the next two hours was, to me, nothing short of a miracle. Nearly 1000 children, from different schools in Cancun and the Riviera Maya, all perfectly dressed with the required uniforms, music books and recorders played 21 songs directed by their music teachers and accompanied by a small orchestra. It was amazing! I was awestruck! My son and 999 other children had managed to learn 21 songs during the course of the school year. Even more amazing, the event, with just one day of rehearsal, went off on time and without a hitch. For those of you living out your lives NOB (north of the border) this may not seem like something to get worked up about. Trust me. It is. Aside from a dramatic and much-needed downpour of rain, there was no detail left unaccounted for by the teachers, organizers and Xcaret event staff. If you had asked me 7 years ago if I could imagine such an event taking place in Playa del Carmen, I would have said you were crazy. It is incredible how things have progressed over the past few years. There are so many more opportunities available for families with children here and across the Riviera Maya. If your children are attending a school in this area and they are not involved in this activity, I would strongly encourage you to suggest it to the head of school or the music department. It will be well worth the effort. We all need to keep pushing for more of these "miracles"!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Support Angel Notion!

435836 — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:56:00 GMT

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in grand fashion at Ajua Maya Restaurant in Playa del Carmen! Enjoy the exquisite culinary creations of Chef Gabriel Sanchez Gomez, a Master Chef of Traditional Mexican cuisine and help support Angel Notion.

Ayuda de los Angeles A.C., better known as Angel Notion, is a non-profit medical foundation serving the needy in Playa del Carmen and the communities along the Mayan Riviera with medical care, surgery, education, and dental care along with many specialties and alternative medicines. Services at the clinic include Psychological counseling, Gynecology, Dentistry, Pediatrics, Language Therapy, Orthopedics, General Medicine, Optometry, Nutritional Therapy and Ultrasound. Angel Notion provides disabled children in Playa del Carmen with customized medical attention and rehabilitation, specialized treatment and surgery, seminars on Life Skills to promote independence in day-to-day living and enhance opportunity for job placement. The foundation also facilitates special Medical Missions to provide special surgeries for cleft palate and other birth abnormalities.

Ajua Maya will be donating 10% of their sales this night to Angel Notion, AC. We invite you to enjoy this fundraising benefit and to experience the authentic flavors of new Executive Chef, Gabriel Sánchez Gómez.

Chef Gabriel Sánchez Gómez is from the state of Puebla and was born with a passion for food, flavors, Mexican markets and traditional Mexican cuisine. As a young child he spent a great deal of time in the abundant Mexican marketplace, where his single mother worked to support her family. They had few resources however, his mother would save a few pesos each and every day until she had enough to purchase the best meat, produce and spices and some of the more expensive Mexican delicacies such as Huitlacoche (corn truffles). She showed him how to carefully select the finest quality ingredients available and taught him traditional recipes and cooking techniques passed down from generation to generation. At the tender age of 5, he was often left to care for his younger brothers while his mother worked. She would prepare a meal in advance and leave it for Gabriel to reheat and serve. Even at this young age, he would taste her dishes and then add his own combination of spices and condiments to adjust the flavors for himself and his younger brothers! From this time on, he knew he was destined to be a Chef!

This Cinco de Mayo, Chef Gabriel will share his love and passion for traditional Mexican and Mestizo cuisine. Don't miss this opportunity to sample the authentic recipes and ingredients of Puebla including the famous Mole Poblano!

Appetizers
Chalupas Poblanas
Quesadillas with Flor de Calabaza & Mashed Peas

Entrees
Pipián Verde
Mole Poblano
Goat Cheese Stuffed Chipotle

Dessert
Cornbread with Rompope Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream
Mexican Rice Pudding

Mariachis - 7 pm - 8 pm
Salsa Band - 8 pm - 10 pm
Rock n Roll Band - 10 pm - midnight

Ajua Maya is located on Calle 4 between Avenidas 5 and 10. Reservations are recommended. Call 984 803 1118 or email fun@ajuamaya.com.

Co-Sponsors for this event are La Clínica Sacbe, City Club, Corona, y Libertad de Accesibilidad, AC.

Labor Day Beach Party at Wicky's in Playa del Carmen

435836 — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 15:15:00 GMT

Last week, Wicky's Restaurant and Beach Club played host to a beach party and BBQ feast to celebrate Labor Day. Rob and I brought the kids to the beach and met up with some of our friends to enjoy the day. The BBQ was delicious (and I know as I made it through for both lunch AND dinner) with tender ribs, chicken, pulled pork and all the traditional picnic sides. J.J. and Playa del Carmen's favorites The Nasty B.astards Band played all day and set the perfect tone for this very American celebration. It was a beautiful afternoon spent with good friends. Enjoy the pics.

Beaches still looking good!

Rob and Mitch - Can you feel the love?

Birdie with Miss Edie and Aurora

Damon with Dakota

Kat with Chef Pepe and Dakota

Karen and Kim

Kat and Dakota

Birdie with Miss Edie and Chief Brian

Mmmmmm...ribs!

Coleslaw

Potato Salad with bacon

Fresh garden salad...also with bacon.

The 1st of many plates.....

J.J. and the Nasty B.astards Band

Luis

Enrique

Guus and Manolo

Kim and Kaj

Kim with Birdie and Kaj

Birdie and Aurora

Damon and Dakota

Handsome husband

Karen

Anthony, Alex, Jim, Alicia and Martina

Gabrielito and Cole

Don't tell Birdie I posted this one. ;)

Josh, Brea, Kat, friend whose name I can't remember and Kat

Late afternoon on the beach

Sunset on El Faro Playa del Carmen

4th of July at Wicky's Playa del Carmen

435836 — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:22:00 GMT

Wicky's was the place to be this year to celebrate the 4th of July! While many Playa del Carmen businesses closed their doors in compliance with election day "ley seca", Wicky's came out in full force with a traditional cookout on the beach. The buffet was complete with burgers, hot dogs and chicken hot off the grill with favorite side dishes such as potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob and even deviled eggs! Los Gringos Perdidos and the Wandering Mexican entertained the beach crowd throughout the afternoon, giving up the stage to J.J. and The Nasty Bastards Band to take us through dinner and the brief fireworks display.

As usual, the Chefs and staff at Wicky's kept everyone happy and well attended. Thanks to General Manager, Damon, and his whole team for a lovely family event!

"Hope for Haiti" Benefit in Playa del Carmen a Huge Success

435836 — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:06:00 GMT

Yesterday afternoon, the beach in front of Wicky's Restaurant in Playa del Carmen was the place to be for great BBQ and live music! The fundraiser, "Hope for Haiti", benefiting, Doctors Without Borders, was hosted by Wicky's, attracting hundreds of local residents and visitors alike. Many came to enjoy the excellent buffet presented by Head Chef Collin Kelley, others came to enjoy the beach and the entertainment provided by J.J. and The Nasty Bastards Band, Chris Bolister, Brent Parkin, Mike Grabow, Barefoot Skinny and Gary with his Gringos Perdidos! The weather was not as cooperative as we would have liked with persistent wind gusts forcing the BBQ line up inside, but the sun was shining bright and everyone in attendance had a great time. I was pretty busy at the ticket table selling t-shirts and buffet passes and I did not get to take as many pictures as I wanted to during the height of the party, but I did a chance to snap a few shots here and there. Kay Walten in Akumal has some great pictures from their "Hope for Haiti" Akumal event posted as well with more to follow I am certain.

I heard so many nice compliments throughout the day,about the food, the location and the music. It really was a terrific event and I was proud to be involved. It was nice to see so many people come out to show their support and I appreciate each and everyone of you who took the time to attend. I should have the final numbers for the day tallied soon and will post them on the "Hope for Haiti" Facebook Event Page. There are a lot of people to thank for their assistance in the organization and execution of this event and I will endeavor to name as many as I can in no particular order:

Many thanks to Kay and Gary Walten of www.LocoGringo.com, Damon Gerke, General Manager, Collin Kelley, Head Chef and Linda Burchette, Director of Sales and Marketing for Wicky's Restaurant. Also, thanks to Nicola Inwood and Dave Tomlinson from Hotel Tropical Casablanca and Abyss Dive Center, Rob Kinnon and Glenn Harris, Jeff Johnson and all the talented musicians who gave their time and talents to the day and Cheryl, Aurora and Mitch who helped me throughout the event. Thanks also to the local vendors and food purveyors who donated product to the event so we could keep our costs low. They include Comercial Norte Americana, Deli Playa, Artisenal Swiss Breads, Dac, Exim del Caribe, Pacsadeli, Corona and Coca Cola. Special thanks to "Bob" the winner of the 50/50 raffle who donated all of the $3000 pesos back to Doctors Without Borders.

If you were unable to attend yesterday's event but would still like to make a donation, you may do so securely, by credit card, through our "Hope for Haiti" Donation Page. There are also t-shirts still available which can be purchased at Hotel Tropical Casablanca on 1st Ave. next to the Abyss Dive Shop and the Dirty Martini Lounge. They are $200 pesos a piece with all proceeds going to the charity.