DrumFest Costa Rica is an international event organized by the Sanders Music Academy that has become an important cultural and musical gathering in Latin America. DrumFest 2014 will be the fourth iteration of this important event, which is dedicated to a very special guest: Renowned jazz drummer John Bernard Riley.

John Riley is one of the foremost drum and percussion representatives of the jazz musical genre. He has performed with jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, and others. He is the author of the best-selling book The Art of Bop Drumming. Budding jazz musicians in Costa Rica should not miss this opportunity to participate in workshops with Mr. Riley.

Also participating at DrumFest 2014 will be Puerto Rican legend Jose Rosa, author of The Art of Latin Drumming, Chilean virtuoso Camilo Torres (author of The Art of Groove), and the fiery drummer Carlos Guevara from Venezuela.

DrumFest was conceived as a get together to encourage interaction between musicians from Costa Rica and from all over the world. For DrumFest 2014, the public will be treated to performances by different groups, including an ensemble of 50 drummers that must simply be experienced. The venues will include CENAC (the Ministry of Culture auditorium in San Jose), Jazz Cafe in San Pedro, and the Sanders Music Academy in Santa Ana.

The event got started on March 1^st with workshops by Jose Rosa and Camilo Torres. Following the workshops, there was a concert by Swing en Cuatro with guest drummers Jose Rosa and renowned Tico musician Isaac Morera. On March 9^th, Costa Rican band Transfusion will play a concert at the CENAC, followed by a workshop by Carlos Guevara and second concert, this time by Camilo Torres and Jose Rosa. To learn more about the remaining seminars, please contact the Sanders Music Academy.

Also on March 9^th, Maestro John Riley will teach attendees a thing or two about jazz drumming and get them ready for the main event: An explosive grand finale featuring a 50-piece drum and percussion ensemble conducted by Maestro Carlos Sanders. If you know what descarga means, you don’t want to miss this concert.

The ticket to attend all concerts at the CENAC are just 6,000 colones (including the grand finale). Tickets are now on sale at Bansbach Music stores and at the Sanders Music Academy, or at CENAC on the day of the event.

For more information, call: 2203- 4887 / 8750-0467 or visit the DrumFest website.