Gran Milonga Nacional 2009 - Open Air Tango Dancing

"La Gran Milonga Nacional", an open air event with live orchestras and street tango dancing on Avenida de Mayo, will take place this year on Saturday, December 5th. The celebration, which every year occupies that traditional Avenue from Plaza de Mayo to 9 de Julio is organized by the National Tango Academy and the Association of Promoters of Tourism, Hotel Business and Gastronomy (APTHGRA).
La Gran Milonga Nacional will start at 8 pm, with three central stages in the corners of Avenida de Mayo and Bernardo de Irigoyen, Piedras and Perú, and other smaller ones along the avenue, and the audience will be able to dance on the street to the music of live orchestras.

Golf: Argentine Masters and Argentine Open 2009

Two of the most important Golf tournaments in Argentina will take place during the month of December 2009. From December 3rd to December 6th, the Torneo de Maestros – the Argentina Masters –, one of the most important events in the TLA schedule since 2001, will be hosted by the world class Olivos Golf Club, north of Buenos Aires.

Immediately after Olivos, from December 10th to December 13th, the best from the TLA and the TPG will be welcomed at Nordelta Golf Club for the 104th Abierto de la República. This course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, makes its official debut as an Argentina Open venue. This prestigious championship is organized by the Argentina Golf Association (AAG).

Festival Buenos Aires Jazz 2009

Between December 3 and December 8, BUENOS AIRES JAZZ.09 presents a program with more tan 150 musicians in concert, invited artists that visit Argentina for the first time, and national and international artists that will offer the best of jazz in all its forms. The program of BAJ.09 will be divided into different sections:

International Concerts: artists from Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, France, Spain and North America. The opening night at Teatro Presidente Alvear, on Thursday, December 3, at 8.30 pm, will feature Fred Hersch, who will also offer concerts on Saturday 5, 1 pm at Sala Casacuberta of Teatro General San Martín , and Friday 4, 9 pm, at Teatro 25 de mayo.
France will be also pesent at the Closing of the Festival, on Tuesday, December 8, 9 pm at Teatro Coliseo, with France's National Jazz Ochestra (ONJ), with a program dedicated to Billie Holliday. And on Sunday 6, 9 pm at Teatro 25 de Mayo, the best manouche tradition with Angelo Debarre and Ludovic Beier.
From Spain, Carme Canela, with the Argentine artist Guillermo Klein on the piano and Ben Monder from USA as a special guest. Also from USA Steve Cardenas and the sax of Jorge Pardo with swing and flamenco.

"Cruces": Meetings between local and international artists at Cafe Vinilo and Club Lounge.

Commissions: for works to be presented at the Festival.

Open Air concerts at the terrace of Centro Cultural Recoleta: Sofía Rei Koutsovitis, Jorge Navarro Trío, Guillermo Vadalá, Pepi Taveira Quinteto with Luis Agudo, Mariano Otero Noneto presentaing “Desarreglos”, CD tribute to Walter Malosetti, Guillermo Klein Grupo. Homage to Cuchi Leguizamón, Trío Mora / Etchenique / Ibarburu (Uruguay), Oscar Feldman Cuarteto, Mariano Loiácono Quinteto, Girotto / Sinesi / Bruhn and Sexteto Vocal Cabernet.

Jazzologia, honoring the traditional jazz, with concerts by: Creole Jazz Band, Fats Fernández and Pablo Raposo, Machline & Herrera with Luis Cerávolo, Small Jazz Band (Córdoba), Arturo Schneider Orchestra, Sergio Poli Cuarteto, López Ruiz / Fraga / Boco Trío.

Jazz & Cine: screenings of movies and documentaries.

Jazz Tango Club, in co-production with the Tango Festival.

Jazz at the Zoo, with a varied program at Teatro Sarmiento: Jue’ mandinga!, Delfina Oliver Cuarteto, Demogli / Motta / Giunta Trío, Patricio Carpossi Quinteto, Barbie Martínez Cuarteto / Carlos Lastra and Ángel Sucheras, Brote, Arturo Puertas Cuarteto, Isabel de Sebastián & Bob Telson + Franco Luciani and Rodrigo Domínguez Cuarteto.

"El Aula" (The Classrroom): open classes, clinics and workshops.

Musicians by Musicians, meetings conducted by Fernando Tarrés, from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8, at 5 pm, at the Living of Centro Cultural Recoleta.

The Jam Sessions, every night in La Trastienda with Gillespi as a host.

Venues:
Teatro Presidente Alvear: Av. Corrientes 1659
Teatro Coliseo: Marcelo T. de Alvear 1125
Teatro General San Martín, Sala Casacuberta: Av. Corrientes 1530
Teatro 25 de Mayo: Av. Triunvirato 4444
La Trastienda Club: Balcarce 460
Centro Cultural Recoleta: Junín 1930
Teatro Sarmiento: Av. Sarmiento, 2715
Jazz Club Lounge: Reconquista 974
Café Vinilo: Gorriti 3780.

Tickets will be on sale from November 25th at Casa de la Cultura, Av. De Mayo 575, and and at Teatro 25 de Mayo, Triunvirato 4444, Monday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm.
International Concerts range from $ 10 to $ 40 Pesos. Tickets for the Meetings are $ 15 Pesos. Paid clinics are $ 40 Pesos.
The rest of the activities and concerts are free until reaching the maximum capacity of the venues and don't require advanced tickets

More information and daily schedules: Buenos Aires Jazz 09 official website.

Monuments of Buenos Aires: Las Nereidas Fountain by Lola Mora


This magnificent fountain, located at the intersection of Tristan Achaval Rodriguez and Padre Mingone Avenues in Costanera Sur, Puerto Madero, is the work of Dolores Mora de Hernandez, better known as Lola Mora, an artist from Tucuman. Lola Mora was the first Argentinian and Latin American female sculptor. In 1889, she was awarded the first prize at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.




In 1900 Lola Mora offered to donate a piece of sculpture for the Argentine Government. The fountain was made in Lola Mora's workshop in Rome, first in its original size in plaster and then in Carrara Marble. Las Nereidas Fountain was originally placed at the new Plaza Colon, behind the Pink House in 1902. But the society of the time was terribly shocked by the nudity of the figures of Tritons, Nereids and the Venus goddess rising out of a sea shell, so in 1918 it was decided to move the entire fountain to its current location in Costanera Sur. Over time, the piece went from immoral to classic, and it was declared as a National Historic Monument. It is now protected from vandalism by a glass shield.