Autumn in my little town of Rincón de la Victoria has arrived…I love this time of year, as it's quiet, but still warm enough to go for a Mediterranean swim. And time to get back to showtime!
While I was putting this video of the past 20 years together, I was reminded of one important lesson I've learned, from one show in particular: playing the Saint-Louis Jazz Festival in Senegal with my five-piece band.
It was a career highlight, because so many greats have played Africa’s largest jazz festival before me: Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Joe Zawinul, to name a few. And being a female composer representing Spain was beyond anything I ever thought I’d achieve in this business.The festival itself was amazing — one of those experiences you never forget. Getting there, however, was a different story. Between flights, logistics, and a journey that got a lot more adventurous than planned, there were moments when I genuinely wondered if we’d all make it there and back in one piece. We did, barely — and we played a solid show — but it made me realise something: touring with a five-piece band across the world is a logistical mountain, and I don’t want that mountain to be the reason I stop making music live.
What many people don’t realise is that I’m a one-person operation when it comes to management… as most artists are these days. There just isn’t a budget for managers, booking agents, publicists, video editors, PR and social media teams, and road managers — so those are all roles I take on, on top of the daily practice required to maintain my instruments and all the music arranging that goes along with it. If you’re a touring musician, you know what I’m talking about.
So the next chapter is going to look different. I'm downsizing.
I’ve written two new live shows - the first is geared toward a Spanish audience, and is called ‘Nancy Ruth - De Canadá a España’, a jazz-centred repertoire, with songs and stories that have informed my own work and career over the past 25 years. I'll be singing and playing the piano with Kiriko Gutiérrez, a bassist from Melilla, a Spanish city in North Africa.
Our first show will be on Friday, November 6 at Casa Fuerte Bezmiliana in Rincón de la Victoria. It's a perfect setting for an intimate jazz concert - built in 1766 to fend off pirates… so a lot of history there.
Next time I'll tell you about the touring show. For now, happy autumn!