Day 1 of SIM was an intense one. A lot of networking was done and I got to see some great acts that I didn’t know of. The started with the Jazz Re:freshed breakfast where I kept the London connection alive. It was a nice event and I got to meet a bunch of cool people. 

A little later on was the Canadian-Quebec networking event where I got to see Afrotronix perform, a great mix of African infused electronic music. 

This was followed by the MIL networking event, it was time to meet my fellow countrymen. I got to see Surma perform and that was great. A one woman show that was pretty intense, check her out if you can. 

It was time to relax for a bit so I went to see the master Yamandu Costa in action. My mind was blown the musicianship and technique. If you ever have a chance to see him play live, do! You won’t regret it.

It was then time to move to the Must Bar for the Connecting Dots night. The night started with Marmota, a jazz quartet from Porto Alegre that was very enjoyable to listen to. It was then followed by Diego Moraes, and that is a name to remember! Super groovy songs with a powerful voice. The bari and trombone added a nice texture. I would love to see him play with a full horn section, bass player and some background vocals! It was then time to get some rest and get ready for Day 2.