The Rui Cunha Foundation (FRC) in Nam Van hosted a musical evening on Saturday as Portuguese jazz legend Zé Eduardo returned to Macau to lead the 2025 Jazz Workshop Presentation Concert, featuring ensembles of local musicians.
Dubbed the “godfather of Portuguese jazz”, Eduardo, born in Lisbon in 1952, has been a regular visitor to Macau since 1996 and has collaborated with the Macau Jazz Promotion Association (MJPA) since 2013.
Supported by the Rui Cunha Foundation and the Macau Cultural Development Fund (FDC) this year, the concert gathered young and veteran musicians alike for a performance blending new compositions with classics, aiming to offer a snapshot of Macau’s jazz scene, according to Mars Lei Siu Hong (aka Mars Siu-Hong Lei), representative of the Macau Jazz Promotion Association.
Lei said that the association has been applying Eduardo’s ensemble-based teaching system for over a decade, resulting in fruitful outcomes. “Many MJPA members have gone abroad for further study, to places like the Netherlands, the US, Japan, and Thailand,” Lei said, adding that Eduardo’s mentorship has been instrumental in fostering local talent.
In an interview with the Post, Eduardo stressed that jazz is “a music of freedom and respect,” saying that the genre thrives on individuality while remaining collaborative.
“When I’m on stage, my aim is that their spirits at the end should be a bit more up after my performance,” he said.
The one-day event aimed to present the progress of the MJPA’s pupils and the vitality of Macau’s jazz culture, Lei said, adding that with Eduardo’s continued guidance, the development of local jazz culture strives to strengthen the association’s reputation as a platform where jazz education and performance can flourish across generations.
The “godfather” of Portuguese jazz, Zé Eduardo, performs during his Jazz Workshop Presentation Concert 2025 at the Rui Cunha Foundation (FRC) in Nam Van on Saturday. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
