Today we’d like to introduce you to Javier Jara.
Hi Javier, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Javier Jara plays both originals and renditions of classic Latin American tunes influenced by the troubadour and Canción Social Movement. In 2022, Javier Jara won the New Folk Kerrville Songwriting Contest, becoming the first Spanish speaking artist to do so since the festival’s inception (1972). Recently, Javier Jara toured several cities in Texas and New Mexico with his project www.ourrhythmsourvoices.com, shedding light on the Latin American immigrant experience through story-telling, song and poetry.The studio album of this project will be released early December , 2025. Thanks to a recently acquired Elevate Grant, and in collaboration with Austin Unconducted, a 20-piece orchestra with the finest string players in ATX, Javier Jara presented Our Rhythms Our Voices at the Long Center in September 2024
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a freelance (Latin) musician, it’s always hard to find financial consistency.Additionally, now you have to deal with increasing hostility towards minorities, which comes in the form of racial profiling and discrimination. Now I think twice before free speaking in Spanish in public (not that my brown complexion isn’t already giving me off)
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
A ton of useful info about the most important project I’ve worked on so far here:
www.ourrhythmsourvoices.com
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I received a scholarship to study music at Southwestern University. When I went to audition, they asked me for the scores of the music I just played. I told him that I learned all of that by ear (I played songs by the great Cuban songwriter Silvio Rodriguez). They told me they see music students all the time who read and play classical music but are not able to do what they just saw me doing just by ear. They said that they were curious to see what I can achieve when I learn standard music notation and I apply it to my music creativity. That was my way in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.javierjaramusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/javijaramusica?igsh=cTRpbnlxcTBkcm5k&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17SZehqBDi/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Twitter: https://x.com/javierjaraes?s=21&t=IOplUvPT2BSO2o9WQlFnRA
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@compatriotamorlaco?si=7dc999Eh9q4PoGP9
Image Credits
Jack Cloecker Photo
