The city of Medellín is preparing for a sophisticated display of cultural diplomacy as the Centro Colombo Americano Medellín and Teatro El Tesoro present Noche de Jazz en El Tesoro. Scheduled for Friday, April 24, at 7:00 p.m., this event serves as a high-profile prelude to International Jazz Day. For the international investment community and expatriate executives, the concert represents more than just a musical performance; it is a testament to the enduring soft-power bridges between the US and Colombia, fostering an environment of innovation and collaborative spirit in the heart of Antioquia.

The performance features the US Jazz Faculty Collective, a premier ensemble directed by Dr. Ryan Middagh. This group highlights the academic and professional excellence of five distinguished jazz educators from the United States. The lineup includes Dennis Wilson, a former Count Basie trombonist and associate professor at the University of Michigan; Dr. Ryan Middagh, the Director of Jazz Studies at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University; Christopher Kozak, an associate professor and jazz director at the University of Alabama; Dr. Marc Widenhofer, a Nashville-based percussionist and faculty member at Vanderbilt University; and Dr. Bruce Dudley, a celebrated pianist and professor at Belmont University.

The Centro Colombo Americano Medellín is the driving force behind this cultural exchange. As a non-profit binational center, the Colombo performs vital work in the region by providing high-quality English language instruction and promoting democratic values through the arts. Their initiatives are critical for the local workforce, equipping Colombian professionals with the linguistic and cultural competencies required to engage with global markets and attract foreign direct investment to the Valle de Aburrá (the greater Medellín metro area).

For those attending, Teatro El Tesoro offers a world-class venue located within the prestigious El Tesoro Parque Comercial shopping center. Tickets are available through Tuboleta. Pricing remains accessible for such a high-caliber performance, with general public tickets starting from $64,000 pesos.

During F-AIR Colombia 2019, The United States will present its air show of the Thunderbirds, known as the aerial demonstration squadron of the US Air Force, made up of eight pilots aboard Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The US participation highlights the close ties and collaboration between the Colombian and US militaries.

Over the four days of F-AIR, attendees can enjoy static displays of American aircraft, with the arrival of four F-16 from the South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG). In addition, just as at the last F-AIR in 2017, there will be a fly-by of a Boeing B-52 strategic bomber (picture below from the 2017 F-AIR). The B-52 is the US Air Force’s heavy bomber created in 1960 and still in active deployment, an enduring emblem of US military air power.

Additionally, the air show will have eight commercial exhibitors from the USA as well as representatives of companies from other countries, for example: Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation, a world leader in the design, manufacture and sale of combat aircraft and commercial aircraft; Gulf Coast Avionics Corporation, the major supplier of avionics and aviation services; and Milex Inc, a company that has been offering innovative products for the personal protection for the world’s defense forces for 125 years.

Colombia has become a nation with strong potential in the aviation industry, has a qualified workforce and proven knowledge in engineering. For example, during the last several years, the CIAC (Corporation of the Colombian Aviation Industry) has excelled in the manufacture of spare parts for aircraft and recently has demonstrated advances in maintenance of US manufactured Sikorsky Black Hawk multi-role military helicopters.

The 11^th F-AIR Colombia Air Show takes place at the José Maria Córdova International Airport just outside Medellín, Colombia from July 11^th to the 14^th, 2019. The 11^th and 12^th are industry-only days and closed to the public. The weekend days off the 13^th and 14^th are open to the public and when most of the exciting aerial displays and demonstrations. Tickets are available for purchase via Tuboleta.

Thunderbirds photo credit: USAF Staff Sargeant Ned T. Johnston. 

US Air Force B-52 photo credit: Loren Moss, Finance Colombia