Atlantic Jazz Lab Orchestra

The Atlantic Jazz Lab Orchestra (AJLO) is a jazz orchestra founded in 2017 under the name Orquesta de Jazz del Atlántico, as part of the Atlantic Jazz and New Music Lab, an organization dedicated to promoting and developing jazz in the Canary Islands.

AJLO is led by trumpeter Natanael Ramos, one of the most prominent musicians of his generation. In addition to his role as the orchestra’s director, Ramos is also a composer, arranger, and educator. He has received numerous awards and recognitions, including First Prize in Big Band Composition from the Granada Jazz Association and the SGAE Foundation in 2015.

The orchestra features some of the most outstanding and respected jazz musicians in the country, performing a repertoire that ranges from jazz classics by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Frank Sinatra to contemporary compositions and arrangements by Kenny Wheeler, Chris Kase, and Miguel Blanco. AJLO has toured across the Canary Islands and throughout Spain, appearing at prestigious festivals such as the Canary Islands International Music Festival and the Canary Islands International Jazz Festival.

Beyond their performances, AJLO is deeply committed to music education, conducting numerous programs and workshops for young musicians and music students. The orchestra has also released their first album, “Garajonay Suite”, further solidifying their artistic presence.

Artistic Lineup

Trumpets: Álvaro Artime, Natanael Ramos, Leo Torres, Julian Díaz

Trombones: Pablo Martínez, Cristo Delgado, Pablo González

Reeds:: Fernando Sánchez, Diego Jiménez, Cameron Rivero, Marcos Pérez, Fernando Barrios

Piano: Daahoud Salim

Double Bass: Paco Charlín

Drums: Andreu Pitarch

Natanael Ramos

Natanael Ramos is a Canary Islands-born trumpeter, composer, and conductor dedicated to the promotion and development of jazz in the region. As the founder and artistic director of the Atlantic Jazz Lab, Natanael has established a key space in the music scene, fostering creativity and artistic exchange around jazz. This laboratory has become an essential platform, allowing musicians from diverse backgrounds to connect and experiment through music.

In addition to his work with the Atlantic Jazz Lab, Natanael is a jazz trumpet professor at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias. Through his teaching and masterclasses, he shares his passion for jazz and his vision of music as a tool for cultural and collective expression. His educational approach goes beyond technical training, emphasizing creativity and artistic commitment, inspiring a new generation of musicians.

With his personal project, Islander’s Dilemma, Natanael has toured stages across Spain and Latin America, bringing his music to countries such as Colombia and Chile. This project blends Canary Islands musical roots with the language of contemporary jazz, offering an original sound that bridges tradition and innovation. Additionally, he has collaborated with renowned musicians and international ensembles such as Reinier Baas, Ben van Gelder, Joris Roelofs, JM Jazz World Orchestra, and New Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra, performing at prestigious venues across Europe, including BIMHUIS and North Sea Jazz Festival.

His work embodies the core values of jazz—freedom, creativity, and improvisation—and reflects his belief that music has the power to connect people and enrich cultural identity in any context.

Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974) was one of the most influential composers, pianists, and orchestra leaders in the history of jazz. Born in Washington, D.C., Ellington showed musical talent from an early age and began leading his own band in the 1920s. His breakthrough came when his orchestra secured a residency at New York’s famous Cotton Club, where he developed a sophisticated and unique sound that blended swing with harmonic and timbral experimentation. His music transcended traditional jazz, elevating it into an art form with complex structures and unparalleled expressiveness.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Ellington composed hundreds of works, many of which became jazz standards, including Mood Indigo, Take the “A” Train (written by Billy Strayhorn, his closest collaborator), and In a Sentimental Mood. His orchestra became one of the most prestigious in the world, featuring legendary musicians such as Johnny Hodges, Cootie Williams, and Paul Gonsalves, each with a distinctive sound that Duke masterfully incorporated into his compositions. Beyond jazz, Ellington expanded his musical reach into symphonic works and conceptual suites, composing pieces like Black, Brown and Beige, where he explored African American history and cultural identity.

Recognized as a pivotal figure in the evolution of jazz and American music, Duke Ellington received numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and a posthumous Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Until his final years, he continued to innovate, compose, and perform on stages worldwide. His legacy lives on not only in jazz but across contemporary music, proving that his motto, “Music is my mistress,” was more than just a phrase—it was his way of life.