One of the most stimulating dimensions of Guimarães Jazz is the opportunity that the festival provides to Portuguese jazz students every year to establish direct creative contact with top-level international jazz musicians. In its 2022 edition, the responsible for directing ESMAE’s big band, thereby accomplishing the festival’s educational mission, will be trumpeter Victor Garcia, a prominent musician from the current Chicago jazz scene. Garcia will also perform with his quintet (a classical formation of keys, double-bass and drums, including also vocalist Jill Katona), accompanied by a line-up of talented musicians who will present heavily Latin-inspired jazz.