Setting the beat in the UK! Mexican drummer takes her jazz to festival

“We’d have loved that, but it’s already planned,” was the reply Migdalia van der Hoven received when she belatedly asked if she could participate in the EFG London Jazz Festival.

But 5 minutes later, the situation took an unexpected turn: she became one of the Mexican artists to perform at one of the UK’s most emblematic music events.

“It was 1 a.m. and they got back to me saying, ‘You know what? Someone’s canceled. Go ahead,’ and I replied: ‘Well, OK’. It wasn’t luck, it was just being in the right place,” explained the Monterrey native.

This is how, on November 16, the Tec graduate and her quartet took their music to the festival, which has hosted renowned Mexican singers such as Lila Downs. The event took place between November 12 and 21.

Migdalia, who graduated with a degree in Marketing from the Tec and from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, released her “Girl Facing South“ EP (Extended Play) this year at Ronnie Scott’s, and is now looking to provide artists with an opportunity to make their way into jazz.

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club is one of central London’s most prominent jazz venues.

“We had a guest, a friend of mine who plays the guitar, at the presentation. That was important for me because you’re also giving a platform to others, and it changes the flavor of what you’re doing.

“It’s what I want for the future, especially for women in the industry. If I have an event, I’ll invite them as guests because you never know who’ll see you”, she pointed out.

Migdalia, who lives in London, recalled the time when she was an artist invited to a launch and, as a result, was seen by a jazz industry insider.

“This is to be shared. I know how difficult it is to get noticed, but I also know that it can be done,” she said.

The Tec de Monterrey graduate will perform with her band, The Migdalia van der Hoven Quartet, at the Cornbury Music Festival in the UK, in July 2022.

“This is to be shared. I know how difficult it is to get noticed, but I also know that it can be done.”

Sarting out in music

During her degree course at the Monterrey campus, van der Hoven came across a poster for “Raíces”, a folk-dance company at the Tec, which would determine her career path.

It wasn’t until a tribute to “Cri Cri”, the character created by composer Francisco Gabilondo, that Migdalia discovered her passion for performing jazz music on drums.

“I realized this because of ‘Raíces.’ Many of the songs were swing, so nobody could play them, and it seemed to come naturally to me, so I did it. I said, ‘I love it,’” she mentioned.

After graduating with a degree in Marketing in 2008, the Monterrey native traveled to Boston in the United States to study jazz drumming for two years at Berklee College of Music, before moving to London.

Once in England, Migdalia posted videos on social media of her playing songs on drums.

When a clip of the artist went viral, different brands wanted to sponsor her, she gained more followers, and produced her own jazz music album.

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