RIPMJAZZ
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Ritmo y melodia

Ritmo y Melodía was a Spanish jazz periodical that first appeared in May 1944 and ran without interruption until January 1946. After a brief suspension, it reemerged in April 1947 and continued publication until December 1951. Founded and initially published in Barcelona under the direction of Francisco Sánchez Ortega, the journal later developed a strong editorial and contributor presence in Madrid, so that in its final years it carried a dual identity between the two cities and marked one of the earliest sustained efforts to document and disseminate jazz culture in Spain during the 1940s.

Each issue was around twenty pages and consistently structured. The contents opened with news articles on major international jazz musicians, followed by a pedagogical section devoted to technique or commentary on new compositions. This was complemented by reports on the Spanish jazz scene and its orchestras, a review section that often covered both records and cinema, and a final page with a humorous or light-hearted touch. This layout gave the journal a recognizable rhythm that balanced education, criticism, and entertainment.

The editor and publisher, Francisco Sánchez Ortega, sought to build a dedicated space for jazz writing at a time when the Spanish musical press had little room for the genre. The journal’s goals were both to instruct and to chronicle, aiming to create a bridge between international jazz developments and the local Spanish context. Its principal contributors were Antoni Tendes, known by his pen name “El Predicador del Desierto,” and Alfredo Papo, who frequently signed as Carlos Díaz or “El Hotman de Servicio”. Together they provided continuity of voice and perspective, positioning the magazine as both a cultural chronicle and a forum for debate.

The context of publication was the early Franco dictatorship, when Spain was under heavy censorship and international cultural exchange was limited. Within this restrictive environment, Ritmo y Melodía became a rare forum for jazz aficionados, documenting how the genre survived and adapted under political pressures. The debates around bebop, for instance, echoed the same controversies that animated French critics such as Hugues Panassié and Charles Delaunay, showing how Spanish jazz culture remained plugged into wider European conversations despite political isolation.

Antoni Tendes was among the pioneers of Spanish jazz criticism, having published a series of articles on the subject in 1933 in the Diari de Tarragona. In Ritmo y Melodía he was responsible for both biographical sketches and local scene reporting. Alfredo Papo, born in Milan and settled in Barcelona in 1941, would later become a central figure in Spanish jazz criticism, writing for Jazz Hot and eventually authoring El jazz a Catalunya (1985). His pseudonyms and playful style reflect both his versatility and his deep investment in jazz culture.

The journal also featured the following recurring columns: “Figuras del jazz” offered biographical sketches of notable artists, “Cuando callan las orquestas” reported on the Spanish jazz scene, “De Madrid a Barcelona,” written as a dialogue, explored various subjects of interest between the two cities, “Columna sonora” covered radio programs featuring jazz, “Selección de discos” presented record reviews, “Música en el Cinema” focused on film reviews, and finally, “Don Fiscornio” blended concert chronicles with humorous commentary.

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