Controversy Erupts as Jazz Association Retains Director Amid Harassment Allegations

Jazz Association of Leiria Stands by Director

The Jazz Association of Leiria has decided to retain its director, a professor previously dismissed from the Hot Clube following a formal harassment complaint in the 2021/2022 academic year. This decision comes despite recent media reports highlighting multiple allegations against the director. The association stated that the director offered to resign but that the majority of the board accepted all clarifications provided.

In a statement released on their Facebook page, the Jazz Association responded to queries from PÚBLICO, asserting that the director had never faced any complaints from faculty or students at the Jazz School of Leiria. The association, established in 2011, oversees both the recently inaugurated Jazz School (2023) and the Jazz Orchestra of Leiria.

The statement follows various reports identifying the association's president as one of two instructors dismissed by the Hot Clube due to separate harassment complaints. This announcement from the Lisbon-based school came in the wake of a rape allegation against pianist João Pedro Coelho, a former instructor at the Hot Clube, who denies the accusations.

The director of the Jazz Association is now the second most cited name in a wave of complaints organized informally via a network created in recent weeks. Reports suggest that behaviors attributed to him extend beyond mere social media posts. PÚBLICO has reviewed message exchanges between the musician and students, which have raised further concerns. The association's board met with the director, and after receiving all requested clarifications, they voted to retain him in his position.

The board emphasized its commitment to maintaining a quality environment for its activities. They condemned the alleged behaviors reported in the media and reiterated that such matters should be resolved in court. They expressed their intent to forward any known harassment cases to the authorities, although no formal complaints have been filed to date.

Last week, Paulo Santo, a professor and vibraphonist at the Luiz Villas Boas — Hot Clube de Portugal, announced his resignation from the board of the Jazz Association via Instagram, stating he could not align with the association's position on these issues. Both Santo and the University of Évora, where he also teaches, have been approached for comments regarding the situation, but no responses have been received as of now.