International Vilnius Jazz Festival, one of the oldest Lithuanian music festivals and one of the most remarkable cultural events held in the Lithuania’s capital city, is also regarded as one of the most important forums of new jazz and improvised music in Eastern and Central Europe. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the festival promises memorable experiences not only for devoted jazz lovers, but also for everyone curious to hear both celebrities of the scene and hottest news of the new millennium. On October 11-14, various venues in Vilnius will host performances of groups and projects from France, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, USA, UK and Lithuania.
The highlight of Vilnius Jazz 2007 is introducing the Vilnius jazz school that to this day has nurtured several generations of jazz musicians. The festival presents special projects featuring Lithuanian performers including the leaders of Lithuanian jazz fusion – Dainius Pulauskas Group, this year involving as much as eight musicians for the first time. Keyboard player Arūnas Šlaustas will present a program for jazz group and string quintet (formed around the renowned Chordos String Quartet). Vilnius Jazz will host the festival’s long-time participant Juozas Milašius, guitar player, electronic artist and author of various performances, probably the most radical and controversial Lithuanian jazz performer.
As every year, Lithuanian performers participate in spectacular international projects. Rova, one of the most renowned jazz and new music saxophone quartets from USA, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, will appear with two world-class percussionists – Vladimir Tarasov and Swiss Fritz Hauser (who will also present his solo program at the festival). Fans of the festival look forward to a colourful, expressive and volcanic performance from Danish group Ibrahim Electric, which will share the stage with saxophonist Liudas Mockūnas, one of the foremost representatives of Lithuanian new jazz.
The festival’s bill of fare will also offer various ethnic flavours. This year’s festival will open with Farmyard Animals Trio from United Kingdom, presenting intriguing and roguish mixture of world jazz, wild improvisations and gentle pastoral sonorities infused with elements of Arabic, Balkan, Catalan and American cultures. Venerated by the festival’s audience the exotic Sainkho Namtchylak, the hallmark of trio Nomad from Austria, is well known for her fusion of free jazz, electronic experiments, her native Tuvan traditional music and Tibetan songs. Sophisticated, elegant and at the same time very genuine Andy Emler Trio from France will fuse elements of world music, traditional jazz, rock, and contemporary academic music. Members of enigmatic quintet Ronin from Switzerland, whose motto is “ecstasy through asceticism”, call their music “Zen-funk”; their synthesis of seemingly incompatible genres (from jazz to drum’n’bass, from funk to ambient, from Japanese ritual music to minimalism) sounds incredibly precise and hypnotic.
The jubilee festival inaugurates new concert series Extra Line, dedicated to all kinds of inspiring, vibrant and groovy music, combining influences from jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop, electronica, etc. This year’s Extra Line concert will take place in music club L’Amour and will feature Lithuanian Magic Mushrooms and American singer of Lithuanian heritage Monika Heidemann and her Band.
The aforementioned Lithuanian group was chosen among the laureates of the first Vilnius Jazz Young Power competition last year. The festival has kept its promise – to patronise the laureates of the competition, to promulgate their music. Vilnius Jazz’s main objective in organising this competition is to encourage young jazz musicians (up to 27 years) to perform their own compositions, rather than concentrating solely on jazz standards, as it is most often required in other jazz competitions. The festival again presents a special concert featuring laureates of this year’s Vilnius Jazz Young Power competition – group Untitled, pianist Dmitry Golovanov and duo 1+1=1. The jury and public votes at the concert will decide upon the winner of the Grand Prix. Young Lithuanian group QU5 (an unusual combination of two singers, three accordions and drums) was invited to take part in this concert as a guest.
In line with Vilnius Jazz tradition, evening jam sessions will be held in Cafe Neringa, the cradle of Lithuanian jazz, a congenial place where festival’s participants and guests meet and make music.
For the fourth year, the festival will present the prize for contributions to Lithuanian jazz culture.
Festival’s info: http://www.vilniusjazz.lt/
