Kicking off Riga's music festival season

  • 2007-06-27
  • By Talis Saule Archdeacon

BEES' KNEES: Superstar performers like the American jazz fusion quartet Yellowjackets are participating in what promises to be an unforgettable festival.

RIGA - As the midsummer celebrations come to a close and the haunting sounds of traditional music slowly fade, Latvia's modern music festival season begins in earnest. The season literally starts out with a bang, a twang, and a clang with the annual Rigas Ritmi blues, jazz and funk festival to take place from July 4 to July 7.
This year's festival features eight international musical legends performing in various locations around the city. The line-up includes Yellowjackets, Djabe, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Farmers Market, Freddy Cole, Otis Taylor and Coco Mbassi.

While the festival will take place in five different locations, the big stars will play at the Riga Congress Center.
In addition to the concerts, artists will be offering master level courses where upcoming musicians can expand their knowledge and share their experience with some of the best in the world. The 60 lat (85 euro) registration fee gets not only drum and guitar workshops with Hernandez and Taylor, but also four days of intensive "African Music and Dance" work with vocalist Mbassi. Over the course of Mbassi's workshops, participants will prepare a concert to be performed on July 6 in an open-air show in Livu Square.
Coco Mbassi originally hails from Cameroon but has forged her musical career in Paris, France. Mbassi sings many songs in her native tongue, Duala. She arranges all of her own music: combining jazz, minimalist and classical beats with African rhythm to support her dazzling voice. Her lyrics focus on beautiful, everyday aspects of life such as friendship, family life, and love. She will play at Livu Square on July 6 and at the Congress Center on July 7.

Also at the Congress Center on July 7 will be Otis Taylor, one of the greatest blues artists alive today. While he is personally a light-hearted and amiable individual, his music 's like much blues 's focuses on issues such as depression, homelessness, injustice and death.  Taylor grew up listening to jazz music in the United States and has been interested in folk and blues his whole life. He has released a series of groundbreaking records, and often incorporates tidbits of wisdom gleaned from his conversations with students. 
With two Grammies and 11 nominations under their belts, it can safely be said that the Yellowjackets are at the forefront of today's jazz scene. The Yellowjackets started out playing Rhythm and Blues in 1981, and have slowly moved toward the more jazzy music they are renowned for today. They will play at the Congress Center on July 4. 

On the folky side of the festival one can find the Bulgarian and Norwegian folk rock band Farmers Market, who play at the Congress Center on July 6. Farmers Market combines traditional Balkan songs with wild country banjo solos, emotional Nordic rock and oddball humor to produce a unique blend of music to set the feet tapping.
Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez is a drummer from a long line of Cuban musicians. He has won international acclaim playing with artists such as Carlos Santana and McCoy Tyner. He is known for his versatility in being able to play the lead beat with either hand 's or even the foot pedal on occasion 's as well as his knowledge of a wide variety of percussion instruments. His concert takes place at the Congress Center on July 5.
Freddy Cole is a true legend of jazz, and grew up learning from such jazz greats as Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. He went on to study music at the Roosevelt institute in Chicago, the Juilliard Music School in New York and the New England Conservitoire. His voice is one of the deepest and most authentic in jazz today. Cole will play at the Congress Center on July 6.

In addition to the stars, the festival will have a number of local and lesser-known artists 's 23 in all. With so many prestigious artists visiting Riga at one time, the Rigas Ritmi festival promises to be one of the best that the city has ever seen.

Rigas Ritmi
July 4 - 7
Tickets 10 's 50 lats,
available from www.bilesuserviss.lv
For info: www.rigasritmi.lv