The language of jazz knows no limits

TALLINN - Music is one of the oldest arts. The first written music dates from about 2500 B.C.
Jazz is a music genre that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music.

The word ‘jazz’ began as a West Coast slang term of uncertain derivation and was first used to refer to music in Chicago, in about 1915. From its beginnings in the early 20th century, jazz has spawned a variety of subgenres, from New Orleans Dixieland dating from the early 1910s, big band-style swing from the 1930s and 1940s, bebop from the mid-1940s, a variety of Latin jazz fusions such as Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz, and free jazz from the 1950s and 1960s, jazz fusion from the 1970s and late 1980s developments such as acid jazz, which blended funk and hip-hop influences into jazz, and the 1990s which brought Nujazz. As the music has spread around the world it has drawn on local national and regional musical cultures, its aesthetics being adapted to its varied environments and giving rise to many distinctive styles.

Jazzkaar (Jazz Arc over Estonia) got its present form in 1990, following a tradition, initiated by Uno Naissoo and Valter Ojakaar, which survived the Soviet era with difficulty. After Estonia regained its independence, new possibilities opened to invite world-famous jazz artists to perform next to Estonian musicians and put the Tallinn Festival onto the world’s jazz map. Jazzkaar offers the best opportunities for Estonian jazz artists to see the work of current top jazz artists from all over the world, and for listeners it is a window into the wide world of jazz.

According to the organizers of the festival, one of the aims of the Festival is to offer a broad selection of music, from avant-garde tendencies to mainstream-jazz, but also the more interesting levels of world music and blues.
Jazzkaar is the biggest annual jazz festival in Estonia, an exciting, multi-cultural festival with wonderful musicians from many continents. It is believed that Jazzkaar brings the spring with it. Tallinn is home to the Jazzkaar Festival, one of the must-see events on the European jazz calendar, held annually in the brilliant spring sunshine. Jazzkaar has played a significant role in raising the profile of Estonian art and culture across Europe.

This annual festival has become one of the most important cultural landmarks in Estonia, and the biggest jazz festival in the Baltic States, with 50 concerts in Tallinn, Tartu, Parnu, Viljandi and other cities, where international star musicians and local jazz talent represent various styles of the music. One of the keywords of Jazzkaar is ‘cooperation,’ as the language of jazz knows no limits.

The name of the festival recalls the Estonian folk party ‘jaskar.’ It also reminds us of the variety of colors in jazz music - like in the rainbow - which can all be put under the umbrella of jazz. Jazzkaar is the arc uniting musicians, the audience, different periods and styles of jazz. The goal of the festival has always been the same: the introduction of music, on as large a scale as possible, starting with avant-garde and ending with mainstream jazz, including the more interesting styles of world music and blues.

Jazzkaar first started in the autumn of 1990, when it was called ‘The Days of Jazz & Blues in Tallinn.’ After Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the festival’s name was changed to ‘Jazzkaar.’ Throughout its existence, Jazzkaar has hosted more than 2,500 musicians from over 50 countries. As a non-profit concert agency, Jazzkaar organizes about 100 concerts a year.

Jazzkaar, which occurs every April in Tallinn, is one of Europe’s major annual jazz festivals. Tallinn’s gothic cathedrals and modern contemporary glass structures create a fitting backdrop for this popular festival, which attracts over 25,000 people each year. The festival itself unites musicians and the audience through an immense variety of musical periods and styles. Just like the host city’s mix of both the traditional and modern, Jazzkaar celebrates a musical genre that borrows from the past, while also looking into the future.

The headliners of Jazzkaar 2010 are highly acclaimed jazz vocalist Diane Reeves (U.S.), the legendary keyboard wizard George Duke (U.S.), the open-minded bassist and composer Avishai Cohen (Israel) and the Spanish new fusion-flamenco star Concha Buika. In addition to the featured artists, the program includes jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel (Austria), guitarist Ulf Wakenius and vocalist Lina Nyberg (Sweden), trombone player Nils Wogram (Germany), noisy quartet Ploctones (the Netherlands), pianist Leszek Mozdzer (Poland), singer Youn Sun Nah (Korea), club music project JazzTronik (Japan), 13-year old pianist Gadi Lehavi (Israel) and many others. The festival will start with an opening party with performers like DJ Alexander Barck from Jazzanova, energetic Jean Louis Trio from France and with the new Estonian groove-band Lin’s System.

Moreover, this year many young talented Estonian musicians are also participating in the Festival; the list of participants includes Kristjan Mazurchak, Marti Tarn, Kadri Voorand, Peedu Kass, Kristjan Randalu, and Tuuli Taul. European Broadcasting Union will broadcast the concert by the Villu Veski - Tiit Kalluste quintet ‘The Best of Nordic Sounds’ and, in addition, a number of concerts will be broadcast locally by ‘Klassikaraadio.’

Traditionally, the ‘Sunday of Art and Music’ will take place on the April 25, when music lovers can visit concerts in various museums and art galleries in Tallinn. Kirtana Rasa, Helin-Mari Arder, Eva Mitreikina and Sergei Pedersen are among the performers of these art’n’music concerts. In addition, a concert of ‘Jazzpainting’ and the morning birdsong concert will also take place.

For the fourth year in a row, Estonia is celebrating the ‘Jazz Month’ during April. Many activities are planned, like the exhibition of jazz posters, public interviews with Estonian jazz musicians, jazz-brunches, the concert by Jazz Painting, Jazz Cinema, etc. This year’s jazz ambassador will be Diane Reeves, who will present Estonian Jazz Awards. The Jazz Award will recognize a distinguished jazz musician, a young talent and a jazz promoter.

The festival will take place from April 23 to May 2.