KAUNAS - The internationally acknowledged Lithuanian jazz festival Kaunas Jazz is getting ready for a majestic beginning of spring. The festival has been held every year since 1991 and now has become the biggest and the most popular jazz music festival in Lithuania. From April 25 - 29, the festival-goers will have an exclusive opportunity to hear the best jazz performers of today, or in other words, the unquestionable elite of the professionals in the field.
“Kaunas Jazz festival orientates itself to the globally critically-acclaimed, top-rated performers and jazz projects recognized among the most prestigious of all jazz festivals. This year we have prepared numerous pleasant and possibly unexpected surprises for our fans,” says Jonas Jucas, the founder of Kaunas Jazz.
During the five days of the festival, stages in Kaunas and Vilnius will see nearly fifty performers from all around the world: USA, France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Japan and, of course, Lithuania.
The festival’s opening concert will take place on April 25, but Jucas does not feel like revealing the star of the first concert yet. “We will provide more information about the opening concert of the festival very soon. We want the latter to be truly impressive, and thus we are still finalizing the details,” Jucas said.
On April 26, Kaunas Jazz festival will bring to the recently refurbished Main hall of Vytautas Didysis University, where the stage will be taken by the often-considered best vocalist, this year’s Grammy’s Best Traditional R&B Performance nominee (song “Real Good Hands”) American Gregory Porter and his band. Kaunas Jazz festival will offer to continue the night at the Combo club, where the massively enchanting and energetic French band “Malted Milk” will be performing on stage with the vocalist and guitarist Arnaud Fradin.
On the next day [April 27], the concert at the VDU Main hall’s stage will be taken by some of the most significant Lithuanian classical and jazz performers – pianist Petras Geniusas and saxophonist Vladimiras Chekasinas. The performance of this duet can be easily called the encounter of academic piano music and jazz improvisation on one stage. After having won the audience with their master skills, the Lithuanians will be passing the stage to the son of the legendary Hollywood actor and director Clint Eastwood – bassist and composer Kyle Eastwood and his band. The night will continue on to the owner of a unique voice, Dutch singer Ntjam Rosie with the band.
During the final concert of Kaunas Jazz festival at Kaunas Zalgiris Arena on April 28, the grandiose charge of jazz on the largest stage in Lithuania will be provided by the Americans “Naturally 7.” The seven vocalists comprising the band (Roger and Warren Thomas, Dwight Stewart, Garfield Buckley, Roderick Eldridge, Napoleon Cummings and Armand Hutton) are called a true miracle. It is incredible what this septet can create with their voices during a concert. A lot of listeners sincerely doubt whether or not all of these tracks are performed with a human voice alone, with no help from an additional musical instrument.
The only Kaunas Jazz concert in Vilnius on April 29 at Vilnius Congress Concert Hall will feature one of the highest-anticipated visitors in the greatest prestigious jazz festivals around the world, the Japanese pianist and virtuoso Hiromi with The Trio Project, featuring Anthony Jackson & Simon Phillips. The coordinators of Kaunas Jazz cannot hide their joy over finally being able to get this superstar to visit Lithuania. And if that description alone gets your foot tapping, the festival itself will hold an entirely different octave for you.
Kaunas Jazz
April 25 – 29
For more information on the festival’s program, venues and tickets please visit: www.kaunasjazz.lt
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