June 23, 2018
STA - The 59th edition of the Jazz Festival Ljubljana, scheduled from Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30 June, will bring a mixture of the blossoming Slovenian scene and major international stars, foremost among them the Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter trio.
Taking place at the Cankarjev dom arts centre and its surroundings, the festival will feature 130 musicians from 14 countries and start with a big bang.
The opening night has been entrusted to Kristijan Krajnčan, the internationally acclaimed Slovenian drummer, cellist and composer, who will present his DrummingCellist solo project.
Following the mix of contemporary jazz, classical and film music will be another crossover performance, delivered by Holland, Potter and Hussain, the legendary double bass, sax and tabla virtuosos, who will be reviving the mixing of genres that marked jazz in the 1970s.
The festival will expand its offer of free concerts this year. Ten of them will take place in the park in front of Cankarjev dom, mostly featuring Slovenian bands and top musicians. Moreover, young Slovenian musicians will get an extra stage in the park this year.
Edin Zubćević, the festival's main curator along with Bogdan Benigar, said a lot of energy had been put into the format, which will allow the festival to not only attract new audiences and music, but also give more opportunity to local musicians.
The park, which will also feature spontaneous sessions, is the main embodiment of this. "The 59th festival is not conceived as an old man who is watching TV but as somebody who is pedalling a bicycle and acquiring new experience in music," Zubćević said.
Meanwhile, other highlights of the festival will include a performance by Tunisian oud player Dhafer Youssef, who is combining traditional Arab music and jazz, and a groovy performance by Austria's Shake Stew.
Closing this year's Jazz Festival Ljubljana will be Slovenian saxophone player Vasko Atanasovski, who will be joined by pianist Bojan Zulfikarpašić in a new rendition of traditional songs from the Balkans. [No videos of heir performances are availablem but there's one of the pianist with another singer.]
Two photo exhibitions will also be organised as part of the festival. One will be dedicated to Slovenia's drummer legend Zlatko Kaučič, while the second will feature the music photography work of Slovenian photographer Petra Cvelbar. Another accompanying event will be a talk by Francesco Martinelli on Jazz in Islam.
Jazz Festival Ljubljana will be honoured this year with a Europe Jazz Network award for the festival with the most daring programme.
Benigar said it was daring enough to introduce any kind of contemporary novelty and Zubćević added that for him the festival's mission was not to provide familiar things. He challenged visitors to give a chance to something they feel they may not like.
You can learn more and buy tickets at the Festival’s official website, in English, here, while the ful schedule is below
WED / 27 JUN
19.00
DrummingCellist (Slovenia)
20.00
Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter (Great Britain/India/USA)
Double concert, Gallus Hall, EUR 15*–28
21.30
MTF feat. Sub-Lime (Slovenia)
CD Park, admission free
THU / 28 JUN
18.00
Aleš Rendla Sextet (Slovenia)
19.30
December Soul (Italy/Slovenia)
21.00
Lovro Ravbar & Get On Board Collective (Slovenia/Cuba)
CD Park, admission free
FRI / 29 JUN
18:30
Lore (Italy/Slovenia/France)
20.00 Rohey (Norway) Pre-concert presentation of the 2018 European Jazz Network
(EJN) Award for Adventurous Programming to the Jazz Festival Ljubljana
21.30
Hermia / Ceccaldi / Darrifourcq Trio (Belgium/France)
CD Park, admission free
SAT / 30 JUN
10.00
Children’s workshop Make Your Own Musical Instrument (4+)
11.00
Abeceda (Slovenia)Creative workshop for children aged 4+
CD Park, admission free
15.00
Clean Feed presents: Lisbon Underground Music Ensemble L.U.M.E.
(Portugal). Post-concert culinary meeting between Bosnia and Portugal
CD Club, EUR 16, 12*
17.00
Rok Zalokar – Port Songs (Slovenia/Italy/The Netherlands)
18.15
Elifantree (Finland)
CD Park, admission free
19.30
Dhafer Youssef 4tet (Tunisia/USA)
Linhart Hall, EUR 14*–24
21.00
Bowrain (Slovenia, Germany)
CD Park, admission free
22.00
Shake Stew (Austria)
23.30
Vasko Atanasovski Melem feat. Bojan Z (Slovenia/France)
Double concert, CD Club, EUR 16, 12*
