Jazz masters take stage in Istanbul on World Jazz Day

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The gala concert in Istanbul featured international jazz musicians.

Organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the 2nd annual International Jazz Day was celebrated in Istanbul on April 30. In addition to the events taking place all around the city throughout the day and the gala concert at the Hagia Irene Museum featuring artists from across the globe, thousands of events held in 196 countries in every continent of the world celebrated International Jazz Day.

The concert started with the opening speeches of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ömer Çelik.

Among the highlights of the concert included Herbie Hancock, John Beasley, George Duke, Robert Glasper, Ramsey Lewis, Keiko Matsui, Eddie Palmieri, Ruben Blades, Al Jarreau, Milton Nascimento, Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding (who also Joss Stone, James Genus, Marcus Miller, Ben Williams, Terri Lyne Carrington and Vinnie Colaiuta; guitarists Bilal Karaman, John McLaughlin, Lee Ritenour and Joe Louis Walker, Dale Barlow, Igor Butman, Wayne Shorter, Liu Yuan and Hüsnü Şenlendirici. The special guest of the event was Martin Luther King III.