Master hands of jazz to come to Istanbul
ISTANBUL
Organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), the Istanbul Jazz Festival will host leading names and new discoveries from the world of jazz, as well as the stars of contemporary music between June 29 and July 18. The festival will feature more than 300 names in 27 different venues around Istanbul.
The program of the festival was announced at a press meeting on March 25.
The surprises of the 26th Istanbul Jazz Festival this year include saxophonist, composer, producer and contemporary jazz legend with the group leader identity Kamasi Washington; Michael League’s project with sophisticated compositions and groundbreaking improvisation style Snarky Puppy; virtuoso pianist and composer Aydın Esen; the composer and vocal around jazz, R & B and hip-hop genres José James; one of the most inventive musicians of the new generation, producer, composer and drummer Makaya McCraven; a star thanks to the songs he has composed, recorded and played with his own instruments Jacob Collier; one of the leading pianists of contemporary jazz Bill Charlap; another star of the jazz piano Shai Maestro; a pioneer name of the jazz trumpet Paolo Fresu; a Swedish jazz bassist, composer and record producer with his creative musical style Lars Danielsson; jazz singer who masterfully combines jazz, blues and soul melodies Mélanie de Biasio; known with jazz improvisations around reggae, soul, afro-beat and latin rhythms Nubiyan Twist; pianist and composer who captured a modern musical language by combining Azeri folk music with jazz Elchin Shirinov.
The festival will once again organize Vitrin: Showcase for Contemporary Music from Turkey that supports successful musicians and ensembles of the local scene in their global outreach on July 3 and 6.
A group of international delegates composed of leading representatives of international music industry and journalists will explore contemporary music from Turkey together with the festival audience during the first four days of the festival.
Vitrin will feature concerts of the piano virtuoso and composer Aydın Esen and his group Aydın Esen Group, the band consisting of Azeri, Iranian, Kurdish and Turkish musicians from different cultures and regions No Land, Efe Demiral, jazz vocalist Duru And, Gülşah Erol Band, the inventor of the adjustable microtonal guitar Tolgahan Çoğulu and bağlama player Sinan Ayyıldız, known as one of Turkey’s most important drummer Turgut Alp Bekoğlu Love Jazz Quartet and trumpeter Barış Demirel.
One of the hallmarks of the festival, an over-night music marathon Night Out, on its 5th edition, will give the stages on the Asian side of the Bosphorus to the most promising independent artists of the local scene in seven different venues.
Some of the most exciting and alternative names of the independent scene such as Gaye Su Akyol, Eda and Big Band, Cava Grande, Elz & The Cult, Ah! Kosmos and The Kites will hold concerts in various venues in Kadıköy and Moda within the scope of Night Out event.
With the Vitrin Tour to be held for the first time this year, the jazz lovers will have the chance to listen to the different names of the local scene live on stage at three different places in Istanbul’s Şişhane area.
The festival program will also feature A Childlike Day, with performances and workshops penned for children.
One of Istanbul Jazz Festival’s most beloved events ever, the Jazz Boat is returning after nine years upon fan demand. The Jazz Boat will depart from Kabataş Pier, have a stopover at Anadolu Kavağı and return to Kabataş.
The 26th Istanbul Jazz Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to two veteran names of jazz, Hasan Hürsever and Ömür Göksel, at the festival’s opening ceremony.
Tickets for the 26th Istanbul Jazz Festival will go on sale on April 13 and will be available at Biletix sales points and at the box office of İKSV.