Jazz Breeze

Regulars of Voloshynska Kimmeria ten years ago when the festival of modern ethnic and jazz music first started did not quite believe that “Jazz Koktebel” would survive in the Crimean land, which is imbued with the spirit of high poetry. But here literature was combined in perfect harmony with music and this year’s program presented the audience with unforgettable meeting with the star musicians.

The tradition of having the festival in the second half of September was broken this time – taking into account the numerous requests from university students, the organizers held it in late August. Jazz firework exploded on the main stage Nu Jazz Stage right on the sea coast. Then the bands split and performed in the yard of the Voloshyn House Museum and during The Day on the free stage Open Stage. Fans had to run back and forth to hear their favorite bands and musicians: Goran Bregovic & Wedding and Funeral Band, Nino Katamadze & Insight, Mamas Gun, Magnus Lindgren Batucada, “Liapis Trubetskoy, Serebryannaya Svadba, Katia Chilly, GORCHITZA, and PUR:PUR.

Musicians and singers were extremely passionate, they improvised and performed together in unexpected duets. True gift to the public was the performance of the popular composer and musician Goran Bregovic who together with his small ensemble of ten people Wedding & Funeral Band presented the album Champagne for Gypsies – the continuation of the popular disk Alkohol. A mixture of Balkan, Gypsy, and European traditions was striking and showed the unique talent of Bregovic, who became famous for his soundtracks to the films of Emir Kusturica.

Georgian singer Nino Katamadze also brought joy to the audience in Koktebel. Together with the band Insight they presented their new album Green. Philosophical music pieces performed by emotional Nino Katamadze beyond any doubt conquers the soul of the people in the audience. Her jazz requires not only feelings, but also ability to think.

By the way, meeting of Katamadze and Bregovic promises to result in a powerful artistic friendship: they did not hide their delight from each others performing. It was a pleasant surprise for Bregovic when Katamadze brought him a bouquet of flowers – from great joy he hugged the charming Georgian singer. After Katamadze learned that Bregovic will give concerts for her countrymen, she promised to make adjustments to her tour schedule to be able to come to Tbilisi.

This year the price for the premium concerts was reasonably inexpensive – 250 hryvnias. The main concert area gathered up to 7,000 people each night. Singers with different manner of performing had their share of success: Katia Chilly, Nata Smirina, and Olha Dibrova.

People who regularly attend the festival were especially pleased with performances of young musicians: Swedish saxophonist Magnus Lindgren, Norwegian virtuoso guitarist Bjorn Berg, and British band Mamas Gun.

Headliners of the festival were British bands The Cinematic Orchestra and The Tiger Lillies, and also Weddings & Funerals Orchestra with Goran Bregovic.

Punk trio from London The Tiger Lillies managed to get in close contact with the audience. Prior to Koktebel these musicians were not well received by Ukrainian audience: aesthetics of dark cabaret was disturbing. This time the musicians left stage tricks behind and focused solely on music.

The audience gladly welcomed horrific blues and ballads of Jacques Martin who came on stage with traditional white makeup on his face, in bowler hat with a funny braid protruding from it, and with his companions – contrabass player Adrian Stout and drummer Adrian Huge. Famous musicians willingly played the songs the audience requested making adjustments to the program and even played two songs encore, despite the fact that they were in a hurry to go to the airport.

We should stress that “Jazz Koktebel” is famous for its democratic character. For example, during The Day you can easily communicate with Fahot, the godfather of the group Zorge Yevhenii Fiodorov, and Nino Katamadze, who entertained the audience on the sea shore The Day before the festival.

The public enjoyed the master class of Oleksii Kohan on an improvised stage in the backyard of Voloshyn House Museum. Kohan taught people to read the information that is embedded by an author in jazz plays and to listen to music together.

By the way, after the concerts things did not grow quiet in Koktebel but nobody complained. Guests wandered along the coast and joined various groups of people singing in different languages. Only at dawn everyone went on to have some rest.

“Jazz Koktebel” finished on September 2. Already On September 6 one and the only nonprofit jazz festival “Live in Blue Bay” burst out for the fourth time. Anyone willing to listen to jazz can come to the concerts in pension “Blue Bay” (the festival’s organizer) until September 9. Overall 150 well-known musicians, including Andrey Makarevich, brothers Oleksandr and Dmytro Bryl, Salsa-Band Dislocados, Spagetti Swing, experienced musicians and novice artists from different countries.