Jazz dreams come true at the 15th International Istanbul Jazz Festival

SofiaEcho, Elitsa Savova, June 25, 2008

Jazz fans will not have to wait until August’s International Jazz Festival - Bansko 2008 to hear some quality jazz, as the 15th International Istanbul Jazz Festival is taking place comparatively close and for sure sooner, from July 2 to 16.

The festival features nearly 40 concerts of prominent jazz artists from all over the world as well as esteemed pop, rock and folk musicians.

The concerts will be staged in Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre, Sepetçiler Kasrı, Esma Sultan Palace, Hagia Eirene Museum, Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall, Istanbul Archeological Museum, Nardis Jazz Club and İstinye Park, the official website of the festival iksv.org said.

Besides these venues, the already traditional Bosphorus Tour will take place on July 6 and numerous street concerts will sound-screen the Istanbul streets.

The opening ceremony of the festival will be held on July 1 at Esma Sultan Palace when the Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Turkish composer, pianist and saxophonist Tuna Ötenel.

Jazz legend Herbie Hancock will have two special concerts at the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater on the night of July 2 and at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall on the evening of July 3.

After visiting Bulgaria in 2007, Marcus Miller now takes part in the International Istanbul Jazz Festival with a performance at the Open Air Theatre on July 3. Before Miller, the Tower of Power will take to the same stage.

Buena Vista Social Club’s Omara Portuondo would celebrate her 60th year in music with her new project Gracias, iksv.org said. She will present an unforgettable Latin music retrospective at the Sepetçiler Kasrı July 9.

Among the special guests of the festival is Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist, writer and human rights activist, the five-time Grammy Award winner Caetano Veloso. Veloso also is famous for the numerous film soundtracks he had made, including the one for Pedro Almódovar's Talk to Her. Veloso’s concert is scheduled for July 10 at the Open Air Theatre.

On July 16, Al Jarreau will present his new album Love Songs as well as his older hits at the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre. Just before him the four-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves will perform on the same stage.

A tribute concert to Nina Simone on the fifth anniversary of her death will be held on July 15. Nina Simone's band and her musical director for 41 years Al Schackman, as well as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Stacey Kent, Raul Midon and Sibel Köse will perform Simone's repertoire at the Sepetçiler Kasri;.

Other musicians to perform at the festival are modern jazz composer Carla Bley and her quartet; new Italian jazz star, trumpeter Paolo Fresu; singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright; jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon and Ivan Lins; The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra's; Yasmin Levy; table player Zakir Hussain and Taksim Trio and Raul Midón. Turkish musicians, such as Maff Falay and his project Turkey Meets Scandinavia; the collaborations between Sabri Tulug; Tirpan and Wolfgang Puschnig, Önder Focan and Oliver Grönewald, Alp Ersönmez Trio with Alexandre Tassel, Sibel Köse Band featuring Jean-Loup Longnon, Burak Bedikyan Trio with Kestutis Vaiginis, Sarp Maden Quartet featuring Stephane Belmondo, Baki Duyarlar and Stanislav Mitrovic and Ataman-Vloeimans Experience are also an important part of the festival’s progrmme.

On July 30, after the official ending of the festival’s programme, four consecutive times Grammy Awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance winner Lenny Kravitz will end the festival. His concert will be held at Kuruçeşme Arena.

For more information, please visit the official website of the 15th International Istanbul Jazz Festival www.iksv.org. Tickets for the festival are available via www.biletix.com at prices between eight and 53 euro.

Bulgarian news from The Sofia Echo