The biggest jazz festival in the Baltics, Jazzkaar has announced this year’s main programme. From 17 until 26 April, the festival will welcome to the stage winners and nominees of Grammy Awards, the special project “Antarctica 200” and popular groups from Estonia.
The main programme of this year’s Jazzkaar includes a total of 40 groups from 18 countries. The 10-day music celebration will be expanding borders in many ways. While Jazzkaar has always offered a wide selection of music genres and actively promoted jazz music among the general public, the 2020 festival will present a one time only special project, “Antarctica 200,” which literally crosses geographical borders in featuring audio material recorded in the polar desert. Also, this year’s festival programme includes more groups led by women that ever before: 16 out of 40.
For those who love music for the soul, the programme offers numerous international vocal stars. In addition to previously announced big names such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Cyrille Aimée, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira and others, this year’s festival line-up has been complemented with well-known artists such as the world’s most famous Indian musician, percussionist Trilok Gurtu, the American drummer, jazz vocalist and a Grammy nominee Jamison Ross, and the American soul singer and songwriter Avery*Sunshine. More minimalistic and electronic sounds will be brought to the festival by atmospheric music of the German pianist Niklas Paschburg, ambient sound of the Icelandic duo, Hugar and many other outstanding groups.
There is a festive spirit in the air. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their first concert together at Jazzkaar, which led to the release of their first album, “Kooskõla,” Vaiko Eplik and Kristjan Randalu will open the festival with their concert “Dissonance of Harmony”. Singers Kadri Voorand and Liisi Koikson also offer magic in numbers. Voorand, who was recently awarded Jazz Album of the Year at the Estonian Music Awards, celebrates the 15th anniversary of her debut at Jazzkaar. On this occasion, she will prepare with Mihkel Mälgand a special project that also includes a string quartet. This year it will be 15 years since Liisi Koikson released her award-winning jazz album, “Väike Järv”. In celebration of this anniversary, the singer will pay a tribute to the past, performing the popular songs from the album once again.
We are particularly happy to see the debuts of young musicians at Jazzkaar concerts. Ramuel Tafenau, Rita Ray and Anett are not only dazzling musicians, but also create fascinating music themselves.
“I consider it important to always present top European jazz at the festival. We can expect the most profound and beautiful experience from the Norwegian-Swedish trio, Rymden, led by the fascinating pianist and composer Bugge Wesseltoft. Also, for 30 years already I have been following the work of Marc Ribot, a brilliant guitarist with bold ideas, who will be performing at this year’s Jazzkaar with his punk-jazz band, Ceramic Dog. Musical diversity similar to that of Jazzkaar is a rare find,” says Anne Erm, the artistic director of the festival, introducing the concept of this year’s festival.
There is even more reason to rejoice. For the sixth consecutive year, the Telliskivi Creative City will become the cultural hub of Tallinn. In addition to the traditional festival venue, Vaba Lava, the audience will be hosted by the concert space of the adjacent photography centre Fotografiska Tallinn, which will be turned into the ‘Small Hall’ of Jazzkaar for the time of the festival, offering an improved soundproofing and a more intimate atmosphere. The festival venues too expand their borders, with Vaba Lava and the fine-art photography centre, being combined into a symbolic whole. The two buildings associated with creativity will be connected by a tent where visitors will find an information centre, a ticket point, a wardrobe and a café.
The 31st Tallinn International Festival Jazzkaar takes place from 17 until 26 April 2020 in various locations around Estonia. Read more about the festival programme and artists on our website. Tickets are available at Piletilevi sales points and online at www.piletilevi.ee. We are looking forward to seeing you at Jazzkaar!
Keep an eye on Jazzkaar activities through our website and our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Main programme of Festival Jazzkaar 2020:
“Antarctica 200” Raun Juurikas (Estonia), Arve Henriksen (Norway), Brian Quinn (Switzerland) & Chamber Choir of Veronika Portsmuth Choir Academy (Estonia); Anett (Estonia); Anna Wibe Vibes (Latvia-Estonia); Avery*Sunshine (USA); Cecilé McLorin Salvant with Sullivan Fortner (USA); Cyrille Aimeé (France); Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA) & Estonian Dream Big Band (Estonia); Disco Tallinn Goes Jazz; El Muro Tango (Argentina-Estonia-Norway); Flora Purim & Airto Moreira with Thiago Espirito Group (Brazil); FORQ (USA); Hanna-Liina Võsa (Estonia); Hugar (Iceland) / Niklas Paschburg (Germany); Ivi Rausi & Laura Põldvere; Jamison Ross (USA); Jason Hunter Group (Estonia-Lithuania); JT Conception (Estonia); Kadri Voorand Chamber Music Ensemble (Estonia); Kristel Aaslaid & Daniel Viinalass (Estonia); Cones & Stumps: Leiburs, Remmels, Tafenaus (Estonia); Liisi Koikson (Estonia); Los Aurora (Spain); Tantsukatel with Duo Maaker-Petermann live & DJ Quest (Estonia); Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog (USA); Moonlight Breakfast (Romania-Austria); Naïssam Jalal – Quest of the Invisible (France-Syria); Peedu Kass & Theodor Sink (Estonia); Raul Ukareda (Estonia); Ramuel Tafenau (Estonia); Rita Ray (Estonia); Rymden feat. Bugge Wesseltoft, Dan Berglund, Magnus Öström (Norway-Sweden); Siim Aimla Funk Band (Estonia); Sooäär-Ounaskari-Yaraljan (Estonia-Finland); The Free Musketeers (Estonia); Trilok Gurtu Band (India); Tõnu Naissoo Electric Trio with Mihkel Mälgand & Ahto Abner (Estonia); Vaiko Eplik & Kristjan Randalu (Estonia), and many others!
The main sponsors of the festival are JURA, Jazz Pesulad and Eesti Päevaleht. Annual sponsors are My City Hotel, BMW, Tallink and Aktaprint. The concert of the legendary jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater will be presented by Viru Keskus. The concert of the brightest jazz vocalist of her generation, Cécile McLorin Salvant will be brought to the listeners by Seesam Insurance. Prike, Telliskivi Creative City and Fotografiska Tallinn help set up the festival hub. We are also sponsored by Reval Café, Overall, MyFitness, Home Paper, NOBE and ERR. The French Institute, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Brazil and Embassy of Norway help us bring the musicians of their countries to Estonia. We are also grateful to the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and the City of Tallinn for their support.
