International jazz artist contest Riga Jazz Stage 2016 is going to enrich the program with improvisation evenings, which are going to be held on 6th, 8th and 9th of April at the music hall Daile. During the event contestants and local musicians will show their skills on jam sessions.
Hosting the nights and even playing music will the last year contest winner, trumpeter, Oskars Ozoliņš. He will be joined by previous years’ contest winners – drummer Andris Buiķis and pianist Kristaps Vanadziņš, as well as bassist Jānis Rubiks and many others. Together they will create the unique jazz clubs’ atmosphere.
The grand opening ceremony of the Riga Jazz Stage 2016 will happen on April 6 at the music hall Daile by the last years’ laureates – vocalist Intars Busulis, Ieva Kerēvica and Kristine Praulina.
Intars Busulis won the Sony Jazz Stage (the original name of Riga Jazz Stage) in 2004, and continued to develop his career, becoming one of the leading domestic and foreign vocalists. Ieva Kerēvica won the 2nd place on the same competition, and then participated in many Latvian competitions and festivals, as well as represented Latvia in the Finnish vocalists contest Lady Summertime. Her creative activity is also associated with musical production and various concert programs, cooperating with composers, and vocal pedagogy.
The Riga Jazz Stage 2014 vocal Grand Prix winner, Kristīne Prauliņa, swiftly became popular jazz singer in Latvia and even recorded an album with Maestro Raimonds Pauls after she succeeded on the contest.
On April 8 the trumpeter, composer and arranger - Gerhard Oring - from Austria, contest last year winner, is going to perform together with the house-band.
On the evening of April 9 there is going to be a surprise from the jury, which are to mentioned, trombonist Jiggs Whigham (Germany), bassist Toivo Unt (Estonia), guitarist Önder Focan (Turkey), Ronnie Scott’s club director and vocalist Paul Pace (United Kingdom), and vocalist Steponas Januška (Lithuania) or – The Jury Supergroup concert.
It’s usually jam sessions, which help to see the individuality, persona of the artist and their ability to improvise, as the contest itself has the precise yet covert program. So the improvisation evenings are the great way to learn more about the young talents and their versatility even before the contest begins.
Find tickets at “Biļešu paradīzes” ticket offices and on the Internet. Place at the table – 25 EUR, balcony seating place – 15 EUR.
Learn more on rigajazz.lv
