For 16 years, thanks to the organizers of the oldest in the independent Ukraine Jazz Festival, the local public has been happy to have the performances of the best jazz performers from around the world. And if in past years, the festival can be noticed to use not quite jazz concerts (among the guest stars there were performers with a focus on pop, stage, chanson), the last few years, the programme satisfies fans of jazz.
But jazz listeners over the years in Vinnytsia have been pampered to be sympathetic, but also demanding - someone's taste is easy to recognize by ear standards, someone wants to listen to thoughtful intellectual jazz with classical techniques, while others want to hear nontrivial experiments and new developments, still others need just the music mood by sincere play of talented musicians.
Sixteenth Festival in Vinnytsia pleased many fans of jazz lines and showed how original may be the modern jazz improvisation. Besides, the festival proved that jazz is an unlimited category such as love, and the language of jazz, the language of free mood music is understandable to people of different ethnicities and nationalities.
Jazz starts from the street. Vinnytsia Municipal Jazz Orchestra Band plays on the square welcoming the audience with the beginning of jazz days. Existing several years the orchestra has a number of standards and classical music pieces, creating mood, calling for the early evening. So was the beginning of the festival days.
The first day of the festival can be called the day of discovery, because every concert acquainted with one of the original expressions of modern jazz: the first three programmes struck by using instruments - jazz violin, cello jazz, jazz DJ, and the last one by the sounding: jazz processing of the classics of rock and roll.
First same performance and a surprise - violin bossa nova - a soft vibration and free melodies, flamenco guitar adds a Latin American flavor.
Rudi Berger - violin virtuoso who shifted his feet in place and swinging bow, deftly, like playing, made the people fall in love from first sounds. This, one of a kind, jazz violinist - one ardent: here is where Gypsy blood reveals itself. His inflammatory bow passages, striking pizzicato, unexpected playing the piano, bribe, and heartfelt emotions that are changing the face of each tact, multiplied by supporters of his game. And now the Hall is clapping hands thrust rhythm with flamenco guitarist, who stands next to the violinist. Classic blues, Brazilian tunes, improvisation workshops on the verge of genres - energetic violin sets the tone.
The new concert and again the use of nonclassical classical instrument, this time cello. Jerez-Texas - heady, like strong wine, which made the first part of the team name. Spanish-French unconventional trio combines flamenco, classical, ethnic and jazz, perfectly adjusting various elements of the musical mosaic of independent flickering picture. Matthew Saligo, classical cello, is a central element of this mosaic, there he creates its own juicy sound by Ricardo Esteve with his flamenco guitar and drummer Jesús Himeno. Bright bits of melodies from around the world are dynamically combined in an expressive work. Trio sound, rich in shades and textures, is perceived by grateful public, emotional experts are delighted by their equipment, and simple music lovers of are fond of their sensual chords. They perform their own compositions and fresh arrange-known songs in an original manner. Exitting the hall, Vinnytsia audience is singing romantic Spanish song without understanding the words and feeling the jazz rhythm that unites the hearts of all.
Following on the stage the Polish evening began, almost all the musicians continue to represent this country with a rich jazz and classical tradition. Bright quintet, led by a Ukrainian and Polish young musicians as part of, Futurethno - a project that gave the stage a rapid whirlpool of folk motifs, seasoned with electronic music that made the room just go crazy. The band translates the simplicity and melody of folk songs to modern language of jazz, adding a touch of disco flavour by DJ in stock. It turns out that even the DJ sound paired with lyrical piano. Total canvas of Futurethno is surprisingly pleasant sound to the ear. Tools in the hands of young jazz musicians lead on stage a conversation, constantly improvising: violin makes thesound "ethnic," whereas bass keys are responsible for "jazz" sound, and DJ with special effects "modernize" this mixture. All together sounds very organic and definitely original.
But the real Polish jazz is known primarily for its intellectual fullness, reliance on classical education. He honed technique and inherent freedom of musical picture. One of the best representatives of the Polish jazz - pianist Artur Dutkevich, who stood with his trio at the festival and presented the program of creative reinterpretation of known hits of Jimmy Hendrix. Jazz reading guitar blues-rock was not a shadow of the original, and independent music world, the world is not of Hendrix, but of Dutkevich with its stylistic, rhythmic and melodic freedom. Also, musicians paid tribute to compatriot Czesław Niemen ballads, the works harmoniously featured and verified, giving fans a real pleasure of intravert serious jazz.
Quiet, graceful chords ended the first day.
The second start was quite different, extravert jazz - Vinnitsa met Sergiev Posad-municipal orchestra. Led by legendary personality, honored artist of Russia Vladislav Kaderskyi, Big Band performs jazz arrangements (classic and modern), pop pieces, known standards. Spirit sparkle standing in rows, the desire to lead a charming melody, rhythm section is waiting just conductor` stick. And so it goes, the conductor, in a white suit and tie-in butterfly, with a wave of his hand begins the action. Recognized melodies induce to sing along, dancing , tick rhythm until the ending motive does not sound with sincere and enthusiastic ovation. They played tunes of Gordon Goodwin, Tom Ellin, Duke Ellington. Sergiev Posad-big-band soloists impressed by the skill of brass section, drummer mastery and magic singer S. Artemyeva. Nice music, great jazz.
The next in programme was listed in aconcert-dialogue. A company-sponsor Yamaha invited to communicate quartet of Japanese woman Yuko Okamoto and duo of Oleg Butman and Natalia Smirnova. Different groups for styling and presenting the material were combined piano Yamaha.
Japanese jazz, what is it? Particular, quietly touched with traditions and culture of the country of the Rising Sun. But at the same time full of ultra-modern rhythms, with the latest fashion techniques. With a classical education Japanese Yuko Okamoto, who studied jazz at its Mecca, New York, got best of modern trends. Her music is not just jazz, but an expression of purity of her soul and mind that captivates many admirers. In March, the region from which comes Yuko Okamoto, was the most affected by the earthquake and tsunami. After the tragedy, she gave a series of charity concerts in the U.S. and has released several CDs to help raise funds for the rebuilding of her native city. Her programme is called "Motherland forever in my heart." Although notes of Japanese music had been little noticeable in the overall canvas of contemporary professional jazz that played the Japanese musicians, but the smooth flow of melody and the pensive melancholy gave the guess of oriental flavor.
Passionate jazz from the drummer Oleg Butman and his wife, pianist Natalia Smirnova - a second branch of the second day of Vinnytsia Jazz Festival. Programme of the duo “Jazz Passion” is- another part of the "star dialogue", presented by Yamaha. Unique in the world duo of drums and piano opens the possibility of these mega-solo and self-contained instruments, demonstrating their amazing combination of rhyth and timbre. Natalia and Oleg met one spring and love was born. To be exact, passion was the first. A woman inspired Oleg to take up music creation for the first time in life: diverse, sophisticated, romantic and higgledy-piggledy, tender and aggressive. Songs were written by two passionate hearts and their volcanic energy leaves no audience indifferent. In this family dominates the mutual understanding and harmony, both on stage and in life. They give a sense of freedom and give declaration of love to one another . Sincere feelings of the couple, resonated in the hearts of music lovers.
The final concert of the festival - is, by tradition, the performance of famous singers. This year an amazing quartet of African Americans, who first came to Ukraine, made the thousandth room for half an hour move to a virtual New York jazz club, with its stylish atmosphere. Abraham Burton Quartet gave incomparable pleasure of soulful sound of the leader-saxophonist, irrepressible energy of drummer Eric McPherson, an incredible sense of rhythm of contrabassist Dezron Douglas and unique musical flair of pianist David Bryant. Together, they demonstrate the exquisite acoustic jazz mainstream of super quality and depth, jazz that inspires, awakens passion, wealth of fascinating forms, flight of imagination, spontaneity, a powerful hurricane timbre and expression - eloquent music! The repertoire they have is the best balance of intimate ballads and energetic melodies. The colour of the sound is a powerful Burton’s solo who subtly understands and feels the music, conveying the emotions of the listener. One of the best students of the famous Jackie McLean, founder of bebop, Burton improvises freely and relaxed keeping pace. And how delicately, shrewdly restrained the sound is in the performance of the quartet ballads! It sounds amazing with the last solo on the saxophone and the final applause accompanying the musicians.
Gone out the lights, empty is thehall ... But jazz mood in Vinnytsia is a permanent phenomenon: chestnuts drummung on city pavement, improvisations of the wind fingering the leaves on the trees, a fountain practising in applauses to the musicians ... Excellent autumn tradition to fill Vinnytsia with jazz rhythms will live, and the next festival will take place next September!
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