The 21st Tbilisi Jazz Festival
By Mariam Chanishvili
Tuesday, May 1
Tbilisi hosted the 21st jazz festival on 28-30 April.
Tbilisi Jazz Festival 2018 featured the Bad Plus, Naturally 7 and Miles Electric Band – ft. Ravi Coltrane.
The audience had a chance to enjoy the Sandro Bibich Trio, accompanied by Sandro Kvachadze (bass/vocals), Gigi Tsintsadze (guitar), Daniel Adikashvili (drum); the Conservatoire Jazz Band - Liliko Korkotashvili (vocals), Mikheil Japaridze (bass), Luka Topuria (key), Gigi Tsintsadze (guitar) and Gio Kapanadze (drum).
Within the framework of the festival, a master class by Naturally 7 took place on April 29. The members of the group had a chance to present their skills and techniques.
“Naturally 7” is an American music band with a distinct a cappella style they call "vocal play," which, according to group leader Roger Thomas, is "the art of becoming an instrument using the human voice to create the sound." They simulate the sounds of an instrumental band using only their voices, mouths and distortion effects. The group was formed in 1999 in New York City.
The Miles Electric Band, a progressive, All-Star ensemble of Miles Davis alumni who are revising the framework for modern jazz improvisation, performed on April 30 - International Jazz Day, concluding the festival with special guest famous saxophonist, Ravi Coltrane.
Miles Electric Band features 9 members and is led by the drummer, Grammy winner Vince Wilburn, Jr., who is the nephew of Miles Davis.
In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day in order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.
International Jazz Day is chaired and led by Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General, and legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. This year, the concerts were held at Tbilisi Event Hall, Tbilisi Concert Hall and Republic.
Republic hosts 4 different venues ranging from several modern event spaces to an upscale Mediterranean restaurant.
Tbilisi Jazz Festival is presented by TBC Status and Eastern Promotions.
The festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Georgia, Tbilisi City Hall, Check in Georgia, UNESCO and the US Embassy in Georgia.
The organizers of the festival decided that instead of Fall, Tbilisi Jazz Festival will take place in Spring every year, coinciding with the International Jazz Day.
