The International Jazz Festival in Bansko is the biggest summer musical event in Bulgaria. The enormous popularity which the festival enjoys among specialists and fans across the world has turned it into one of the foremost international cultural happenings in the Balkans.

The old town of Bansko becomes a meeting place for emblematic figures of today’s music world. The concerts are free for the public.

Traditionally, the programme features styles and groups representing almost all jazz trends. The evening concerts draw huge crowds to the open-air stage on Nikola Vaptsarov Square in downtown Bansko. Throughout the festival week jazz is also played during the day and late at night on various smaller stages in the large resort bars and restaurants.

Ever since its foundation in 1998, Bansko Jazz Fest is held every year from August 8 to 13. This year the fest will start on August 7, Friday.

The main concerts take place on the open-air stage at 1 Nikola Vaptsarov Square in Bansko and start nightly at 7 pm.

Bansko Jazz Fest 2015 Program (18th edition)

STAGE “NIKOLA VAPTZAROV”SQUARE

START – 19 : 00 h.

 

August 7th, Friday

1. Christina Kirova Quintet (Bulgaria) – Christina Kirova – vocals, Angel Nikolov – piano, Alexander Vasev – keyboard, Stefan Vratchev – double bass, Issak Benbassat – drums

2. Newstalgia Project International (Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Slovenia) – Tsarina Marinkova (piano, Bulgaria ), George Dimitriu (guitar, Romania ),Mattia Magatelli (double bass, Italy), Kristijan Krajncan (drums, Slovenia)

3. Acid Folk Five (Bulgaria) – Ekaterina Angelova – vocals, Georgi Petrov – piano, Ivo Paunov – bass, Filip Ernsting – drums

4. Magi Alexieva “MEY” & Lolas Quartet (Bulgaria) – Magi Alexieva “MEY” – vocals, Lubo Tsanev – piano, Radoslav Slavchev – bass, Bogomil Enchev – drums

STAGE GRAND HOTEL BANSKO

START 20:30

“100 years Frank Sinatra”

Vassil Petrov & Big Band Blagoevgrad (Bulgaria) – Boris Yanev –    conductor

 

August 8th, Saturday

1. Vassil Petrov & Big Band Blagoevgrad (Bulgaria) – Vassil Petrov – vocals, Boris Yanev – conductor

2. Shelly Berg Trio (USA / Bulgaria) – Shelly Berg – piano, Radoslav Slavchev – bass, Bogomil Enchev – drums

3. Leonid Ptashka – (Israel / Bulgaria) – Leonid Ptashka – piano, Stefan Vratchev – double bass, Issak Benbassat – drums

4. Mungo Jerry (UK) – Ray Dorset – guitar, lead vocals, Jon Playle – bass, backing vocals, Toby Hounsham – keyboards, backing vocals, Bob White – drums

 

August 9th, Sunday

1. Dimitrov / Georgiev jazz project quartet (Bulgaria / USA) – Matt Marantz – saxophone, Alex Goodman – guitar, Georgi Georgiev – bass, Dimitar Dimitrov – drums

2. Silvan Zingg Trio (Switzerland / Portugal) – Silvan Zingg – piano , Nuno Alexandre – double bass, Valerio Felice – drums

3. The Jazzbones (Germany) – Manfred Schmelzer – trombone, Dominik Michael – drums, Willy Haasz – saxophone, clarinet, Jurgen Aschoff– banjo, Christoph Schneichel – trumpet, Max Hutten – guitar and vocals, Reinhard Gries – piano, Rien Kolkman – double bass

4. Jam Station (Serbia) – Mihailo Tatic – guitar, vocal, Lazar Petrovic – lead guitar, Mihajlo Ivanovic – bass guitar, Zelimir Marsnjak – drums, Milan Jovanovic – piano, Filip Stipsic – saxophone, Nikola Stanojevic – trombone

 

August 10th, Monday

1. Vesela Morova & Dandalunda Brazil project (Bulgaria) – Vesela Morova – vocal, Kalin Zhechev – piano, Mihail Josifov – guitar, Radoslav Slavchev – bass, Atanas Popov – percussion, Vassil Voutev – drums, Vladislav Michev – trombone, Georgi Stoykov – trumpet .Amazonia Dance Project: Elena Bali, Larissa Franklim, Maria Cossa, Harita Asunami

2. Klezmafour (Poland) – Andrzej Czaplinski – violin, vocal, Rafal Grzaka – accordion,Wojciech Czaplinski – clarinet, vocal, Gabriel Tomczuk – double bass, electronics, Pawel Maruszak – drums

3. RON (Italy) – Ron – vocals, piano & guitar, Giovanna- cello, Mattia Del Forno – keyboard, Emiliano Mangia – guitar

4. Dirty Purchase (Bulgaria) – Hristoslav Galileev – Galio – bass guitar, Nikolai Danev – drums and percussion, Liudmil Stoinev – keyboard, guitar and violin, Ivan Letchev – guitar and violin, Mihail Iosifov – trumpet, Velislav Stoyanov – trombone, Emil Mintchev – vocal

 

August 11th, Tuesday

1. Yildiz Ibrahimova & Jazz Eagles Big Band (Bulgaria / Turkey) – Yildiz Ibrahimova – vocals, Murat Aksoy – conductor

2. Bagyi Balazs New Quartet (Hungary) – Janos Aved – saxophone, Dezso Olah – piano, Peter Olah – bass, Balazs Bagyi – drums

3. Carmen Souza “Live at Lagny” (Portugal) – Carmen Souza – vocals , acoustic guitar, rhodes or wurlitzer,  Theo Pas’cal (Musical director) – bass, double bass, backvocals, Eliaz Kacomanolis – drums/percussion, Aidan Glover – acoustic piano

4. Eftekasat World Jazz (Egypt)- Amro Salah – piano, keyboards, Samer George – bass, Ahmad Hesham – drums, Sherif Alaa – guitar, Mohamed Medhat – violin, Hany Bedair – percussion

 

August 12th, Wednesday

1. Lesni zver (Czech Republic) – Jiri Hradil – piano, Hammond, synth, koncovka flute, Martin Cech – drums, Milos Rejsek – vocals, melodika, delay, guest Marek Steyer – trumpet

2. Monty Alexander Trio (USA) – Monty Alexander – piano, Hassan Shakur – bass, Obed Calvaire – drums

3. Jazz Connection & special guest : Angela van Rijthoven (Holland) – Angela van Rijthoven – vocals, Jurgen Feskens – тrumpet, flugelhorn & vocals, Peter van- тrombone, Rob Henneveld – тenor & Alto Saxophone, clarinet, Bart Wouters – вass & vocals, Bart Maassen – рiano, Ad Hoendervangers – drums

 

August 13th, Thursday

1. David Helbock Trio (Austria) – David Helbock – piano, Raphael Preuschl – bass ukulele, Reinhold Schmolzer – drums

2. Miroslava Katzarova – “Blue Moon songs of Billie Holiday” (Bulgaria) – Miroslava Katzarova – vocals, Vesselin Vesselinov “Eko” – double bass, Hristo Yotzov – percussion,Miroslav Turijski – piano, Guests: Dennis Popstoev – alto sax, Bojidar Dimitrov – trombone Special guest: Nikolay Karageorgiev – guitar

3. Snow Owl (Columbia, USA, Bulgaria) – Juan Garcia-Herreros – bass, Roberto Quintero – percussions, Marcio Tubino – saxophone, flute, Mihail Yossifov – trumpet, Stoyan Yankulov – drums, Alejandra Maria – violin, Marko Crncec – piano

4. Incognito (UK) – Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick – band leader, rhythm guitar, Francis Hylton – bass, Matt Cooper – keyboard, Joao Caetano – percussion, Francesco Mendolia – drums, Vanessa Haynes – vocals, Katie Hector – vocals, Tony Momrelle – vocals, Sid Gauld – trumpet, Nigel Hitchcock – saxophone, Alastair White – trombone, Francisco Sales – guitar

The organizers reserve the right to make changes to the program!

KITT Ltd otters accommodation in the best hotels in Bansko! Welcome!