site.btaBansko Jazz Festival Opens on July 31

The 29th Bansko Jazz Festival will once again bring together international talent, ideas, and artistic expression, continuing to strengthen Bansko's reputation as a city of music, the Bansko Town Hall said.

The ten-day festival will begin on July 31. According to the local authorities, the event has long outgrown the role of a traditional music festival and has become an integral part of Bansko's identity. Preparations begin months in advance and are the result of the joint efforts of the Bansko Municipality, the festival organizers, public institutions, the local business community, and other partners.

Speaking to the Bulgarian News Agency, Bansko Mayor Stoycho Banenski said the town is fully prepared to host the festival. He noted that one of Bansko's greatest advantages is its extensive experience in organizing large-scale international events.

"We have an experienced team, a well-established organizational structure, and, most importantly, the people of Bansko embrace these festivals as their own cause," Banenski said.

He added that the Bansko Jazz Festival has long been one of the town's defining symbols and that this year's edition will once again feature an impressive lineup of performers from around the world.

"I am confident that this year's festival will once again meet the high expectations of its many visitors," he said.

Artists from more than 20 countries will present 83 projects across four stages at this year's Bansko Jazz Festival, according to organizers from the  Association Festivals in Bulgaria and the Bansko Municipality.

Among the most anticipated guests at this year's festival are legendary drummer Billy Cobham, American singer and song writer Morgan James, Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen with his groundbreaking Big Vicious project, and British saxophonist, composer, and arranger Tim Garland, a Grammy Award winner and longtime collaborator of Chick Corea, the organizers announced.

The festival lineup will also feature Cuban bassist Alain Perez, American saxophonist Chico Freeman, and Italian pianist Antonio Farao.

The Bansko Jazz Festival will open with a concert by Camellia and Militsa Gladnishka, accompanied by a Big Band conducted by Antoni Donchev. The opening program is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of composer and jazz musician Lyubomir Denev.

The festival will conclude with a performance by Vassil Petrov, who will celebrate 30 years on stage with a jazz trio and the Razgrad Philharmonic Orchestra.

A unique fusion of music and visual art will be presented for the first time as part of the Bansko Jazz Festival through a photography exhibition featuring works selected in an international photography competition.

The exhibition includes photographs by Alexander Khanin, Dimitar Aleksov, Dimitar Kazandzhiev, Ed Kuchek, Elena Trifonova, Trifon Trifonov, Valeri Bobenkov, and Georgi Angelov.

The photographs were selected by a jury comprising Lilia Yotova, Chair and Co-founder of the Association of Professional Photographers, Iliyana Shtereva, organizer of the Bansko Jazz Festival, and Georgi Angelov, Public Relations Specialist at the Bansko Municipality.                                                                                                                                                            

The exhibition will be displayed in Bansko City Park throughout the festival.