site.btaJohn Beasley, Nils Landgren, and New York Voices to Perform for First Time in Bulgaria at Bansko Jazz Festival

John Beasley, Nils Landgren, and New York Voices are coming to Bulgaria for the first time to perform at the Bansko Jazz Festival, the organizers said.

In 2025, the large-scale music event will take place from August 1 to 10. On the very first night, audiences at the festival’s main stage will experience the music of jazz pianist John Beasley and his trio.

Two years ago, Beasley won a Grammy for Best Arrangement for Scrapple from the Apple from Bird Lives, and the following year, two of his albums were nominated in different categories. He has received a total of 14 Grammy nominations, winning two, and has also been nominated twice for Latin Grammys.

Since 2011, Beasley has been the musical director of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, where he is the musical architect of concerts and gala events for International Jazz Day. He was nominated for an Emmy as musical director of the 2016 Jazz at the White House concert and has worked on productions such as American Idol and The Tonight Show.

Beasley has composed music for Disney and Paramount for projects such as Fame and Star Trek. His music can also be heard in films like Skyfall and The Shawshank Redemption. He has composed symphonic jazz pieces commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Since 2024, he has served as president of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers.

Also performing in Bulgaria for the first time at the Bansko Jazz Festival is Nils Landgren. The legendary Swedish trombonist is a virtuoso not only in the world of jazz but also in funk, with elements of rock, soul, and hip-hop in his music. He has been specially invited to perform in the main gala programme for International Jazz Day in 2025.

On August 6, Bulgarian audiences will hear New York Voices live for the first time. New York Voices are part of the vocal jazz tradition alongside groups such as Take 6 and Manhattan Transfer. Their story began in the mid-1980s at Ithaca College in New York, where Peter Eldridge, Darmon Meader, Kim Nazarian, and Caprice Fox first sang together in a college vocal ensemble formed for jazz festival performances in Europe. Eventually, they branched out into a smaller group, moved to the heart of New York City, added vocalist Sara Krieger, and became New York Voices.

This year, the Bansko Jazz Festival will present 20 concerts on the main stage. Additional concerts will take place on two other stages, one for young talents in the park and the Jazz & World Music stage.

The festival’s daytime programme will include jazz for children, park entertainment, jazz performances along Gotse Delchev Street, wine-and-jazz gatherings, and jam sessions after midnight on festival nights.

Admission to the concerts is free, with tickets only required for the seated section in front of the stage, organizers from the Municipality of Bansko and the Festivals in Bulgaria Association noted.