On the one hand, presenting the historic roots of jazz: standard, blues, bebop, swing, Dixieland, boogie-woogie… Over the years more than twenty big bands have played Bansko. Besides the traditional participants from the Big Band of Bulgarian National Radio with conductor Yanko Miladinov, which usually opens the event, former guest performers include the big formations of Vili Kazasyan, Georgi Borisov, Angel Zaberski, Big Band Blagoevgrad, several orchestras from Germany, including IKS Big Band, Kelag Big Band from Austria. The 10th edition of the festival featured the possibly most unusual orchestra in the festival’s history – SHAPE International Big Band, part of the NATO official orchestra. The 16th edition also hosted the Elmhurst College Jazz Band with conductor Doug Beach from the US.
On the other hand, the contemporary face of “free music“. Although quite different in nature, ethno-styles also have a permanent place in the festival. “Krakatau Band” from Indonesia, “Yehya Khalil Band” from Egypt, our own “Bulgara”, as well as Stoyan and Elitsa, who performed on stage fom the premiere of “Drumboy” . The 9th festival edition gathered Vlatko Stefanovski , Miroslav Tadic and Theodosius Spassov together on stage, and the music from their “Third Mother” project is still touring the world stages.
The festival programme has featured almost all great Bulgarian jazz performers, such as Milcho Leviev, Simeon Shterev, Mihail Yossifov, Hristo Yotsov, Camellia Todorova, Vassil Petrov, Stefka Onikyan, Hilda Kazasyan, Beloslava, Maria Ilieva, Petar Salchev, Miroslava Katzarova, Mery Taneva and many young rising stars of Bulgarian jazz .
P R O G R A M
BANSKO JAZZ FEST 2017
| 5 Aug. (Saturday) | 6 Aug. (Sunday) | 7 Aug. (Monday) | 8 Aug. (Tuesaday) | 9Aug. (Wednesday) | 10Aug. (Thursday) | 11 Aug. (Friday) | 12 Aug. (Saturday) |
| Sentimental Swingers & Big Band Blagoevgrad with special guest Mihail Yossifov (Bulgaria) | Uroš Perić & The Divettes (Slovenia ) & The Mambo Stars Band (Serbia) | Acquaphonica (Bulgaria/Italy) | Big Band „Swing kids” (Germany) | Two Cities One World (Bulgaria/USA) | The Tbilisi Big Band & soloists (Georgia) | Offlines Project (Israel) & guest Vladimir Karparov(Bulgaria) | Peter Salchev & Octet Plovdiv (Bulgaria) |
| Vlatko Stefanovski Trio (Macedonia) | Camellia Todorova & JP Trio (Bulgaria) | Lyubomir Denev Quartet & Vesela Morova (Bulgaria) | Lilly of the West (Bulgaria) | Chopin on the strings of Strzelczyk / Rodowicz / Erenc trio (Poland) | Mario Stantchev Trio Inedit (France/Bulgaria) | Roundella (Italy) | Patti Austin with Trio – “For Ella” (USA) |
| Axel Zwingenberger (Germany) | Spaghetti Swing (Italy) | Hilda Kazasyan & Quartet (Bulgaria) | Hot Four (Germany) | New Beginnin (Bulgaria) | Frederic Viale / Thomas Cordogli / Yoann Serra (France) with special guest Magi Aleksieva – „Mey” (Bulgaria) | Vassil Petrov – vocal & Stanislav Arabadjiev trio (Bulgaria) | Mungo Jerry Blues Band (UK) |
| Patrizia Laquidara (Italy) | Side Steps Quintet (Germany) | Seven (Swittzerland) | Djabe (Hungary) | Tony Momrelle & Band (UK) | Candy Dulfer & Band (Netherlands) |
