Pop-up concerts to mark International Jazz Day

Ljubljana – Slovenia is marking International Jazz Day on Saturday with a series of street performances and live concerts by jazz musicians that will be a welcome change after two years of Covid-19. In addition to Ljubljana, events will be or have already been held in several other towns as well.

The cultural organisation Imago Sloveniae, the main organiser of the events, also invites jazz musicians country-wide to perform for random passers-by from their windows to help spread the good vibes.

Jazzy beats will resonate in various locations around Ljubljana Old Town, including squares and bridges, where no-frills pop-up performances will be held by Slovenian bands Swingter and Žiga Smrdel Trio. Spectators can look forward to Django-jazz-style compositions from the golden age of swing as well as gypsy jazz and mainstream jazz.

The day will wrap up with an evening concert by Jazz Rarities Lab Kvartet and a jam session in the Prulček bar in Trnovo borough, a well-known hub for jazz and rock enthusiasts. The internationally acclaimed band plans to dig up some of the forgotten standard jazz pieces, and as much as half of their programme has never before been performed in Slovenia, a press release reads.

On the eve of Jazz Day, events dedicated to this music genre were already held in Ravne na Koroškem, Postojna and Metlika, and another concert will take place in the coastal town Piran tonight.

In addition to concerts, a documentary film by author and director Tomo Novosel about the first century of Slovenian jazz will be streamed at the website Jazz Ravne.

Those preferring to stay at home can watch recordings of jazz concerts by the Big Band of RTV Slovenija and soloists staged at the Imago Sloveniae and the Summer in Old Ljubljana international festivals, Imago Sloveniae said.

UNESCO declared 30 April International Jazz Day in 2011 to highlight the genre’s role in bringing people together from all over the world.

The post Pop-up concerts to mark International Jazz Day appeared first on Slovenia Times.