Belgrade Jazz Fest Swings Into Action

Belgrade Jazz Fest is set to take place on October 26 and will last for five full days, with double-bill programs every night at two of the best music venues in the city - Dom Omladine (Americana Hall) and the Sava Centar.

Jazz lovers in Serbia will enjoy performances from over 20 ensembles, super-groups and soloists, most of whom are well-known, celebrated names in the world of contemporary jazz music.

This year, the biggest festival names are arriving from the United States, and among them will be celebrated saxophonist and jazz composer Joshua Redman - Harvard alumni and one of the "young lions" of the American jazz scene of the 1990s.

Donny McCaslin was a longtime collaborator with the likes of David Bowie, and contributed to the late musician's celebrated final album 'Blackstar'.

Belgrade Jazz Fest will mark his third time in Belgrade. One of the biggest names of the New York City avant-garde jazz scene, virtuoso guitarist Marc Ribot, will also make an appearance to pay homage to the avant-garde sounds of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time, along with two of the band's original members, Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Calvin Weston. Of course, there will be a string trio as well, to add some essential spice to the disco-funk performance.

The Norwegian double bass player Mats Eilertsen will lead international septet Rubicon - his latest and most ambitious project to date.

Also hailing from Scandinavia will be talented Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, who is set to pay homage to the late and great Jan Johansson, with the assistance of Mattias Svensson and a string quartet.

New talents are coming from France and Italy this year, too, namely Emile Parisien and Giovanni Guidi. Guidi will present his new quintet, Inferno, along with...