European jazz extravaganza at Technopolis until Sunday
The European Jazz Festival, hosted for the fifth consecutive year at the Technopolis arts complex in Gazi, kicked off yesterday. Acts from all over Europe (in contrast to the 2001 festival where only a few European countries participated) will demonstrate their takes on modern jazz in a celebration featuring all jazz variations, which will run to Sunday. Admission is free to the public. 18 European countries Every year, the festival’s organization lies with the country that currently holds the EU presidency. This year being no exception, it is Luxemburg’s turn. Bands and solo artists from 18 European countries contribute to this jazz extravaganza, where Greece is represented by Takis Barberis. The festival’s program features three concerts tonight, tomorrow and Sunday (starting at 9 p.m.) and four concerts on Friday and Saturday (starting at 8 p.m.). The shows will end at around midnight. The Jazz Festival opened last night with a performance by the Jazz Upstairs Big Band, with guest vocalist Evi Siamanta. The band consists of nine musicians, all of them highly skilled and was followed by Portugal’s Bernardo Sassetti trio. The trio’s frontman is one of the most well-known Portuguese jazzmen who, despite his classical music studies, ended up working with musicians such as Al Grey, John Stubblefield, Frank Lacy and Andy Sheppard, having been won over by jazz music. Participants Other participants include Poland’s Virtual J@zz Reality, Slovakia’s Pacora Trio and Vlado Kreslin & Mati Bogoni, Luxemburg’s Greg Lamy Quartet, Spain’s Javier Vercher and Denmark’s Gramski’ Beat among others. The Technopolis arts complex is situated at 100 Pireos, Gazi, tel 210.346.7322.
