ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
The countdown has started for the 18th Istanbul Jazz Festival, which will host more than 300 local and foreign artists at some 40 concerts from July 1 to 19. One of the biggest surprises of this year’s festival will be famous American folk singer Paul Simon, who takes the Istanbul stage for the first time July 19
The nine-time Grammy winner Natalie Cole, whose albums have sold more than 50 million copies, fills audiences’ hearts with her songs of hope and love.
Famous American folk musician Paul Simon and popular soul singer Joss Stone are set to make their Istanbul debuts as part of this year’s jazz festival, which will also host African diva Angelique Kidjo.
Announced Tuesday night, the schedule for the 18th Istanbul Jazz Festival will bring more than 300 local and foreign artists to the city for some 40 concerts to be held at various indoor and outdoor venues from July 1 to 19.
The popular Tünel Feast, a “festival within the festival” offering a jazz marathon in the central Istanbul neighborhood of the same name July 2 also returns this year after getting off to a hot start in 2010.
New this year is the night entitled “A Strange Place for Jazz,” a special concert to be held at the historical Golden Horn shipyard July 9 featuring three world-famous bands that are expanding the horizons of jazz music with their innovative and creative projects.
The concert taking its name from an album, “Strange Place for Snow,” by e.s.t., the band of famous jazz musician Esbjörn Svensson, who died recently.
Former e.s.t. bassist Dan Berglund’s new band, Tonbruket, will take the Tersane Stage for the event, as will İlhan Erşahin’s “Love Trio,” featuring guest artist Arto Tunçboyacıyan. Jazz stars Bill Evans and Randy Brecker’s famous fusion band Soulbop will also share the stage with Medeski Martin & Wood.
Paul Simon comes to Istanbul for first time
A pioneer of the singer-songwriter tradition, hailed as one of the world’s biggest music legends, American folk singer Simon has enjoyed a dazzling solo career following his time as part of iconic duo Simon and Garfunkel. His classic songs include “You Can Call Me Al,” “Graceland,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and “Late in the Evening.”
Listed by Time magazine as one of the “100 People Who Shape Our World” in 2006, Simon joins the Istanbul festival as part of his European tour of his new solo album, “So Beautiful or So What,” released in spring 2011. He will take the stage at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater on July 19.
Grammy-award-winning British singer-songwriter Stone, who has had recent hits with “You Had Me” and “Fell in Love with a Boy,” will play July 28 at santralistanbul, while fellow Grammy winner Kidjo joins singers Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright in “Sing the Truth!” This tribute to legendary female singers of jazz, folk, R&B, gospel and blues will be held July 12 at the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater.
Another perfect jazz night under the stars in Harbiye will be supplied by Randy Crawford and Joe Sample on July 13. Starting her musical career at the end of the 1960s by singing with Quincy Jones, George Benson and then Sample’s band “The Crusaders,” Crawford will present a flawless mix of pop, jazz and R&B in her unique vocal style. She will be accompanied by Sample, one of the most important pianists on the pop-jazz scene.
Following Crawford and Sample, Natalie Cole will take the stage. The nine-time Grammy winner, whose albums have sold more than 50 million copies, fills audiences’ hearts with her songs of hope and love.
A concert July 7 pays homage to the American musical genius Miles Davis by bringing together some of his legendary collaborators. A unique quintet comprised of Herbie Hancock on piano, Wayne Shorter on saxophone, Marcus Miller on bass and bass clarinet, Sean Jones on trumpet and Sean Rickman on drums will perform Davis’ masterpieces, which are regarded as jazz reference works.
25 event venues
The concerts at this year’s festival will take place in classic venues such as the Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Hagia Irene Museum, Istanbul Modern, IstinyePark, Salon İKSV and the Marmara Esma Sultan as well as at the Tersane Stage and Santralistanbul Kıyı Amphi, which will be used as a concert venue for the first time. Including the venues for the Tünel Feast, the festival will come to 25 different venues throughout the city.
The Tünel Feast, which took place within the Istanbul Jazz Festival last year for the first time and drew great interest, will meet music-lovers in the first weekend of the festival with an even more comprehensive program compared to the previous year.
The July 2 mini-festival will continue until the late hours with concerts, workshops, special exhibitions, treats and events in the streets and in many different venues in the Beyoğlu district’s Şişhane, Galata and Asmalımescit neighborhoods, along with the main stages to be established at Tünel and Galata squares.
Tickets for the 18th Istanbul Jazz Festival will be available starting May 7 through Biletix and at the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, or İKSV, building in Şişhane.
Organized by İKSV, the festival is being sponsored for the 14th time by Garanti Bank. The festival program was released Tuesday night at a press conference at Salon İKSV. Following the opening speech of İKSV General Director Görgün Taner, Senior Vice President Elif Güvenen made a speech on behalf of Garanti Bank.
“The festival has enabled the formation of a jazz culture in Turkey by bringing hundreds of artists, among them world-famous names, together with music lovers for 18 years. As Garanti Bank, we have been giving support for many years for increasing the love and popularity of jazz music, under the motto ‘Garanti Jazz Green,’” she said. “In this context, our 14-year collaboration with İKSV working toward the same goal has allowed us to get stronger each year. Along with the excitedly awaited concerts, we will also increase the pulse of jazz-hearted Istanbul with organized street events.”
(Source: www.hurriyetdailynews.com )