Taking place in April again after a pause of more than two years, Jazzkaar 2022 has now announced its long-awaited programme. The headliners of this year’s jazz celebration from April 24 to 1 May will be the legendary saxophonist Kenny Garrett, mandolin star Hamilton de Holanda, trumpeter Avishai Cohen and jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. Today and tomorrow, tickets to the Jazzkaar 2022 concerts are offered at 50 percent discount.
The 33rd Tallinn International Jazzkaar Festival will welcome artists from 13 countries, presenting their new creations, concert formats, tributes and collectives: “We can once again offer jazz fans a programme as diverse as before the pandemic. We have included in our programme numerous new talented musicians whose festival debuts are worth experiencing. I am glad that we get to meet again for a springtime jazz celebration in April, after a long pause,” says Anne Erm, the Artistic Director of the festival.
The opening concert of the festival will feature a collaboration of Estonian jazz composers, pianist Joel Remmel and double bassist Peedu Kass, Ode to the Forest dedicated to the Estonian forest, its power and the need to protect it. Guitarist Jaak Sooäär will celebrate his 50th birthday at Jazzkaar with a concert of Eesti Keeled, joined by soloists Riho Sibul and Vaiko Eplik. Mingo Rajandi and Eva Koldits will present their new production, the passion Beastesses, which offers a modern woman’s look at the heroines of the Greek tragedies performed by an actress and musicians.
Several local artists will delight jazz fans with their new creations and arrangements: Valter Soosalu performing new music for harpejji and ensemble; Siim Aimla Funk Band with Alika Milova, Eleryn Tiit and Silver Laas reviving timeless funk hits; Kalle Pilli Quintet introducing music from their debut album, Lantau; Marten Kuningas and band paying homage to the pop legend David Bowie with their programme, Bowie 75; Frankie Animal presenting their new album, and Cätlin Mägi weaving Jew’s harps and electronics into an exciting fabric of sound. Kadri Voorand will take the audience on a special musical journey where you can forget about the everyday life and dive deep into music at her Lie Down Concert. Neon Fir and Alfa Collective will add youthful passion to the festival. Siiri Sisask & Kristjan Randalu – Lingua mea, Maria Faust Jazz Catastrophe, Tafenau & Vind Duo feat. Ricardo Padilla and Jazz Musician of the Year 2021, Holger Marjamaa with Heikko Remmel & Lee Pearson are evidence of Estonian artists’ successful international collaborations.
The headliners of this year’s Jazzkaar are Grammy award winning artists, American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater with the Estonian Dream Big Band and the legendary saxophonist Kenny Garrett, performing music from his new studio album, Sounds From The Ancestors. The concert of Dee Dee Bridgewater will be brought to the audience by Viru Keskus. Brazilian mandolin star Hamilton de Holanda and his trio will enliven the evergreen tracks of the absolute classic of bossa nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen will perform at Jazzkaar with his special group, Big Vicious, featuring two drummers and two guitarists.
Jazzkaar is pleased to welcome at this year’s festival the eagerly awaited foreign performers: the phenomenal Swedish band Dirty Loops, the French singer Cyrille Aimée, who has risen among the stars of vocal jazz, the UK contemporary minimalist composer-pianist Neil Cowley, and the UK-based musician Leifur James, revealing the magic of electronic music. In co-operation with Tallinn and Katowice, the UNESCO Cities of Music, and the Katowice JazzArt Festival, the ECM artist Maciej Obara with his Maciej Obara Quartet and the free jazz ensemble trio_io will perform in Estonia for the first time.
For the eighth time, Jazzkaar will take place in the inspiring atmosphere of Telliskivi Creative City. The festival concerts will also reach the audiences in Tartu, Viljandi, Rakvere, Kuressaare and Haapsalu.
The 33rd Tallinn International Jazzkaar Festival will take place from 24 April to 1 May 2022 in different places of Estonia. On 16 and 17 February, tickets to the Jazzkaar 2022 concerts will be offered at 50 percent discount. Please see the festival programme and information about the artists on our website. Tickets are on sale at Piletilevi sales points and online at www.piletilevi.ee. See you at Jazzkaar!
Keep an eye on Jazzkaar’s activities on our website, Facebook and Instagram.
The main sponsors of the festival are JURA, Jazz Pesulad and Eesti Päevaleht. Annual sponsors are BMW Inchcape, Nordic Hotel, Tallink and Aktaprint. The concert of the legendary jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater will be presented by Viru Keskus. Telliskivi Creative City, Prike and Fotografiska Tallinn help set up the festival hub. We are also supported by Reval Café, Overall, MyFitness, Kodupaber, Glamping Estonia and Estonian Public Broadcasting. The Embassy of Israel, Embassy of Brazil and Embassy of Sweden. We would like to thank the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Tallinn, the UNESCO City of Music and Enterprise Estonia for their support.
Main programme of Jazzkaar 2022:
Alfa Collective / Avishai Cohen, Big Vicious (Israel) / Cätlin Mägi, Looping Jew’s Harp Orchestra / Cyrille Aimée (France) / DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER (USA) & Estonian Dream Big Band / Dirty Loops (Sweden) / Frankie Animal / Hamilton de Holanda Jobim Trio (Brazil) / Holger Marjamaa, Heikko Remmel & Lee Pearson (Estonia–USA) / Jaak Sooäär 50, Eesti Keeled feat. Riho Sibul & Vaiko Eplik / Joel Remmel & Peedu Kass Ensemble, Ode to the Forest / Kadri Voorand / Kalle Pilli Quintet, Lantau / Leifur James (UK) / Maria Faust Jazz Catastrophe (Estonia–Denmark) / Maciej Obara Quartet (Poland–Norway–Sweden) / Marten Kuningas, Bowie 75 / Neil Cowley / Neon Fir / Rajandi & Koldits, Beastesses / Siim Aimla Funk Band feat. Alika, Eleryn Tiit and Silver Laas, Respect the Funk / Siiri Sisask & Kristjan Randalu, Lingua mea (Estonia–Germany–Greece–Luxembourg/USA) / Tafenau & Vind Duo feat. Ricardo Padilla (Estonia–Chile) / THE KENNY GARRETT and Sounds From The Ancestors (USA) / trio_io (Poland) / Valter’s Harpejji Band