Tbilisi hosts the 22nd Jazz Festival
By Mariam Chanishvili
Monday, March 4
Tbilisi hosted the 22nd Jazz Festival from February 28 to March 2.
This year’s festival was headlined by Grammy Award winner, legendary American guitar player Pat Metheny. Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vakhtang Kakhidze, Tbilisi Big-Band and the students of the jazz faculty of Tbilisi State Conservatoire took part in the festival.
The 22nd Jazz Festival’s grand opening took place at Tbilisi State Conservatoire, with the new project Tbilisi Big-Band & New Jazz Generation, which was featured with the younger generation of jazz musicians.
Pat Metheny performed alongside virtuoso drummer Jonathan Barber and bass player Darek Oleszkiewicz.
The final event took place at Tbilisi Concert Hall on March 2. Metheny performed with Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vakhtang Kakhidze.
Tbilisi Jazz Festival is an annual international jazz festival held in Tbilisi, Georgia, which, along with Batumi Black Sea Jazz Festival, is the country's main jazz event. It was first held in 1978 and became an annual event in 2000. Its traditional venue is the Tbilisi Concert Hall.
Tbilisi Jazz Festival is organized by Eastern Promotions and TBC Status and supported by the Ministry of Tbilisi City Hall and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.
Pat Metheny is a guitarist and composer born in 1954 outside of Kansas City, Missouri. He first appeared on Jaco Pastorius’ debut 1974 album Jaco. Metheny created his signature sound with 12 string electric Jazz guitar as part of the Gary Burton Quartet.
Pat Metheny is one of the most acclaimed jazz guitarists of the past 40 years.
