23rd Tbilisi Jazz Festival
By Mariam Chanishvili
Wednesday, February 12
The 23rd Tbilisi Jazz Festival, presented by TBC Status and Eastern Promotions, will take place on March 25-28 in Tbilisi. This year's festival participants include world stars such as 5 Grammy Award-winning best jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, jazz legends Kenny Barron, Dave Holland and Jonathan Blake and Ayanna Witter-Johnson.
Traditionally, this year's festival program features Georgian jazz artists of different generations. The new projects will be presented to the listener by the Guja Mardini Quartet, Luka Topuria Quartet, Reso Kiknadze's Sextet and Gia Rakviashvili Trio.
The 23rd Tbilisi Jazz Festival opens on March 25 at Rustaveli Theater with the concert of British jazz musician Ayanna Witter-Johnson, followed by Kenny Barron and Dave Holland. The same day, the Guja Mardini Quartet will complete the evening at Singer Jazz Club.
On March 26, the second day of the festival will take place at the jazz club Singer featuring the concert by Luka Topuria Quartet, and on March 27 the audience will have a chance to listen to Reso Kiknadze's Sextet.
The 23rd Jazz Festival will close on March 28 at the Rustaveli Theater with the legendary Diane Reeves performing in front of the audience with a band.
A second concert will also take place on the last day of the festival - Gia Rakviashvili Trio at Jazz Club Singer.
In the framework of the jazz festival, jazz virtuosos will conduct master classes for Georgian students.
The first master class will be held at the Tbilisi State Conservatory on March 26 by Ayanna Witter-Johnson, and on March 28 at the Rustaveli Theater - Dianne Reeves will conduct an open rehearsal for Georgian students and answer the questions.
Dianne Reeves has been one of the top singers in jazz ever since the late '80s. Reeves is a superior interpreter of lyrics and a skilled scat singer. She was encouraged by Clark Terry, who had her perform with him while she was still a college student at the University of Colorado.
Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a singer, songwriter, cellist and composer and a rare exception to the rule that classical and alternative R&B music cannot successfully coexist.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia and Tbilisi City Hall are supporting the 23rd Tbilisi Jazz Festival.
Tickets are on sale at www.tkt.ge. 20% discount on tickets for TBC status clients.
