Plovdiv Jazz Fest celebrates its tenth anniversary with some of the greatest names in the world of jazz today.

From mid-July to the end of August, six concerts await us as part of the Plovdiv Jazz Summer program – the summer edition, now in its third year, held at the Orpheus Summer Cinema in Plovdiv and in the village of Markovo. The major highlight of Plovdiv Jazz Summer is the visit of the famous bassist Avishai Cohen and his trio on August 8th at the Orpheus Summer Cinema. 

From November 1 to 3, six concerts are planned for the main program of the autumn edition. Among the guests will be the world-renowned trumpeter, singer, composer, and photographer Till Brönner. His concert will be on the festival's opening night, which will also feature a performance by jazz singer and Plovdiv Jazz Fest founder Miroslava Katsarova, her jazz quartet, and the Perfect string quartet. The second night promises a special musical encounter with four-time Grammy winner and Snarky Puppy creator, bassist Michael League, accompanied by band member Bill Laurance. Before them, the contemporary international jazz group Half Easy Trio, founded in Rotterdam by Bulgarian drummer Martin Hafizi, will perform. They will be joined by Ukrainian singer Tamara Lukasheva. The final night of Plovdiv Jazz Fest in November will be packed with legendary musicians, starting with Trio Tapestry, led by American saxophonist Joe Lovano, followed by the band of American jazz guitarist Mike Stern, featuring Leni Stern and Dennis Chambers.

Avishai Cohen is a bassist, singer, and composer with a reputation as one of the greatest bassists in the world over the past two decades. His compositions reflect a vast musical universe of traditions, cultures, languages, and styles, ranging from Hebrew songs to Ladino folk songs, and from classical and jazz fusion to jazz standards and contemporary jazz. Born in Kibbutz Kabri in northern Israel, music had a significant influence on Avishai Cohen from an early age. He started playing piano at the age of 9 and moved temporarily to the USA with his family at 14, where he discovered jazz and began playing the bass guitar. He graduated from the Music and Arts Academy in Jerusalem and moved to New York at 22, initially playing on the streets and working as a construction worker. He studied at The New School with musicians like Brad Mehldau and soon began playing with Panamanian pianist Danilo Perez. In 1997, he joined Chick Corea’s New Trio, becoming an integral part of Chick Corea's music for nearly six years. In 2003, he began his remarkable solo career.

Before the Avishai Cohen Trio concert, another exciting performance awaits at the Orpheus Summer Cinema. Frantik Zen, a group led by Catalan saxophonist Arnau Garrofé will perform. The band includes Alexander Logozarov (electric guitar), Vasil Vutev (drums), Radoslav Slavchev-Riverman (bass), and Steve Hamilton (keyboards). Their album is a blend of styles, uniting inspirations from various sources, combining frenetic (FRANTIK) and zen (ZEN) states. Their music is an effective mix of funk, jazz, R&B, and pop. August 8th will be the only night with two concerts in the summer program, starting at 8:00 PM, and the ticket is valid for both concerts.

Plovdiv Jazz Summer will also include a tour stop of Beloslava and JP3 - on August 9th, again at the Orpheus Summer Cinema, the audience will hear the singer's new project "Welcome to 74th Street," celebrating her stage career and creative partnership with pianist Zhivko Petrov. The concert will include popular songs by Beloslava, her newest single "My Soul," and her renditions of world classics. Joining them on stage will be Dimitar Semov (drums), Dimitar Karamfilov (double bass), and Mladen Dimitrov (programming and percussion).

Plovdiv Jazz Summer kicks off in July with two intimate garden concerts in the village of Markovo, now a trademark of the summer edition.

On July 18th at 9:00 PM in Markovo, the festival's summer program will begin with the magnificent voice of young singer Maria Vandeva, who won the National Competition for Young Performers – Plovdiv at 16. She will perform with pianist Ivo Gechev. The next night, July 19th, at 9:00 PM, also in Markovo, bossa nova star Will Sant will perform. The young Brazilian musician, known for his original interpretations, will start his European tour in Bulgaria. He has become a social media phenomenon with his performances of Brazilian classics and original music.

Miroslava Katsarova, the artistic director of Plovdiv Jazz Summer and Plovdiv Jazz Fest, describes Will Sant as the new face of bossa nova, drawing comparisons to João Gilberto with his poetic, nostalgic music.

Plovdiv Jazz Summer will conclude on August 24th at 9:00 PM at the central square in Markovo, traditionally featuring a concert that gathers hundreds of people. This time, it will be the concert of singer Orlin Pavlov and JP3 (Zhivko Petrov on piano, Veselin Veselinov-Eko on double bass, and Dimitar Semov on drums). The final concert of the summer program is free of charge.

Tickets for all summer and autumn concerts are available online at Eventim. A single ticket covers both concerts on nights with two performances.

Photos and the detailed schedule can be found at the provided link.

Plovdiv Jazz Fest is organized by Blue M. The concerts of Avishai Cohen Trio and Beloslava are supported by Foundation 2019. All events of the autumn edition are supported by the Municipality of Plovdiv and are part of the city's Cultural Calendar for 2024. The festival is also supported by the Ministry of Culture. The concert of Arnau Garrofé Quartet is organized with the assistance of the Embassy of Spain in Bulgaria. The festival is additionally supported by Hemingway, 8 ½, Villa Flavia, New Natures Way, Natural Factors, Plovdiv Plaza Mall, NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto, Deroni, KCM, and Bee Bop Cafe.