For the thirtieth time, Jazz Cerkno will welcome fans of free-spirited and unconventional jazz that resists easy categorization. Over the past 30 years, we’ve heard an abundance of exceptional music in Cerkno and witnessed outstanding performances, world and Slovenian premieres, and unique concerts – far too many to quantify with any kind of statistics. This year, the festival will take place over the weekend, from Friday to Sunday, and once again offers an insight into the latest developments on the Slovenian and international jazz scenes. The ten concerts in the main program are particularly striking this year – as befits the anniversary – with legendary names from key scenes taking the stage, and Slovenian jazz musicians premiering new projects and previously unheard combinations, prepared specifically for the festival anniversary. As always, a vibrant side program accompanies the main lineup, featuring an exhibition documenting the last ten years of the festival, a jazz hike, a children’s workshop, additional concerts and other events.
The anniversary edition of the festival opens with Igor Lumpert’s Radium Bath plays Fight Songs. One of our most prominent saxophonists, Igor Lumpert pays tribute to the fighters who helped liberate Slovenia, exploring themes of tension, struggle and liberation alongside drummer Gerald Cleaver and double bassist Felix Henkelhausen. This is followed by a concert from the Peter Evans EXTRA trio. Trumpeter Peter Evans, a master of extended playing techniques, draws inspiration from a wide range of music, from classical and electronic to bebop and improvisation. With drummer Jim Black and bassist Petter Eldh, the trio will present their excellent new album Extra. The first day of the festival will end with the Cerkno debut of New York jazz icon, double bassist William Parker. He will present his new trio CIRCULAR PYRAMID, offering an eclectic mix of free jazz, heavy rock, psychedelia, alter-rock and blues. The trio features Ava Mendoza on guitar and Hamid Drake on drums.
As is tradition, Saturday’s main program will open with a concert at the music school. German-American saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock will perform a solo recital, weaving elements of jazz, contemporary classical and experimental music into her multi-layered and often evocative compositions. Evening events on the main stage will begin with LOLITA 3o + Jure Pukl, a special project created for our anniversary edition, featuring what is likely Slovenia’s longest-running jazz band (Lolita was founded in 1987), alongside one of the country’s most prominent mid-generation saxophonists. This will be followed by the American-German Lopez, Laubrock, Rainey Trio, made up of double bassist Brandon Lopez, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and percussionist Tom Rainey. The trio’s free-spirited improvisation is praised for its incredible chemistry and sense of telepathic connection between its members. The second day of the festival will conclude with a performance of new Japanese jazz, as defined by the famous guitarist Otomo Yoshihide. A legend of the Japanese avant-garde, Yoshihide will perform with his New Jazz Quintet, delivering a fusion of styles and influences, from rock and film music to electronics and classic American jazz.
Sunday, the final day of the festival, will once again open with the premiere of a Slovenian project. Trio Gombač / Krhlanko / Vollmaier TIBIA SONORA will connect the festival’s 30th anniversary with the 30th anniversary of the discovery of the Neanderthal flute. In this performance, Boštjan Gombač, the project’s initiator, will play the flute and other instruments in compositions written especially for this trio. The Belgian trio De Beren Gieren, which has been active since 2009, describes itself as a “post-modern jazz trio in which minimalism and seething energy go hand in hand”. Their music combines jazz improvisation with influences from minimalism, cinematic soundscapes and kaleidoscopic arrangements. Bringing both the final day and the 30th edition of the festival to a close will be the Swedish trio Gush, known for their intense and powerful performances. Formed in 1988, the trio consists of Scandinavian free jazz heavyweights: reed player Mats Gustafsson, pianist Sten Sandell, and drummer Raymond Strid.
This year’s side program includes six events. On the first day of the festival, we will open an outdoor exhibition of photographs and posters entitled On the New Old Path – The Last Decade of the Festival. The opening will be accompanied at 18:30 by a concert of improvised music by the Slovenian-Italian duo Marko Lasič / Yannis Maizan at Gabriel’s backyard. Saturday will offer two events. At 11:00 on the main stage, there will be a closing concert of the children’s workshop Ancient Sounds of Nature, led by mentors prof. Boštjan Gombač, Blaž Celarec and prof. Petra Vidmar. At 16:00, the Cerkno Museum will host a presentation of the book RIO: Rock In Opposition, led by its authors Igor Bašin – BIGor and Tadej Pogačar. On the final day of the festival, participants in the fourth Jazzohod (guided hike and concert) will trek to the Porezen mountain hut, where accordionist Jure Tori will perform. For this year’s Jazz Incubator #3 residency, we’ve selected the Slovenian-German Maj Kavšek Quartet, which will present the L.O.S.T. project at 16:00 at the music school.
We warmly invite you to the 30th edition of the Jazz Cerkno Festival, taking place from May 23 to 25 at Star plac and other locations. Pre-sale festival tickets are available until May 22. Given the hotel in Cerkno is closed, we recommend booking alternative accommodation as soon as possible, as lodging options in the Cerkno region are limited.
Join us at Jazz Cerkno, which has been providing a fresh influx of new jazz and other exciting music for thirty years!