Baltic Drummers’ Summit and Saulkrasti International Jazz Festival 1997
In the first festival there was only one drummers’ workshop, which was attended by 25 young musiciand. There were two great concerts of Latvian and foreign jazz soloists and bands. On the festival stage played the masters of Latvian jazz — Latvian Radio Big Band (conducted by Gunārs Rozenbergs), singer Olga Pīrāgs, saxophonist Raimonds Raubiško, Maestro Raimonds Pauls, as well as jazz musicians from Lithuania — Arvidas Jofe, Dainius Pulauskas) and estonians: Raul Sööt, Hedwig Hanson, Toomas Rull.
II Baltic Drummers’ Summit and Saulkrasti International Jazz Festival 1998
At this festival there were drummers’ and bass workshops which were attended by 46 young talents. During the festival there eight jazz concerts. The most special event of this festival was the performance of «Baltic Percussion Band» — where the students of the german drummer Michael Kuettner’s workshops showed their new skills. At the festival there were musicians from the Baltic states, Finland — Teppo Mäkinen, Ari Peka Antilla, also the «Coyote Trio» band and Michael Kuettner from Germany, as well as Raimonds Pauls and Marija Naumova.
III Baltic Drummers’ Summit and Saulkrasti International Jazz Festival 1999
There were already five different wokshops, and musicians from seven countries from around Europe and the U.S.A., more than eight thousand people came to listent to the 17 concerts of the festival. Every day during the festival there were free concerts on the streets of Saulkrasti, which led to a special festive atmosphere in this seaside town. The headliners of this festival were South African born percussionist Audrey Motaung from Germany and pianist and composer Johnny Taylor Manhattan from the U.S.A., as well as drummer Michael Kuettner from Germany with his trio (guitar player and composer Mihelu Sagmeisteru, bass player Stefan Engelmann), also Mel Gaynor from the U.K. (drummer of Simple Minds).
Saulkrasti Jazz Festival 2000
80 students from Latvia and Lithuania came to the seven workshops.The drums were taught by Michael Kuettner, Germany, Andrzej Ryrzka, Poland and gambian musician and dancer from Stockholm Kebba Landing Sonko, guitar by canadian guitar player Johnny V and Vladimir Ugolnik from Belarus, the wind instruments workshops were led by latvian saxophone player Nick Gotham from Canada, vocals classes were taught by latvian american singer Janet Lawson. The star of the festiva concerts was the drums and percussion virtuoso Billy Cobham from Sweden who has greatly influenced the development of the XX century jazz.
Some of the pictures taken from Johnny V’s website
Saulkrasti Jazz 2001
For the first time the wokshops were open to general public. For two days anyone interested could participate and take an active part of education process, experience the teaching methods of bass player Krzysztof Szczyranki (Poland), piano player by Jarmo Savolainen (Finland), drummers Steve Washingotn (UK) and Krzysztof Zawadzki (Poland).
At the Saulkrasti Jazz 2001 Gala Concert audience enjoyed the unforgettable performance of Jarmo Savolainen trio form Finland, George Haslam (baritone saxophone player from UK), Pol Osterlic (bass clarinet player from USA). Festival’s headliners were Steve Washingotn (UK) and Trilok Gurtu (India).
Saulkrasti Jazz 2003
Six different master classes offered to share jazz experience and trade secrets with Chris McDermott and Enver Izmailov, guitar, Matthew Garrison, base, Wolfgang Haffner and Krzystof Zawadzki, drums, Viktors Ritovs, piano, and Nick Gotham, wind instruments.
The star of Festival Gala concert was Matthew Garrison who has worked with jazz legends such as Joe Zawinul and John McLaughlin, also Chriss McDermott who has sine sized elements of jazz, blues and contemporary modern music creating his own recognizable style. A big sensation was Enver Izmailov’s and Volfgang Haffner’s dynamic performance.
Some of the pictures taken from Gregory Nemirovsky’s and sl.lv websites
Saulkrasti Jazz 2004
Students were thought by such musicians as drummers Michael Kuttner and Krysztoff Zavadski, vocalists Olga Pirags and Inga Berzina, saxophone player Nick Gothem and bass player Vladimir Ugolnikov and guitar player Vladimir Solannik who already participated in the festival for several times as well as bass player Steve Logan, guitar player Miklosh Birta vocalist Tina Palmer and others who took part in the festival for the first time.During evening concerts jazz lovers had opportunity to enjoy different styles of jazz music as for example etnojazz played by band «Patina» (Latvia) as well as unexpected music show given by «Mikko Innanen’s Jazz Quartet» from Finland. The festival’s main event was the master class given by Swiss drummer, performer and master of happenings
Some of the pictures taken from Gregory Nemirovsky’s website
Saulkrasti Jazz 2005
The highlight of this year’s Saulkrasti jazz festival was clinics and performance of the jazz legend, percussionist Dave Weckl (USA). The festival’s program also included world music and ethno-jazz elements plus performances by big bands, swing, and vocal jazz. Many jazz artists popular in Latvia and in the world were performing on the Campus stage – the performers include Datevik Hovanesian (USA), Tamara Obrovac (Croatia), Karlheinz Miklin (Austria), the Belarusian quintet „Apple Tea”, Brian Melvin (USA) and others. «Wolfgang Haffner’s Zooming Band» from Germany was performing at the gala concert, as well as there was special program by all the festival musicians.
Saulkrasti Jazz 2006
Saulkrasti Jazz festival already for the ninth time offered possibility for the jazz music lovers in unique and intense concerts to enjoy performances of the Latvian and foreign musicians and get special feelings in Jam Sessions as well as music students had possibility to receive high quality practical experience and knowledge in clinics of world class musicians. About 160 young music students from the Baltic States attended master classes held by such highly experienced musicians as drummers Max Klot (Russia) and Bruce Becker (USA), guitar players David Becker (USA) and Ryo Kawasaki (Japan), bass player Gunnar Plümer (Germany), piano player Jef Neve (Belgium), saxophonist Sebastian Studnitzky (Germany) and singers Anna Stepniewska (Poland), Janet Lawson (USA), Sandie Wallasch (Germany) and Inga Berzina (Latvia).
This year Saulkrasti Jazz festival provided listeners of jazz music with a possibility to enjoy performance of the outstanding jazz guitarist John Abercrombie (USA) and promising young musicians of the «Jonas Kullhammar Quartet» (Sweden) as well as unique local orchestra «Mirage Jazz Orchestra» (Latvia) and many others.
