On the initiative of the Estonian Jazz Union and Jazzkaar, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia with jazz concerts in Belgium, England, Finland and Germany. This week, three Estonian jazz bands will perform at the Gateshead International Jazz Festival: Kadri Voorand Quartet, Heavy Beauty and Voorand-Koikson-Sooäär-Daniel.
Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2018 will take place from April 6 to 8 in Gateshead. The festival programme features several world famous jazz, soul and funk artists performing on four different stages. On Saturday, April 7, from 3 to 6 pm, three Estonian jazz groups will perform: Kadri Voorand Quartet, Heavy Beauty and Voorand-Koikson-Sooäär-Daniel. Besides concerts the Estonian Jazz Union and Jazzkaar will set up a stand to promote Estonian jazz music and festivals.
Voorand-Koikson-Sooäär-Daniel brings to the listeners the thoroughly captivating and audience-engaging music of Veljo Tormis in the key of jazz. The quartet will soon release a record of Tormis’ works arranged by Jaak Sooäär and Kadri Voorand.
Kadri Voorand is a renowned Estonian vocalist and composer mainly performing her original works with her own band, at the same time leaving space for improvisation and electronic effects. Voorand’s music is often inspired by Estonian poetry, but she also writes her own lyrics.
Moving in the peripheries of jazz and rock music, the Estonian-Lithuanian group Heavy Beauty is focused around bass saxophone, a rarely used instrument with a beautiful and powerful sound. The internationally renowned Lithuanian saxophonist Liudas Mockunas is the right man to tame the tempers of bass saxophone. He is joined on stage by well-known Estonian musicians, the guitarist Jaak Sooäär, bassist Henno Kelp and drummer Andrus Lillepea.
Further information about the concerts here.
The aim of the joint project of the Estonian Jazz Union and Jazzkaar, Jazz Present to Europe is to introduce original Estonian jazz music and musicians at prestigious European festivals. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the project has already introduced our music in Belgium, England and Finland and will be heading to Germany and Finland again after the Gateshead Festival.
The project Jazz Present to Europe is made possible with the help of Estonia 100, Enterprise Estonia, the Embassy of Estonia in London and the devotion of Estonian musicians.
Estonian Jazz Union / http://www.jazz.ee/en/
Jazzkaar / http://www.jazzkaar.ee/en/
Estonia 100 / https://www.ev100.ee/en