Balkan Jazz Connections is the motto of our fifteenth annual Jazz Appreciation Month in Montenegro celebration, set to happen from 1 to 30 April. Guided by the experience we had with the Balkan Youth Jazz Orchestra last year, we wanted to showcase some of the composers and their ensembles and promote their music achievements. For the first time in Montenegro, we will have the chance to hear the concert performances of the Vocal quartet MING from Belgrade, with pianist and composer Nevena Pejcic at its helm; from Skopje, Gordan Spasovski Trio will present their successful debut album “Light Pillar”; Zagreb based Mimika Orchestra will also be here, guided by the multi-instrumentalist and composer Mak Murtic. And, this is not all. We are also looking forward to hear the Istanbul ensemble, Baturai Yarkin led jazz trio featured by Nagme Yarkin, a singer and player of the traditional Turkish instrument kemenche. Young Podgorica band Kuhinjazz will share their original music pieces with local audiences as well. To complement the youth, the group of experienced saxophone players from Subotica, Super Sax 4: Jasna Jovicevic, Adam Klem, Gabor Bunford and Maks Kocetov will promote their music and arrangements written for their saxophone quartet.
Our traditional accompanying series Jazz on Film will present two films this year: a 2006 Herbie Hancock documentary titled “Herbie Hancock: Possibilities”, directed by Doug Biro and Jon Fine, along with “Django” the French feature from 2017, directed by Etienne Comar and inspired by Django Reinhardt. Besides Podgorica, the map of festival events this year lists Cetinje, Bar and Pljevlja.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed and made the biggest jazz event in our country happen. Thank you to our partners: KIC “Budo Tomovic”, Secretariat for Culture and Sports of the Capital City, Tourism Organization of Podgorica, American Corner Podgorica, Museums and Galleries of Podgorica, Zetski Dom Royal Theatre, Cultural Center Bar, Pljevlja Municipality and Center for Culture Pljevlja, Institut Yunus Emre, Turkish Airlines and Institut Français.
During the final week of the festival we expect to be joined by the representatives of the French Couleurs Jazz Radio.
The International Jazz Day on 30 April with Mimika Orchestra performance on the Podgorica Summer Stage will round off the JAM 2022 in Montenegro.
For a detailed plan of JAM 2022 activities, take a look here.
Come and experience jazz with us!
