Rovinj Spring Jazz
Multimedia centre | May 22-24.2019.
22 May (Wednesday) 21.00
PIOTR WYLEŻOŁ “HUMAN THINGS” QUARTET
23 May (Thursday) 21.00
TIMO LASSY BAND
24 May (Friday) 21.00
RADOJKA ŠVERKO
≈As time goes by« ...the most beautiful jazz standards
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PIOTR WYLEŻOŁ “HUMAN THINGS” QUARTET
PIOTR WYLEŻOŁ | piano
ANDY MIDDLETON | sax
SŁAEWEK KURKIEWICZ | bass
DAVID HODEK | drums
In colaboration with Małopolska Region from Poland
Piotr Wyleżoł is an outstanding, multi-award winning Polish jazz pia- nist, composer, band leader, ≈one of Europe’s most prodigiously talented pianist« (by British ≈Blues&Soul« Amrys Baird), and one of the most creative and important pianists on the Polish jazz scene. His last album ≈Human Things« was released in March 2018 by the most important and legendary series in Polish jazz history, ≈Polish Jazz«. Piotr Wyleżoł is regularly performing all over the world with his own music, and also many great artists. He graduated from the Jazz Department in the Academy of Music in Katowice. As a student Piotr started to co-operate with legends of Polish jazz like Janusz Muniak, or Jarek Smietana and others. Wyleżoł was also the laureate of the individual award at the International Jazz Improvisation Competition, as well as many other jazz competitions with several groups. Piotr Wyleżoł is leading bands playing his original music since beginning his activity as an artist. He recorded 9 albums as leader and several dozen with other artists. His last Trio album: ≈Children's Episodes« released by Fresh Sound Records label, was nominated for a Fryderyk Award (Poland's equivalent of a Grammy Award), in the Jazz Album of The Year category. Since 2007 Piotr Wyleżoł has been leading the Jazz Piano Class at the Krakow Academy of Music.
Sławek Kurkiewicz - Polish bassist best known for a 20+ year-long collaboration with Tomasz Stanko and Marcin Wasilewski Trio - one of the leading European jazz bands of its generation. Since 2001 Slawomir Kurkiewicz has been linked to a Munich based label ECM, for which he has been recording with Manu Katche and Jan Garbarek among others. He also performed with Charles Lloyd, Joe Lovano, John Surman, Dino Saluzzi, David Virelles, Joey Baron, Craig Taborn, Marilyn Mazur to name a few.
Andy Middleton is one of the very top-tier saxophonists living in Europe today. Imaginative and adventurous virtuosity spans an incredibly wide breadth of expression -- from fierce power to tender warmth, lyrical yet rhythmically driving, masterful and inspired. His compositions, harmonically modern and melodic yet clearly rooted in the jazz tradition, provide the perfect setting. This unique voice as a player, arranger and composer has led jazz icons such as Ralph Towner, Kenny Wheeler and David Holland to collaborate with him. He has also performed and recorded with a long list of artists including Billy Hart, Maria Schneider, Richie Beirach, Renee Rosnes, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Bill Evans, Lionel Hampton, Joey Calderazzo, John Abercrombie, Steve Rodby, Scott Colley and Adam Nussbaum. Born in Harrisburg, PA, Andy received his masters degree in composition at the University of Miami. After nearly 20 years in the New York jazz scene, he relocated to Vienna, Austria in 2006, where he is Professor of Jazz Composition, Jazz Theory and Jazz Saxophone at the University for Music and Art of the City of Vienna.
David Hodek grew up in a small village near Komarno, a town on both the Slovak and the Hungarian shore of the Danube. His passionate relationship with the drums started in the year 2000 when, at the age of 3. He has become one of the most sought after jazz drummers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. He has played throughout Europe and has been awarded and rewarded very many times. He is the only Central European and at the same time one of the youngest endorsers of Zildjian Cymbal. Well healed and mature musicians, who play with him are shocked by his talent and his mature capability to communicate with them on stage. It doesn't matter whether its Blues, Funk, Fusion, Punk, Pop, Rock or Gospel, big band or trio - with all and every formation. His ageless talent, his versatility and his open, communicative, confident and yet extremely friendly personality are only some of his very many attributes.
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TIMO LASSY BAND
TIMO LASSY | sax
GEORGIOS KONTRAFOURIS | piano
ANTTI LÖTJÖNEN | bass
TEPPO MÄKYNEN | drums
ABDISSA ASSEFA | percussion
Timo Lassy ranks among the brightest jazz stars in Finland. His critically acclaimed last album “Moves” won the Emma award (Finnish Grammy) for Jazz Album of the Year in 2018. For Rovinj concert Timo is bringing his grade-A ensemble that ́s been playing together last 12 years.
Timo Lassy - a Saxophonist, composer and bandleader is one of the finest jazz stars in Finland. While he was still a student of the Sibelius Academy and the Amsterdam Conserv- atoire, he participated in the formation of The Five Corners Quintet, famous for bringing back jazz on the dance floor, reaching audiences all over the world.
For the past decade, he has been focused on his solo career, performing with the Timo Lassy Band, creating one of the most prestigious European jazz ensembles, according to the British Sunday Times.
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RADOJKA ŠVERKO
RADOJKA ŠVERKO | vocal
TONČI GRABUŠIĆ | drums
HENRY RADANOVIĆ | double bass
VLADIMIR BABIN | piano
Radojka Šverko, one of the greatest Croatian all-genre singers, is present with her Rijeka-based jazz trio. After the release of a double live album “As Time Goes By” with the most beautiful jazz standards from the so-called “American Jazz Songs”, at this year's Rovinj spring jazz we have a chance to hear most of that repertoire live.
The double album ≈As Time goes by« also received two nominations for this year's ≈Porin« for best jazz album and best jazz song of the year.
Radojka Šverko was born in Pazin, Croatia, and the beginnings of her singing career are marked by her membership and soloist of children's choirs. The first competitions pave the way for her participation in festivals, more notable performances and television.
In 1969, she won the Porto de la Cruz Festival and began her world career, working with composer Alfía Kabilj. She competes and wins awards in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Madrid, Seoul, Athens, Puerto Rico, Caracas, Curacao, Bratislava, Florence, Palma de Mallorca, Rio de Janeiro, etc. (beating David Bowie, Nathalie Cole, Rod Stewart, and having Julio Iglesias as a guest on her show on Spanish television). She returns to Croatia, where she is victorious at numerous festivals. Her wins include 1970. Split Festival with the song “Kud Plovi Ovaj Brod”, Zagrebfest, Melodies of Istria and Kvarner (MIK), the Opatija Festival, etc.
She also engaged in musicals and stage performances such as “Gubec Beg”, “Gricka Vjestica”, “Karolina Rijecka”, “Jadnici”, and many more.The quality of her vocal expres- sion and her tendency to perform extremely demanding compositions have helped create a repertoire of substantial and serious music, in collaboration with professors Jasna Šumak-Picek, Ljerko Očić, Alan Bjelinski, Vladimir Babin and Đelo Jusić. Sacred music, gospel, blues and film music sung with a velvety alt, whose peculiarity was rewarded by world-renowned judges, allowed Radojka Šverko to be recognized as a top artist with a unique career.
An exceptionally correct attitude towards the profession and self-reliance was awarded to the singer in 1995 with the honour of the Order of the Danica Hrvatska with the character of Marko Marulić. She is also a four-time recipient of the highest vocational award “Porin”, one of which is for Lifetime Achievement.
Of particular value is also the presence of the singer’s compositions on the national top charts for multiple consecutive years, as well as the unquestionable acknowledgement of the audience. Her performances and victories have made a mark in the history of the MIK (Melodies of Istria and Kvarner) Festival.
Radojka Šverko is a stranger to “play-back” and therefore remains faithful to her path as a high-profile artist whose projects we will have the pleasure of enjoying, as long as there are people and institutions of refined musical taste.
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Contemporary Architecture
in Małopolska Region, Poland
Photo exhibition in colaboration with Małopolska Region from Poland
Małopolska is one of the European regions with whom the Region of Istria signed an agreement of bilateral cooperation in 2013. This agreement is very important for both regions, especially in a field of creating conditions for cooperation in the field of tourism and culture and supporting contacts serving the development of partner relations between the two regions. The formal objective of the project in Rovinj, is to facilitate cooperation between public authorities and institutions responsible for the management of cultural cit- ies, through interregional exchange of experience and know-how on such issues as modern architecture and jazz music.