International Jazz Day 2018 Comes to a Close Following Celebratory Concerts in St. Petersburg and New Orleans
Thousands of Performances and Programs Take Place in More Than 190 Countries Around the World
Pictured from left to right celebrating International Jazz Day 2018 in St. Petersburg, Russia are from left to right: Igor Butman, Herbie Hancock, David Goloschekin, Robert Glasper, Kurt Elling, John Beasley, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lyne Carrington, Till Bronner, Luciana Souza
St. Petersburg, Russia, 30 April—International Jazz Day 2018 came to a phenomenal close this evening in St. Petersburg, following an extraordinary All-Star Global Concert at the historic Mariinsky Theatre that capped off several days of educational outreach programs across the city. The concert, led by artistic co-directors Herbie Hancock (USA) and Igor Butman (Russia), was streamed live by the United Nations and UNESCO and on www.jazzday.com. It featured performances by an international roster of artists including Oleg Akkuratov (Russia), Till Brönner (Germany), Oleg Butman (Russia), Terri Lyne Carrington (USA), Joey DeFrancesco (USA), Fatoumata Diawara (Mali), Vadim Eilenkrig (Russia), Kurt Elling (USA), Antonio Faraò (Italy), James Genus (USA), Robert Glasper (USA), David Goloschekin (Russia), Hassan Hakmoun (Morocco), Gilad Hekselman (Israel), Horacio Hernandez (Cuba), Taku Hirano (Japan), Anatoly Kroll (Russia), Gaoyang Li (China), Rudresh Mahanthappa (USA), The Manhattan Transfer (USA), Branford Marsalis (USA), James Morrison (Australia), Moscow Jazz Orchestra (Russia), Makoto Ozone (Japan), Danilo Pérez (Panama), Dianne Reeves (USA), Lee Ritenour (USA), Luciana Souza (Brazil) and Ben Williams (USA). John Beasley (USA) served as musical director.
The All-Star Global Concert included special remarks from the International Jazz Day Co-Chairs: UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. The evening showcased incomparable musicians from around the world and their unique interpretations of jazz. Inventive pairings included The Manhattan Transfer delivering an exhilarating version of "Birdland" with the Moscow Jazz Orchestra, and renowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis performing "As Long As You're Living" alongside acclaimed vocalist Kurt Elling, German trumpet sensation Till Brönner and Italian pianist Antonio Faraò. The stunning vocalist Dianne Reeves joined forces with Russian saxophonist Igor Butman, Japanese pianist Makoto Ozone, and American rising star bassist Ben Williams for a breathtaking performance of "In A Sentimental Mood." The concert concluded with the entire cast performing a heartfelt rendition of John Lennon's beloved peace anthem, "Imagine."
Leading up to the All-Start Global Concert, St. Petersburg hosted a wide array of programming including master classes and workshops with Oleg Butman and Lee Ritenour; panel discussions exploring Jazz and Peace, Women in Jazz and Jazz and Roots Music; and jam sessions with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance Fellows.
Photos From The Programs In St. Petersburg
2018 International Jazz Day Event Map
Featured Organizer
Shon Campbell, an aid worker with the United Nations Development Programme in Yangon, organized Myanmar’s first International Jazz Day celebration in 2013, putting together a small concert in a matter of days. Since then, she has grown the event, which in 2017 reached an audience of 1,100 people, to include international jazz musicians and renowned jazz educators for a full day of music, workshops, and entertainment. In 2014, Campbell expressed a hope that International Jazz Day in Myanmar might "give others a window into the talents of some of Myanmar's musicians, and especially…allow more of them to work full time on their music." Thanks to her incredible work, both of these goals have grown closer to fulfillment.Read More
2018 Events
- Annie Whitehead with Interplay The Restaurant In The Park, Leamington Spa (United Kingdom)
- Gulf Jazz Festival in Bahrain La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art, Manama (Bahrain)
- BARLEY CARGO – Tuning Sessions Special Edition: International #JazzDay 2018 Barley Cargo, Athens (Greece)
- Amazonas Jazz Day Teatro Amazonas, Manaus (Brazil)
- The Steve Holt Jazz Quartet featuring Kevin Goss The Natural, Warkworth (Canada)
- CHRIS POTTER QUARTET Xavier University Jazz Series, Cincinnati (United States)
- International Jazz Day – Piano Solo com Evan Megaro (EUA) Café com Letras Liberdade, Belo Horizonte (Brazil)
- Concierto Fondo Pro-Becas Axentus 2018 Ex-Hotel Riviera del Pacifico, Ensenada (Mexico)
- Open Swing Lab Na Cosetta, Roma (Italy)
- JazzDay – Stip Pt.1 Univerzitetski Restoran, Stip (Macedonia)
