JAZZ LENT – much more than just jazz

Jazz Lent found its home on the Summer stage of the Puppet theatre Maribor which is a unique stage not only in Slovenia but also in the broader region. In 2015 Jazz Lent has become the essential part of the Lent Festival; the wonderful venue and program we prepared for 2016 positions it onto the map of key festivals in Europe. All performances on Jazz Lent will be Slovenian premieres, and there is also one European premiere among them.

The program will start with the main act of the Jazz Podium, guitarist Samo Šalamon from Maribor who will be taking over the stage with not less than twenty-six guitarists, three bass players, two drummers, and two special guests on the saxophones: Achille Succi and Vasko Atanasovski.

Samo Šalamon

On Tuesday (June 28^th 2016) we will be the first ones in Slovenia to introduce the young ensemble from London, the rising star The Ephemerals. In their soul they are carrying real »soul«, which Amy Winehouse had before she left us. When you will hear the songs "You'll never see me cry," "You Made Us Change," or "Life Is Good", the “repeat” button will become your best friends, and a red bulb and disco ball your mandatory companions on your dancing journey through the night. They are known for their excellent arrangements, straight-forward and engaged lyrics as well as their vintage dance rhythms. 

The Ephemerals

The spectacular 10-member collective from São Paolo with the name Bixiga 70 will be performing on June 29^th. It combines afrobeat and Brazilian percussion tradition, some Caribbean additions, Guinean malinké, Brazilian candomblé, samba and cumbia – and voilà, here is your magic potion of such an explosiveness that even Ronaldo and Ronaldinho seem slow as snails! Their sharp wind and brass section is 100 % synchronised with their percussionists and drummers and is one of the most striking ensembles of this year’s summer festival harvest, since it will perform at festivals like Glastonbury, in Scala in London, in Korzo theatre in Haag and elsewhere.

Bixiga 70

The first European performance of the trio John Scofield, Brad Mehldau and Mark Giuliana ever will take place on Thursday, June 30^th, at Lent Festival. Pianist Brad Mehldau received the award for best pianist chosen by the readers of Downbeat in the years 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2012, from December 2014 up until today he was nominated for five Grammys. For sure jazz, funk and fusion legend John Scofield does not need to be introduce after almost 50 own albums and more than 200 albums with his guest appearance – maybe we should just mention, that he received a Grammy for best instrumental jazz album for Past Present this year. And Mark Giuliana? A unique drummer known for his electronic sound of acoustic drums who essentially characterised David Bowie’s unfortunately last album Blackstar. What will duo Mehliana get cooking for us once it joins forces with one of the most influential guitarists of all times? Let’s hear!

John Scofield, Brad Mehldau, Mark Giuliana

After the performances of Ebo Taylor, Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela in the past years, there will be another veteran of African music joining us for this year’s festival edition: Orlando Julius, who, with his more than fifty-year-long career, is one of the most important living monuments of African popular music. He will be introducing the brilliant psychedelic jazz ensemble The Heliocentrics from London that has recorded Julius’ new album Jaiyede Afro with him. On the album there’s Julius’ most known hit »Jagua Nana«, which made him famous in Nigeria in 1966, and also the song »Ijo soul,« that sounds strangely similar to the hit of James Brown’s "I Got You (I Feel Good)" – maybe you’re wondering where the similarity comes from, which song was recorded earlier, and who stole from whom? Let this be your task to find out until the concert of one of the greatest living legends of African music.

Orlando Julius

And the grand finale of the last festival evening? How often do you consider the advice of a friend who’s telling you: “You really shouldn’t miss this concert!” This would be the concert he is talking about: the performance of world-blues stampede Hazmat Modine is a real sensation at all festivals in Europe and more than a good reason to consider your friend’s advice. Imagine Tom Waits and Goran Bregović breaking into a brothel in the 1920s and starting to play gipsy blues on a harmonica while music from Mali and Siberia, and sometimes reggae and dub are playing on the radio. You are somehow close to the phenomenal music we are talking about. Is there anything better than conclude the festival with twisted world-blues? We can only say: Extra-Deluxe-Supreme party on the last day of Lent Festival!

Hazmat Modine

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