Don’t miss: Bucharest Jazz Festival

Curated by pianist Lucian Ban (in picture), Bucharest Jazz Festival (BJF) joins the international circuit this year, after its membership application to the prestigious Europe Jazz Network was approved. The network includes 93 organizations in 29 countries that aim to encourage, promote and support creative improvised music in a broad European perspective. “From true legends of jazz such as Dave Douglas Riverside Quartet, to Carmen Lundy one of the America’s most celebrated contemporary songstresses and to John Scofield, one of the three greatest jazz guitarists of our times, BJF 2014 puts Bucharest on the European jazz map. A highlight of our Festival is a renewed focus on the Romanian jazz scene featuring some of the best local artists from all generations”, added Lucian Ban.

Legendary and contemporary masters of music are readying themselves for this year’s Bucharest Jazz Festival. The famous trumpeter Dave Douglas will be headlining as part of his quartet Riverside Quartet, alongside other major names of modern jazz, such as Carmen Lundy, John Scofield Überjam and the Julia Hülsmann Quartet.

For five days, the main stage in George Enescu Square will also be graced by some of the top musicians on the local jazz scene. Saxophonist Alex Simu, known for his world music projects (ARIFA), returns as the leader of an authentic jazz combo.

A special Romanian project, Bucharest Jazz Orchestra is led by trumpeter Sebastian Burneci. The festival stage will also host a true post-punk jazz group, in the form of Mihai Iordache’s septet. Other highlights include Romanian Jazz Collective, the first ensemble dedicated exclusively to the Romanian jazz songbook, a modern reinterpretation of classical compositions by Richard Oschanitzky, Johnny Răducanu, Marius Popp and many others.

Bucharest Jazz Festival 2014 will also feature special events, such as book and disc launches, the jazz on film series, meetings and debates, and a jazz poster exhibition, which will take place at the recently restored location of Hanul Gabroveni in the Old City Center.