Koktebel Jazz Party Int'l Music Festival in Crimea Free of Politics - Organizer

The 2016 Koktebel Jazz Party international music festival is free of politics, just as in 2003 when it was held for the first time, Rossiya Segodnya Director General Dmitry Kiselev, who founded the festival, said Friday.

KOKTEBEL (Sputnik) — On August 26-28, Crimea's coastal city of Koktebel plays host to the Koktebel Jazz Party international music festival for the 14th time.

"I remember the first festival, which I founded in 2003… I am grateful to everyone, who helps us [hold the event]. There was no politics when we organized the festival 14 years ago in Ukraine. And there is no politics now, [when it is held] in Russia," Kiselev said at a press conference.

He added that the festival's 2016 program includes not only performance by musicians from Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China and the United States, but also special projects, including the Speed of Light jam sessions between musicians playing together but located hundreds of miles apart.

The festival is organized by the Red Square TV company supported by Russia’s Ministry of Culture. The Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), Rossiya 1, Rossiya Kultura, Rossiya 24 TV channels; Mayak, Vesti FM, Kultura and Radio JAZZ 89.1 FM radio broadcasters as well as the Eurasian Communication Center will provide media coverage of the event.