MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The small Crimean village of Koktebel has hosted the festival, originated as a private initiative of Russian journalist Dmitry Kiselev, annually since 2003.
The village gave its name to this festival that is now recognized as a prestigious jazz event. Koktebel has become the largest open-air jazz venue in southern Russia.
Since 2014, proceeds from ticket sales have been donated to social projects in Crimea. For example, proceeds in 2015 went to a local school in Koktebel.
This year, the Koktebel Jazz Party will take place on August 26-28 at two venues, the Main Stage and the Voloshin Stage, located each year on the grounds of the Maximilian Voloshin Museum.
During the three-day festival, the organizers will present several special programs for a wide audience, including Non-Stop Jazz, Jazz at the Speed of Light, and the Jazz Master Class.
The tag line of Jazz at the Speed of Light is "jazz erases borders." The program will feature the traditional jam session of musicians playing together over a distance of hundreds of thousands of kilometers, with musicians from Russia, the United States and Israel joining in live via video.
For the first time, the festival will host a jam session with students of Crimean music schools. The Jazz Master Class will be an opportunity for young jazz musicians to play alongside prominent Russian and foreign bands.
People’s Artist of Russia, jazz pianist Igor Bril will perform at the festival.
The festival is organized by the Red Square TV company supported by the 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 Communications Center will provide media coverage of the event.
