From 28th June until 2nd July 2017, Ljubljana was all about the jazz, hosting the traditional jazz festival, already 58th Jazz Festival Ljubljana which proved again that Slovenian capital truly loves jazz, a music genre that originated in African American communities of New Orleans (US) in the late 19th and early 20th Century. The CD Congress Centre Ljubljana, hosted the lively festival through all 6 day of the festival, providing the meeting spot for different jazz generations, mixing perfectly together the legendary jazz players such as Archie Shepp and Reggie Workman (performing in a tribute to John Coltrane) and on the other side the younger jazz generation, for example outstanding young musicians like singer Emilia Martensson and guitarist Susanna Risberg.
Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression, so no wonder the festival’s diversified side programme consisted of diverse programme, concerts, exhibitions, discussions, workshops and jazz chill-out sessions in the Council of Europe Park immediately adjacent to Cankarjev dom. Truly outstanding line up of performers featured diverse jazz practices, standout trumpeters from New York (Ambrose Akinmusure, Peter Evans, Amir ElSaffar, Nate Wooley), Berlin jazz scene protagonists (Lucia Cadotsch, Amok Amor, Philm), some of the best British jazz names (Shabaka Hutchings, Yussef Kaamal, Alexander Hawkins) and of course some amazing Slovenian musicians also.
Great atmosphere was felt through all the CD Congress Centre Ljubljana through all 6 days, which in those days breathed jazz in almost all of their halls, from Štihova Hall, Linhartova Hall, Club CD, CD Park and also the Grand Reception Hall – where numerous concerts, exhibitions, workshops and not only that. They’ve created also a pop-up venue with creating an amazing jazz chill-out sessions right next to Cankarjev dom in the Council of Europe Park. This year’s festival welcomed more than 2,500 visitors, who enjoyed the beautiful world of jazz music. Every year, the Ljubljana Jazz Festival attracts domestic and foreign fans of this stupendous musical genre, hosting some of the top names of the jazz world. With its amazing history, Cankarjev dom has truly became the jazz mecca, so no wonder that it will also host the 4th European Jazz Festival in September 2017.