The 17th edition of Koktebel Jazz Party in 2019 will feature performances by Russian and international musicians across five venues, the festival's organizing committee said in a statement. This year, apart from the traditional Main Stage, the Voloshin Stage, Koktebel's water park and the dolphinarium, there will be a new one — the Tavrida-Art Stage. A map of stages and other festival venues is available at the KJP website.
About two dozen bands from the United States, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany and other countries will take part in the festival between August 23 and 25, which is the highlight of the summer season in Koktebel. Russia will be represented by Billy's Band from St. Petersburg, one of Moscow's best jazz funk bands Snake Steak, violin improviser and arranger Felix Lahuti and his band UNIVERSALOVE, and the K.I.M.M. quartet featuring outstanding Soviet and Russian jazz guitarist Alexei Kuznetsov. Spectators will also enjoy performances by Yaroslava Degtyaryova, a celebrity from The Voice.Kids, and jazz singer from Samara Sandra Frakenberg. Rock singer, musician Yulia Chicherina will be a Russian headliner at the festival.
As in the previous years, the names of the international musicians who will be performing at Koktebel Jazz Party will be announced on the opening day and are sure to delight the audience and tourists in Koktebel. Follow the updates on the website and on the festival's social media accounts. The lineup will definitely please the most sophisticated jazz aficionados.
On Saturday, August 24, when the Koktebel Jazz Party international jazz festival is in full swing, its guests, Crimean volunteers and local residents will take part in a running event, during which they will pick up litter around the most popular tourist places in Koktebel. This initiative is designed to raise awareness of environmental issues. It is being held as part of the Koktebel Jazz Party for the third year, but for the first time as a plogging event, a popular recent trend. Plogging is a new movement that combines jogging with picking up litter. Plogging unites physical activity and concern for nature. By adding the constant bending to pick up litter to the running, plogging provides a more diversified exercising experience compared to just running.
In addition, the festival will host a volleyball tournament, the KOKTEBEL JAZZ PARTY CUP 2019. It will be open to anybody who wants to play. Participants will have to register in a dedicated VKontakte group or at the volleyball court.
Koktebel Jazz Party is held with information support from the Rossiya Segodnya International Media Group and the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK Holding). Radio Jazz is the music partner of the festival. The regional partner is the Sobaka Krym Publishing House. Smolensk Diamonds is the festival's special partner.
The Koktebel Jazz Party was founded in 2003 as a private initiative by Koktebel jazz pioneer, journalist Dmitry Kiselev. The small Crimean town lent its name to the event which is now on the list of highly acclaimed world jazz festivals. The organizers traditionally keep the celebrity performers' names secret. Over the years, the festival program has included performances by iconic jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb (the US), Grammy Award winner for Best Latin Jazz Album Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Cuba), Nu Jazz stars Club Des Belugas (Germany) and the extraordinary saxophonist Robert Anchipolovsky (Israel). Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the festival guests in 2017.
The Koktebel Jazz Party is not just world-class jazz, it is true freedom that creates a united vibration of music, the sea, body and soul. The organizer of the festival is the Red Square Group. Since 2014, the Ministry of Culture has provided support to the Koktebel Jazz Party.