The Bansko Jazz Festival 2010 runs from 8th August to 13th August. So, as keen as mustard, I attended the media and press launch of the Bansko Internaional Jazz Festival 2010 programme at Sofia’s BTV building. The legendary festival organiser, Dr Emil Iliev, spoke about this year’s event and the programme of international musicians.
I asked Dr Iliev over a fine glass of Todoroff’s new SPV wine, how this free jazz festival event, came about. Please take a look:
This year promises to even surpass the 2009 Bansko Jazz Festival with more music in more locations than ever before. On the 7th August there is a special bonus; a tribute to Lea Ivanova. The performance of her songs by Desi Teniidjieva and Mary Teneva will ensure the festival continues it growth and international reputation.
Background to Dr Emil Iliev – organiser and director of the Jazz Festival
A doctor of medicine and dermatology, Dr Iliev combines modern medicine with traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture. He worked in Austria, Germany and Switzerland in the communist era as well as being a consultant on a cruise line and has visited 140 countries. He plays the piano. He has a 40 year old son and a daughter.
The Birth of The Bansko Jazz Fest
Main Stage Piano: 2009's Jazz Festival
His connections abroad saw demand for his clinics in Bansko from his wealthy German, Austrian and Swiss clients. He realised that they were staying for three weeks not just for treatment but for culture too. So in the beginning, he got together with friends and musicians for a Jazz night and a Jazz BBQ.
These small sessions started many years before the main festival events.
One year he met the mayor of Bansko and suggested an idea — that they should have a proper Bansko Jazz music festival. First year there were sixty or seventy people. Now there are six to seven thousand people who attend the event.
The Festival Future
Dr Iliev explained to me that he wants to grow the festival to 300,000 attendees in the next seven to eight years. This is hugely ambitious. I don’t think anyone would have dared think the event could grow to even its current size thirteen years ago.
So I won’t be betting against this target.
This was my first meeting with Dr Iliev, but immediately I could feel his enthusiasm, his connection with other music enthusiasts and his immense capacity to work tirelessly as both a doctor and festival organiser.
Festival Sponsorship
I must add that his achievement must have been a huge mountain to climb. There has been very little money for commercial music festivals in Bulgaria. Dr Iliev established this event on small amounts of money — but topped it up with a huge amount of interpersonal skill. His connections and enthusiasm seem to bring out the goodwill and generosity in others. Impressive.
The general sponsors are again First Investment Bank (main investor in the ski lift company Ulen) and the Bansko Municipality. Main sponsors are Sony, LUKoil and Vega Star. I would also like to mention that Todoroff winery are a festival sponsor and, at the press event, I tasted their new white Muskat and their new red “SPV” (Sante Per Vine — health though wine!). SPV is a Mavrud, Cabernert Sauvignon, Merlot blend. For more wine reviews check out https://banskoblog.com/2009/10/top-bulgarian-wine/.
More Music Than Ever Before: From BBQ To The Early Hours
This year Bansko Royal Towers (another Festival sponsor) will be not only hosting the excellent stage B concerts from 16:00 until 17:30 every day from the 8th August but also the JAZZ BBQ! Music and food from 12:00 until 14:00. Bansko Royal Towers is the place to go for the Dixie Teteven Band and for Rumie Alexandroff’s “Ragtime Band” in the afternoon session. All very accessible for non Jazz enthusiasts.
When the main Nikola Vaptsarov Square concerts end, it’s then time to stroll down the hill to the Florimont Hotel and Night . Here the party will continue with live music until the early hours. This addition shows just how much there is to be had in Bansko.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG
Please subscribe here for more on the Jazz Festival 2010. Coming up is my video interview of Vasil Petrov who performs Thursday 12th main square. For more news on festival wine tasting, art exhibitions and my special offer on Bansko activities, sign up today. It’s all free.
————————————————————————————————–
What music do you enjoy? What have your experiences been like at both Bansko, and other music festivals?
I reckon live music is still thriving in Bulgaria…
… Just a few weeks ago I hugely enjoyed Elton John live in the Locomtiv stadium in Sofia. Speaking to others they say Sofia’s answer to Kavarna’s rock fest ( 23 – 25th July 2010) was the three day rock festival at the Vasil Levski stadium this week. Headline acts Metallica, Ramstein and Alice in Chains ensured a big success.
Again in Sofia, there was the ParkLive three day festival: Groove Amada, Gotan Project and Morcheeba. Held behind Sofia airport’s terminal 2 and hampered by rain, it was still judged a success but room for improvement. Not bad all in under three weeks. Looking ahead Nigel Kennedy plays Plodiv on 1st September and Sofia on the 2nd September.
————————————————————————————————–
Bansko Jazz Festival Programme 2010
| Open-Air stage “Royal Towers Hotel” | Open-Air stage “N. Vaptzarov” | |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 7 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band”
Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime band” |
7.30pm – One night befor The official opening ceremony (rem. of Lea Ivanova)
1. Dessy Tenekedjieva & band – Bulgaria 2. 3. Mary Taneva & band, with songs of Lea Ivanova – Bulgaria |
| Sunday, 8 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band”
Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime band” |
7.30pm – The official opening ceremony
1. Big Band of BNR, conductor Yanko Miladinov, guest Bianca Morales (vokal) – Bulgaria/Finland 2. Antonio Flinta quartet – Italy 3. Yildiz Ibrahimova & band – Turkey |
| Monday, 9 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band” 4 – 5.30pm – Jazz Cofee Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime band” |
7.30pm – Show starts
1. “No Square Quartet” – France 2. “Tango Project Quartet” – Israel 3. “Incognito” – GB |
| Tuesday, 10 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band” 4 – 5.30pm – Jazz Cofee Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime band” |
7.30pm – Show starts
1. Big Band Plovdiv, conductor Nikolay Geshev – Bulgaria 2. “Percussion Impact Project” – Hristo Yotsov, Stoyan Yankulov, Rumen Toskov – Bulgaria 3. “8WD” (Eight Wheel Drive) – Germany |
| Wednesday, 11 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band” 4 – 5.30pm – Jazz Cofee Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime band” |
7.30pm – Show starts
1. Petra Erney Quartet – Czech Republik 2. “Side steps” – Germany 3. Solomon Burke – USA |
| Thursday, 12 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band” 4 – 5.30pm – Jazz Cofee Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime band” |
7.30pm – Show starts
1. Camellia Todorova & band – Bulgaria 2. Vasil Petrov and Yolanda Graves (USA) with Angel Zaberski Band – Bulgaria 3. “Djabe” special guest Steve Hackett – Hungary/GB |
| Friday, 13 August | 12am – 2pm – Jazz Barbeque
with “Dixie Teteven band” 4 – 5.30pm – Jazz Cofee Rumen Alexandroff “Ragtime bаnd” |
7.30pm – Show starts
1. Benny Golson (USA) with “Kelag” Big Band – Austria 2. Axel Zwingenberger & Lila Ammons – Germany/USA 3. “Eftekasat” – Egypt |
