International Ethno-Jazz Festival in Chisinau

For a period of four days our capital became an international ethno-jazz center. Every day thousands of jazz amateurs of different ages and preferences stood impatiently in front of the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre in search of a free ticket or seeking an autograph of one of those famous jazz bands which arrived in Chisinau for the 3rd time to participate in the traditional ethno-jazz festival. This year’s event attracted folk-jazz and ethno-jazz interpreters from 12 countries of the world (Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the USA, Germany, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, etc.). The principal organizers of the festival were Trigon folk-jazz band, the Culture Ministry of Moldova as well as the Chisinau City hall. Moldcell, the Soros Foundation in Moldova, the French Alliance, UNICEF Representation in Moldova and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany sponsored the event. Owing to the sponsors each band got $US 1500-2000 for their participation in the festival. The first ethno-jazz festival took place in 2002 and was organized on the occasion of Trigon’s 10th anniversary. Since then the event has become a good tradition. According to Ivan Pavlov, Director General of M.S.T. Company – one of the sponsors of the event, ethno-jazz festival has recently gained recognition in Europe and it has already become a very high prestige to participate in it.

Trigon took the lead in the program of the festival compiling the best pieces of the band. Trigon performed with a new cast on the stage of the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre. Mikhail Alperin (a god-father of Trigon folk-jazz band) stated that Trigon’s new cast played even better than the previous one did. Now Trigon band consists of Anatol Stefanet (electric violin), Dorin Burlacu (keyboard), Garry Tverdokhleb (drums) and Valentin Boghean (saxophone, pipe, etc.). Dorin Burlacu and Valentin Boghean became laureates of numerous contests in Germany, Romania, Yugoslavia, etc. It should be mentioned that the French Academy of Arts was the first to award Trigon the “Grand-Prix” for their first CD – “The Moldovan Wedding in Jazz”. Trigon band has been on tours in over 40 countries of the world and has already released a lot of CDs.

On the first day of the festival Trigon band played together with ManSound from Ukraine. Yury Stivin, the leader of this band, is famous not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Most musical critics are unanimous in calling ManSound the best vocal band of the world. ManSound specially interrupted their tour in Sochi to participate in the Ethno-Jazz Festival-2004.

Anatoly Vapirov and Yury Kuznetsov, the former – Artistic Director of the famous international jazz festival “Varna-Summer” (Bulgaria) while the latter – Artistic Director of another international festival “Odessa-Jazz-Carnival” (Ukraine), played a duet. This duet was especially good. Everybody got up on their feet to welcome the musicians and express admiration for their talent and performance skills.

Anatoly Vapirov began to play jazz on the saxophone in Leningrad in the early 1960s. For the last 10 years he has been living in Varna (Bulgaria). In Varna he composes music for feature films and theater plays. While teaching at the Leningrad Conservatory Anatoly Vapirov started composing jazz music. Ten years later he decided to combine jazz with folk tunes. In the 1980s Vapirov’s “Slavic Mystery” gave him much fame all over the world. Today Anatoly Vapirov uses multinational folklore in his jazz compositions.

Yury Kuznetsov taught jazz improvisation at Odessa Conservatory. He had a chance to participate in many international jazz festivals and succeeded in playing both classical and avant-garde jazz.

Yury Stvin from the Czech Republic impressed everybody with his extraordinary virtuosity while playing the jazz blues. His manner of playing has been already recognized in Europe and the USA.

The performance of Rudi Neuwirth from Germany made the audience laugh. He perfectly imitated all musical instruments with his voice. In Berlin he organized a jazz club. Rudi Neuwirth frequently goes on tours and has already become known around Europe.

Those who appreciate exotic playing had a unique chance to listen to the Sergio Cruz Trio composed of three jazzmen from France, Argentina, and Venezuela. Sergio Cruz, the founder of the trio, is an Argentinean pianist and composer. He studied classical jazz in Buenos Aires and later began to compose jazz plays. Sergio Cruz successfully performed in international concerts and festivals and released 7 personal CDs. His partners in trio are Juan Sebastian Junenes (bass guitar) and Pascal Rey (drums). Juan Sebastian Junenes perfectly plays double-bass as well as Cuban guitar while Pascal Rey is a virtuoso drummer. Sergio Cruz Trio showed their exotic concert program in many countries of the world.

“Kampes Dolores” band from Hungary in cooperation with the UNICEF Representation in Moldova organized a charity concert. All the funds raised will go to HIV-infected children.

The Moldovan jazz band with an interesting name “25th FRAME” played in Eminescu Theatre on the second day of the festival. This young band is composed of Dorin Burlacu – keyboard, Igor Carpenco – drums, Alexandr Mirzac – bass guitar. They mostly played modern American and European jazz compositions.

“Uni Vox” was another Moldovan jazz band which participated in this year’s festival. The band is composed of Viola Julea (soprano), Inna Terteylova (soprano), Ilona Stepan (alto), Georgeta Burlacu (alto), Nicu Pavlinciuc (tenor), Valerii Vantu (baritone), and Nicolai Andus (bass). They have mostly jazz compositions based on folklore on their repertoire.

The Eduardo Niebla Guitar Duo duet consisting of Eduardo Alvarez Niebla (guitar) and Hugo Ramon Elizalde Siller (guitar) concluded the festival. Their passionate and very emotional performance was awarded by a storm of applause from the audience.

When Luis Armstrong was once asked to determine the nature of jazz he answered that “jazz music is beyond any understanding… jazz has to be felt with all your heart.” The Moldovan audience followed his advice and filled the Mihai Eminescu Theatre to capacity during all performances to listen to jazz interpreted by the best jazz bands of the world.

International Ethno-Jazz Festival-2004 turned out an extraordinary event. Mikhail Alperin noted that all world jazz festivals had their own characteristic features. “One of the characteristic features of the Chisinau festival is the audience. Moldovan listeners are sincere, sensitive, grateful and very open. It is a great pleasure to play jazz to them…” Alperin concluded.

By Ludmila Mamaliga
Translated by Vlada Popushoi