When people nowadays take time off work for their long deserved holidays, they would rather go to places where they have never been before and where they can actually experience things rather than sit on the beach all day long and party during the nights. One such holiday option, namely cultural tourism, has grown in popularity. Many art lovers crave to travel the globe to see exhibitions or attend festivals of all kinds. Next to cultural hot-spots like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Istanbul, Berlin and New York, one cozy city in the heart of Europe has earned the title of City of Festivals. Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, hosts year-round gatherings of the film industry (the now famous Sarajevo Film Festival), theatre and performing arts (MESS), performing, contemporary and fine arts (Sarajevo Winter Festival), music and traditional dances (Bascarsija Nights), and last but not least the Sarajevo Jazz Fest hosting both regional and international jazz greats. Since 1997, a handful of jazz aficionados, has been working very hard to bring jazz and world music to a steadily growing audience.
The team of the Sarajevo Jazz Fest, led by founder and initiator Edin Zubčević, has done wonders by improving the quality of production as well as the one of booking and programming. In a post-war country where the population has had more urgent priorities than listening to live jazz gigs, they initiated the first Jazz Fest just two years after the horrible war in Bosnia had ended. From then on they have grown in leaps and bounds hosting international jazz legends like The Zawinul Syndicate, Markus Stockhausen, Dave Holland, Dennis Rollins, Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield and many more. Furthermore, they have always put a special effort in promoting both regional music greats and young talents. Their extended scope of workshops for musicians, the general public and children is yet another prove that their mission of spreading jazz music in Sarajevo is one with a successful outcome. So, for those of you who want to experience jazz in all its varieties with an extra pinch of the Balkans and its rich history and traditions, the 16. Sarajevo Jazz Fest (October 30 – November 4) is the perfect event that will leave you with very fond memories. It is definitely worth checking out their website (jazzfest.ba) for further information on the line-up, workshops and anything else that you should know about this great event.
