Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Viljandi, Haapsalu, Kuressaare, Narva, Võru, Rakvere, Elva Jazzkaar (Jazz Arc over Estonia) got its present form in 1990, following a tradition, initiated by Uno Naissoo and Valter Ojakäär, which survived the Soviet era with difficulty. After Estonia regained its independence, new possibilities opened to invite here world-famous jazz artists to perform next to Estonian musicians and mark the Tallinn Festival onto the world’s jazz map. Jazzkaar offers the best opportunities for Estonian jazz artists to see the work of current top jazz artists from all over the world, and for listeners it is a window into the wide world. The initiator, Chief Organiser and Artistic Director of Jazzkaar is Anne Erm, Producer at radio Eesti Raadio. The aim of the Festival is to offer a broad selection of music from avant-garde tendencies to mainstream-jazz, but also the more interesting levels of world music and blues. Already the first festival years hosted such great artists as Ray Anderson, Steve Lacy, Leroy Jenkins, Roscoe Mitchell Quartet. In 1995 Jazzkaar moved from autumn into spring. From those times originates the tradition of club jazz events, aimed at the young. Among the performers of these dance-orientated events have been DJ Gilles Peterson, Nils Petter Molvær, Osibisa, Bugge Wesseltoft, Beady Belle, Mad Sheer Khan, Koop, NoJazz, Bossa Eletrica and others. Besides the above-mentioned, the Festival has hosted along the years many such distinguished artists as Joe Zawinul, Toots Thielemans, Dave Douglas, Jan Garbarek, Charles Lloyd, Béla Fleck, Courtney Pine, John Abercrombie, Eliane Elias, Mike Stern, Joey De Francesco, Richard Bona, Omar Sosa, Bobby Previte, Brad Mehldau, Diane Schuur, John Scofield, Randy Brecker, Markus Stockhausen and many others. At Jazzkaar many other world-famous artists have performed like the Finnish celebrities Värttinä and Kimmo Pohjonen, the Sami joik singers Mari Boine and Wimme, flamenco guitar player Vicente Amigo, bossa nova promoters Joyce, Jacques and Paula Morelenbaum, an Indian percussionist Trilok Gurtu, a Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango, and others. In addition to the spring Festival also Christmas Jazz, held for the first time in 1996, takes place. Jazzkaar is the organiser of the Spring Jazz and Autumn Jazz concert series, offering then jazz music in smaller halls. As a concert agency Jazzkaar organises about a hundred concerts a year. | ||
