29th International Open Air Festival Jazz at the Old Town

July 1st - August 26th, 2023, Warsaw, Old Town Square, 7 PM, free entrance

Organizer:
Fundacja Jazz Art.

Honorary patronage:
Minister Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego, Prezydent m. st. Warszawy

General director, author:
Krzysztof Wojciechowski

Art director, spokesperson:
Iwona Strzelczyk Wojciechowska

The 29th edition of the popular Jazz at the Old Town festival will begin in Warsaw on July1nd. 2023 and it will last until August 26th 2023. The Old Town Square will once again become the music heart of Warsaw and for two summer months will beat to the rhythm of jazz.

There will be jazz discoveries, unique projects and returns of legendary formations as well as concerts of Polish and international jazz stars. We will hear an original - stylistically diverse program, including the most valuable Polish and international phenomena and trends.

International Open-Air Jazz at the Old Town Festival is a festival that has its own brand, reputation, beautiful achievements and impressive audience. It is one of the most popular and the largest - in terms of the audience - jazz festivals in Poland. Only last year the festival attracted over 20 thousand people and its website had 113 thousand hits.

For 28 years of its existence the festival has created many artists but it also has its own audience numbering about one million people. The Jazz at the Old Town Festival is the only festival of this kind in Poland with an international scope addressed to a wide audience and completely free of charge. For years it has been Warsaw's artistic calling card and tourist attraction in the summer.

It is distinguished by an original program, diversified in terms of style - including the most valuable phenomena and trends in Polish and international music.

The festival has a beautiful heritage and an impressive list of names of the artists who participated in the festival. Among those we can find all the top legends of the Polish jazz and many international stars, names such as: Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, James Carter, Joey Calderazzo, Archie Sheep, David Murray, Roy Hargrove, Ernie Watts, Jacky Terrasson, Richard Galliano, Dino Saluzzi, Bill Evans, Chico Freeman, Lee Konitz, Kevin Mahogany, Bobo Stenson, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Tord Gustavsen, Enrico Pieranunzi, Stefano Bollani, Enrico Rava, Marilyn Mazur, Shai Maestro, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, Stanley Jordan, Palle Mikkelborg, Terje Rypdal, Avishai Cohen , Hiromi, Alfredo Rodriguez, Grace Kelly, Hiromi, Kyle Eastwood (syn Clinta Eastwooda), Omar Sosa, Charnett Moffett, Birelli Lagrene, John Pizzarelli, Cyrus Chesnut, Emmet Cohen.

For many years the festival has been widely present in the Polish media and the Internet . We have been featured on BBC , Deutche Welle and Poland in English TV.

Hamilton de Holanda Jobim Trio

1 July 2023

The three-time Latin GRAMMY winner, Brazilian mandolin master, accomplished musician and improviser will perform in Poland for the first time. Virtuosic, brilliant and unique - these are just some of the adjectives describing a musician who has ignited global audiences, developing a career sprinkled with awards. The American press has hailed him as the "Jimi Hendrix of the mandolin."

Leszek Kułakowski Quintet

8 July 2023

We will hear a special retrospective international project on the occasion of the Jubilee of 30 years of artistic work. Pianist called by critics "the visionary of jazz". In his work, he is fascinated by jazz treated as a creation of a universal musical narrative. He has collaborated with many outstanding artists of Polish jazz and world jazz, and has given concerts at the most important jazz festivals of the country and stages of Europe and the USA.

Grażyna Auguścik & Kuba Stankiewicz Quartet - The Music of Victor Young

16 July 2023

A lady of Polish jazz of international repute and a quartet of an outstanding pianist among the top Polish jazz pianists will perform a program dedicated to the famous American composer of Polish roots, who changed the face of American music.

Marcin Masecki Big Band - Suita Jubileuszowa

22 July 2023

One of Poland's most creative, original and versatile musicians on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the reconstruction of the Old Town has prepared a special "Jubilee Suite," selected compositions by Masecki in new arrangements for jazz orchestra, with the participation of outstanding musicians. The Suite will be crowned by the premiere of a new composition. The Warsaw Museum is a partner of the concert.

Krzesimir Dębski - String Connection Plus - Jubileusz 50-lecia pracy artystycznej

29 July 2023

Concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of a unique artist - violin virtuoso, pianist, outstanding composer, arranger, conductor, who moves equally freely in the world of jazz and classical music. The leader of the legendary String Connection , the band - a legend, one of the most important fusion formations of the 1980s, returns after 10 years with a concert at the festival.

Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet - Spirit To All

5 August 2023

The Tri-City bassist, one of the most popular jazz musicians who successfully presents the new face of Polish jazz, will perform his latest, fifth studio album "Spirit To All" released on the English label Whirwind Recordings. The compositions on the album draw on the best traditions of blues and spiritual jazz.

Karol Dobrowolski Trio & Ludovic Beier - Bleue Melancolie

12 August 2023

The outstanding Polish jazz violinist and composer, and the French virtuoso of jazz acoreon of international repute will perform in an interesting project . We will hear a mixture of jazz, classical music, folk and gypsy music. Music in which one can hear echoes of jazz manouche (gypsy jazz), swing and the style of Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt.

Rodziewicz Quartet feat. Wojciech Waglewski & DJ Chmielix

12 August 2023

Band leader, composer and baritone saxophonist (currently the best baritone saxophonist in Poland according to critics of Jazz Forum magazine). During the concert we will hear premiere performances of songs from the latest album titled MUZYKA MOJA I NASHA. The band's music - a fusion of many styles and is an expression of the musical fascinations of the leader and Steve Nash, an acclaimed pianist, composer, DJ, producer.

Antonio Faraò Quartet featuring Chico Freeman

19 August 2023

After 25 years, the outstanding Trio returns to the stage to perform for the first time in Warsaw. We are delighted to present Black Inside, the Italian piano virtuoso's first international album as a leader surrounded by outstanding American musicians, marking an important turning point in the career of one of today's finest pianists.

Harold López-Nussa Quartet

26 August 2023

Double Premiere. For the first time in Poland will perform a rising star of Cuban jazz, pianist, composer - virtuoso and musical erudite, who in an original, passionate style, combines jazz with Latin, Afro-Cuban traditions, creating a colorful musical world. We will hear material from his latest album, Timba a la Americana to be released in the middle of this year.