Ten Czech bands have been selected by the organisers of the 11th edition of the international festival JAZZFESTBRNO to feature in its attractive programme. From April 10 until 26 Brno will turn into a true “jazz hub” and see international stars such as Brian Blade, Avishai Cohen and Pat Metheny alongside the leading Czech jazzmen including the trendsetters of the jazz music scene of the last decade. “We are delighted that our invitation to perform at the festival has been accepted by the top Czech musicians including renowned performers such as Milan Svoboda or Jiri Stivin and the new jazz generation of Libor Smoldas, David Doruzek and Marta Töpferova,” says Vilem Spilka, Programme and Art Director of the festival.

Internationally renowned jazz guitarist David Doruzek will make an appearance in two bands: as a guest of international ensemble Inner Spaces led by the trumpet player Stepanka Balcarova and the latest band of singer Marta Töpferova who also regularly works with another prominent member of the younger jazz generation Tomas Liska. Pianists Martin Benko and Jiri Levicek will complement the offering of the Czech improvised production. The audience can look forward to the performance of outstanding Czech instrumentalists from the bands Muff, Milan Svoboda Quartet and the bigband consisting of students of the recently created jazz department of Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno.

The list of the international jazz stars is as impressive as that of its Czech counterpart. It includes the highly-praised new band of saxophonist Donny McCaslin, the folk-jazz project “Mama Rosa” of the phenomenal drummer, guitarist and singer Brian Blade, the Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan, the Russian trumpet player Alex Sipiagin accompanied by double bass player Boris Kozlov, the guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg´s quartet, the cult Israeli double bass player and the singer Avishai Cohen and a trio led by Indo-American pianist and jazz visionary Vijay Iyer. There will be a welcome follow-up to the festival when music prodigy Pat Metheny comes to Brno two months later to introduce his new project the Pat Metheny Unity Band as a part of the summer festival series on June 28 at the Brno Bobycentrum.

European jazz won´t be missing either with Austria sending excellent string quartet Radio String Quartet Vienna and Hungary providing ethno-jazz ensemble Djabe. Spanish guitar virtuoso Albert Vila and pianist Najponk, accompanied by his Czech-British trio, will also be present.

JAZZFESTBRNO will stick to its traditional and tried and tested format of two concerts on selected days complemented by popular evening jam sessions. There will also be workshops conducted by top class international artists held at the Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno.