Now internationally acclaimed for its three-day dedication to the global jazz scene, by way of the thematic unit “Jazz on the Hill”, the Sani Festival has been chiefly identified as a music festival, with distinct artistic modules, embracing music genres that are frequently non-commercial, while over the years it has flirted with other art forms that interact with music.
With reference to this the 23rd summer music festival, the Artistic Director of the Sani Festival, Olga Tabouris-Babalis, speaking about the current programme, stresses that it has been arranged to be true to the philosophy and the main objectives of the festival, that:
• bridge the country`s fundamental developmental corner-stones, namely its culture and tourism;
• make known the fundamental value of cultural decentralization through events of great artistic merit;
• promote colloquy between artistic creativity and expression and genuine human communication – with both the local community and foreign visitors to the area – through the arts;
• combine quality entertainment with the cosmopolitan character of a diversified, assiduously prepared touristic product.
It concerns a programme within a framework of thematic units whose major constituents are the exclusive engagement of up–and-coming artists, as well as accomplished performers from the global music scene, without excluding the promotion of contemporary Greek musical creativity.
In this spirit, the objective in the programming of the current “Jazz on the Hill” is for the audience to become acquainted with internationally renowned jazz artists through a dedication to male jazz vocalists.Four male musicians and virtuosos of this genre – Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Lionel Loueki and Eric Harland – will begin the Jazz on the Hill proceedings with an introduction to pure improvisational jazz. (11/7)They will be followed by Hugh Coltman, the proposed rising star of this year`s Jazz on the Hill, with his one and only appearance in Greece, who will on the Sani Hill perform his new project: the arrangement of Nat King Cole songs which he grew up with and naturally grew to love. (17/7)The Jazz on the Hill presentation closes with an artist who is a cultural symbol of the U.S.A. Multiple Grammy winner, Kurt Elling, one of the most famous jazz vocalists, with many distinctions and awards to his name and one of the greatest contemporary jazz singer – ascends the Sani Hill for his one and only concert in Greece. (18/7)
Artistic Director: Olga Tabouris-Babalis
Four exceptional jazzmen are joining artistic forces for a unique musical collaboration to mark the opening of the 24th 'Jazz on the Hill' event on July 11, 2015. The all-star quartet of purebred American jazz, consisting of Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Lionel Loueke & Eric Harland, who enjoy characteristic musical chemistry between them, will create an explosive jazz atmosphere that is sure to excite.
A world-class soloist, accomplished composer and formidable bandleader, saxophonist Chris Potter has emerged as a leading light of his generation. Down Beat called him "One of the most studied (and copied) saxophonists on the planet" while Jazz Times identified him as "a figure of international renown" and saxophonist Dave Liebman called him simply, "one of the best musicians around". He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his solo work on 'In Vogue' and has recorded with many of the leading names in jazz, such as Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, John Scofield, the Mingus Big Band, Paul Motian, Ray Brown and others.
A master of tone and rhythm, bassist, composer, and bandleader Dave Holland is now in his fifth decade as a performer and his music possesses a rich and kaleidoscopic history.His career took off when he participated in the famous Miles Davis Band, which he left to devote himself to composing his own music. Jack deJohnette notes that "Dave is one of a few bassists who can get an audience on their feet during a solo. He learned from Miles to have a point of view in his playing". Over the course of his career, he has enjoyed strong collaborations with jazz legends, such as drummer Billy Higgins, pianist Hank Jones, Betty Carter and Herbie Hancock, with whom he last collaborated in 2008 on the album River: The Joni Letters, which won the 2008 Grammy for Album of the Year.
Dave Holland and Chris Potter have worked together many times during their careers and have introduced a unique perspective to the music of their generation.
Guitarist and singer Lionel Loueke comes from Benin in West Africa and is one of the shining stars of the Blue Note label. His career includes major collaborations as a side man with Terence Blanchard, Charlie Haden, Cassandra Wilson, Herbie Hancock, Anjelique Kidjo and Carlos Santana.
American drummer Eric Harland, well-known to the music-loving audience of Sani Festival from his participation in the 2006 event alongside Charles Lloyd, is one of the most active figures on the current jazz scene, performing regularly with Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, Stefon Harris, Dave Holland’s Prism and the SF Jazz Collective. He has also worked with Betty Carter, Ravi Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, has participated in over 200 albums and has received several Grammy nominations.
On July 17, 2015 Hugh Coltman
Sani Festival, dedicated to the goal of the artistic director to introduce Greek audiences to up-and-coming artists that are expected to monopolise interest on the international jazz scene, is welcoming Hugh Coltman this year. This is not a debutant male vocalist: the résumé of the British musician with the silky smooth compositions already includes four releases with Hoax, his first band, which propelled him to fame and a global audience at the tender age of 19. Through this work, he was discovered by legendary producer Mike Vernon, whose collaborations include working with David Bowie, Eric Clapton and others. In the following years, Coltman would abandon a glorious career full of sold-out performances for moving to Paris in order to explore a new, unknown musical world.
Starting from scratch, busking on the streets of Paris, he attracted the attention of French rapper Spleen (who has collaborated with CocoRosie and Devendra Banhart). They formed a duet that evolved into the band Heez Bus, which developed a reputation for their live appearances and garnered interest from record producers. During the band's Zero Killed tour of France, Coltman met new associates, including Legnini, and toured Europe, Asia and South America together, while recording the album 'Sing Twice', which was acclaimed by critics and nominated for the prestigious 'Victoire de Jazz' award in the 'Best New Album' category.
This is the first time Hugh Coltman is visiting Greece for an exclusive concert on Sani Hill titled Shadows- Songs of Nat King Cole. This musical project was conceived by Coltman himself as an homage to his mother's favourite artist and will feature unique covers of Nat King Cole's songs, which were a part of the soundtrack of his childhood and a major influence.
On July 18, 2015 Kurt Elling
Grammy Award winner Kurt Elling is the guest of honour at this year's homage to jazz vocalists. He is among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists, having won the DownBeat Critics Poll for numerous years and named 'Male Singer of the Year' by the Jazz Journalists Association eight times in that same span, while every one of Elling’s ten albums has been nominated for a Grammy.
Elling’s rich baritone spans 4 octaves and features both astonishing technical mastery and emotional depth. His repertoire includes original compositions and modern interpretations of standards, while the main elements of his performance are inspired improvisation, scatting and spoken word.
Elling is a renowned artist of vocalese – a type of jazz performance where lyrics and syllables accompany jazz improvisations, such as the improvised solos of Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny. According to critics, "in Kurt Elling’s art, the voice of jazz gives a new spiritual presence to the ancient, sweet and powerful bond between poetry and music".
The New York Times declared, "Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time", while the Washington Post added, “Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling”.
His exclusive concert at Sani Festival is titled Passion World. This is a major achievement featuring love-songs from around the world, performed in their own languages. Passion World is a musical 'magic carpet' that will take us on an exciting, romantic voyage.
http://www.sanifestival.gr/en-GB/events