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International Music Festival Jazzinec

„There must be something deeper beyond each performance. Each concert must be an experience that does not let you be impervious. A concert can even provoke you but must not leave you untouched. Every year, every evening and every performance must be like one and only“. (about program choice of Jazzinec – Tomáš Katschner).

Festival with unique atmosphere and exceptionally friendly and educated audience – this is the most common description of Jazzinec by musicians who took part. The festival is one of the oldest in the Czech Republic, taking part solely in a small town of Trutnov, right under the Giant Mountains. The town hosted such world legends of music like Al Di Meola, John Medeski, Richard Bona or Bill Evans.

„Our festival is composed in multiple levels – from world renowned artists through central European space and Czech and Slovak top tier musicians to pure regional things. The specialty of Jazzinec is regular Israeli and Polish track in its program. We want Jazzinec to incite people to think, and local musicians to grow. Not to close ourselves in our own bubble but to see further“, adds Tomáš Katschner – founder of the festival.

The Festival is organized by the association „Alternative for Culture“, supported by The City of Trutnov, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and The Office of Hradec Králové Region, together with The Cultural Centre Uffo of Trutnov.

Jazzinec was founded in 1999, originally as a weekend event with performances on the city square and other public places of Trutnov. Over time the event has grown in almost never ending stream of events, starting in February with end in April, later also with autumn part (October–November). Later this program was followed by yet another event – Jazz World Photo competition and travelling exhibition.

There is much more to the festival – workshops for musicians, listening evenings, exhibitions and other events. Jazzinec runs its own internet radio, as well.

„There are only two jazz festivals in the Czech Republic, whose importance goes beyond regional borders and which enrich national jazz scene: JazzFest in Brno city and Jazzinec in Trutnov,“ as affirmed by Petr Ostrouchov at the international meeting of music journalists, festival organizers and promoters in Ostrava.

Almost the entire top tier of Czech jazz musicians and many more real world jazz stars performed at Jazzinec so far: Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, John Medeski, Trilok Gurtu, Ibrahim Maalouf, Frank Gambale, Billy Martin’s Wicked Knee, Erik Truffaz, Dhafer Youssef, Oz Noy Trio, Omer Klein, Benito Gonzáles, Antnio Farao, Mina Agossi, Paul Lieberman, Will Bernard, Susheela Raman, Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara, George Mraz, Portico Quartet, Chris Cheek, Harry Waters, Bobby Watson, Tanya Tagaq, Iva Bittová & Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, Ingrid Jensen, Amit Chatterjee, Vincent Herring, Amparo Sánchez, SBB & Paul Vertico, Dean Brown, Didrik Ingvaldsen Q, Sugar Blue and others. Israeli bass player Avishai Cohen held the world (!) premiere of his project Aurora at Jazzinec in 2009.

The uniqueness of Jazzinec lies in the many encounters of many world stars with Czech (and Slovak) artists. It happens again and again – for example in 2008 when a specially assembled CZ-SK Jazzinec band hosted Victor Bailey, in 2010 when newly established CZ-SK jazz band featured Poogie Bell and in 2012 when Harry Water brought his Czech friends – Friends. In 2013 Jazzinec Radovan Tariška brought in two top New York players – Essiet Okon Essiat and Benito Gonzales, as a part of Folklore to Jazz project. Year after that was starred by pianists Rosťa Fraš and Antonio Farao. In 2015 there was Slovak quartet of Milo Suchomel with Bill Evans and there was also extraordinary performance of Richard Bona, accompanied by an on-purpose special Czechoslovak band. Year 2016 was crowned with exciting concert of Elysium and more of Al Di Meola, featuring in an “one and only” performance Slovak percussionist Eddy Portela.

Often Jazzinec is part of tour plan of Czech bands with foreign guests – such as Robert Balzar Trio & Gabriele Mirabassi, Ian Ritchie Soho Project, Eddie Martin Trio, and so on.