The highly anticipated AglanJazz Festival is making a grand return for two spectacular evenings of jazz, featuring both local and international talents. This year’s event is set for October, marking a shift from its usual summer dates to the autumn season. With an exciting blend of jazz styles and ensembles, this edition promises a diverse musical experience. Circle the dates October 15 and 16 on your calendar!
Opening Night Performances
Kicking off the festival will be The Bebop Project, a five-piece Cypriot band dedicated to reviving and celebrating bebop jazz in today’s music scene. Their sound centers around the authenticity of bebop, with a special focus on swing, the core element of their performance.
Following them, the festival will welcome the David Helbock Trio from Austria. Led by acclaimed pianist David Helbock, the trio represents a new generation of jazz musicians pushing the boundaries of the genre. By blending composition and improvisation, they offer a fresh take on jazz, challenging traditional perceptions and genres.
The first night will conclude with a performance by The French Experience, a Cypriot band known for its innovative fusion of electronic music and jazz improvisation. Drawing from a wide range of influences, their sound merges synth textures, deep bass lines, and complex rhythms, creating an immersive musical journey that is both contemporary and rooted in jazz tradition.
Second Night Highlights
The second evening will begin with a local favorite, the Bopsters Trio. Specializing in bebop, the trio performs compositions from legendary jazz icons such as Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Bud Powell. Their instrumentation—piano, double bass, and drums—emphasizes the rhythmic and melodic depth of bebop while maintaining the spontaneous energy that defines the genre.
Next on the program is Carmen Souza, a Portuguese jazz singer-songwriter with Cape Verdean roots. Often referred to as the Cape Verdean Ella Fitzgerald, Souza blends the traditional sounds of Cape Verde with modern and traditional jazz elements. She will debut her 11th album, Port’Inglês (English Port), which tells the often-overlooked stories of Cape Verde under British rule.
Festival Finale
Closing out AglanJazz 2024 will be Human Touch, a trio hailing from Athens known for their eclectic blend of Greek, Irish, American, and Cypriot influences. Joining them will be Syrian-Armenian musician Haig Yazdjian, who moved to Greece in the early 1980s. Together, they will deliver an unforgettable performance that merges Greek ethnic-inspired jazz with a global soul sound, wrapping up the festival in style.
AglanJazz 2024 Event Details
This annual celebration of jazz, featuring an exciting array of local and international musicians, will take place on October 15-16 in Aglandjia, Nicosia. For more details, visit the AglanJazz 2024 Facebook event page.
Don’t miss out on this remarkable gathering of jazz talent, showcasing diverse sounds and innovative performances from across the globe!