Jazz stars shine at Cultural Olympiad in Sochi

Sochi – Russia, July 11, 2012: Jazz stars, The third international “AquaJazz” Festival has been successfully hosted in Sochi as part of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad. The very best jazz musicians from Russia and the USA performed for Sochi residents and guests on the 4th and 5th July. “AquaJazz” is a true celebration of music, attracting the very best international musicians. The festival was brought to Sochi for the third time by the famous Russian jazzman Igor Butman.

Jazz stars, The “AquaJazz” Festival attracted a number of acts including: American jazz vocalists, Allan Harris and Kathy Jenkins; well renowned American saxophonist Bill Evans and his group Soulgrass; Sochi Big Band; the Moscow Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Igor Butman; Sergei Korenev Project; the power-jazz trio of drummer Oleg Butman; pianist Nikolai Levinovsky and trumpeter Alexander Berenson; and saxophonists Dmitry Mospan and Konstantin Safyanov. All concerts were held in the “Riviera” park and the “Festival” cinema hall.

Jazz stars, Sochi 2014 Ambassador, Igor Butman, said:

“It has been an honor to be involved in Sochi’s “Aqua Jazz” festival since 2002 and I am very proud of what it has achieved. The festival brings together jazz musicians from around Russia and across the world. Thanks to the Cultural Olympiad, we have been able to organize and successfully deliver this unique musical event”.

Jazz stars, The Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad is a unique project by the organizers of the Games, offering the best Russian cultural events. In 2014 visitors to the Olympic host city will not only be able to enjoy the sporting events but also the cultural diversity of Russia. Events will be held at a number of staging venues located in Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana. Since 2010, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, along with a number of regions throughout Russia, have been carefully selected the best in Russian culture.

From 2010 to 2014, thousands of different cultural events will take place across the entire country. Each year, the Cultural Olympiad is dedicated to a different art: 2010 was the Year of the Cinema, 2011 the Year of the Theater, 2012 is the Year of Music, and 2013 will be the Year of the Museum.

This year, the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad is devoted to music and the Sochi 2014 will present a number of cultural events to the public. These will include concerts and festivals showcasing the best in Russian and international musicians, competitions and master-classes.

The scale of the project will make it possible to involve everyone in a celebration of music, maintaining and increasing the cultural riches of Russia. All of the events of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad can be found on Sochi 2014’s website www.culture.sochi2014.com. —– Sochi 2014