Jazzky Krumlov 2008 - Jazz at the End of the Summer

These days we are finishing the preparation for the upcoming jazz and alternative music festival called JAZZKY KRUMLOV which will take place from 10 to 13 September 2008. This name may be new to many but actually we already have a lot of experience with organizing the “Jazz at the End of the Summer” Festival which has been taking place for the past 9 years.

The name has been changed for a reason and is linked to the change of the festival concept as events now take place all year round and include regular concerts (not just jazz) in the new home scene of the ÁNTRÉ theatre club. Mr. Josef Šmejkal, one of the festival organizers, explains: “This is why the name linking the festival to the end of the summer is no longer reasonable and has been replaced by a more patriotic name JAZZKY KRUMLOV“. So now the open air festival during the Indian summer remains as a highlight of the year-round effort and will see performances by bands too large to perform at the club.

And so what have the festival organizers in store for us for the long September weekend? Josef Šmejkal sums up the band lineup: “As usual, the festival will be opened with performances by smaller, less known bands which however deserve the viewers’ attention. On Wednesday 10 September we will welcome the pop-rock-jazz band Loading who will perform in the Retro Café. This is a very lively dance music dominated by vocals by Kateřina Klečková. On Thursday 11 September “The Hammers” band frontman Filip Spálený will present his jazz programme to all visitors of Hospoda 99 Pub. Here is where we organize concerts every year and this place has its steady fans and we wait for others to discover it.

Here is some good news for all music fans: entry to these opening concerts is free.

Next day on Friday 12 September there will be an opportunity to listen to two bands in one spot and this time some pretty famous ones. The concert will take place in the heart of Český Krumlov, in the “U Malého Vítka” restaurant courtyard. First performance will be at 7 pm by the vocal ´a cappella´ quartet Yellow Sisters with their ethnofolk-soul-funky-jazz repertoire and next we will listen to a concert by the most influential personality of Slovak jazz and blues Peter Lipa accompanied by an excellent band of four. The concerts taking place at “U Malého Vítka” are always very captivating through their intimate atmosphere. The Courtyard area is very small and those who wish to enjoy these two top bands should make haste to obtain their tickets.

On Saturday 13 September starting at 8pm the festival will continue and culminate with a concert by Dana Bárta with the Illustratosphere band taking place in the Brewery gardens.

Bárta is the brightest light of the domestic jazz scene with overlaps to many other music genres. Every his concert is a wonderful experience. The perfect sound of the concert is critical for the quality of the performance and so we chose the Brewery Gardens as the location where all limitations of internal spaces are removed and the sound will be crystal clear.

Both weekend concerts are with an entry fee but there is good news for those wishing to participate at a reduced cost. You can buy your tickets in advance in the Český Krumlov Infocenters and over the internet at www.ticketportal.cz. Tickets for the Friday double bill concert are for CZK 180 but already CZK 220 on the spot. Dan Bárta and Illustratosphere concert tickets will be for sale at CZK 200 but already CZK 250 at the day of the concert.

For more information and latest programme please view: www.ckrumlov.cz/jazz2008.