Kecskemét to Become the Capital of Jazz for Four Days

One hundred musicians from fifteen countries will take the stage at the eighth Bohém Jazz Capital open-air family festival in Kecskemét (central Hungary) between August 1-4.

Tamás Ittzés, the festival’s host, said that from a musical point of view, the festival is specifically about fun, danceable classic jazz, but it covers the broadest spectrum of the genre: ragtime, blues, New Orleans jazz, dixieland, swing, boogie, bossa nova and rockabilly will alternate on five stages over four days.

He stressed that

internationally renowned artists from all over the world will be coming to Kecskemét, including Uruguayans, Canadians, Australians, as well as musicians from Japan and the United States.

The Swedish, Danish and Australian members of the sensational German trumpeter Norbert Susemihl’s Joyful Gumbo band will bring the “hot New Orleans feel” to the music with incredible energy, while the Dutch Louis Armstrong Celebration Band will carry on the tradition of jazz’s most famous trumpeter. The Prohibition Stompers include Austrian, Swedish, Croatian and Japanese musicians and are “masters of  classic jazz as well as swing.” The Uruguayan-Canadian duo Delta Bastards play energetic blues, and American guitarist-vocalist Ryan Donohue “shapes the blues genre in his own image.” Hungarian musicians include the host band, the 39-year-old eMeRTon Award-winning Bohém Ragtime Jazz Band, the Cafuné playing South American music, the Candy Men Duo, and one of Europe’s best harmonica players, as well as Mátyás Pribojszki’s Jumping Matt & his Combo.

Swing dancing will also be an important part of the long weekend, and this year the event will feature American, Czech, Bulgarian, Slovenian and Austrian dancers who will teach, perform and act as judges in the Saturday night swing dance competition.

Visitors will be able to learn the basics of swing dancing in nine introductory classes for beginners.

The Jazz Capital Run will take place on Saturday morning under the motto “Sport and Festival.”

Participants of the competition will receive a festival T-shirt and a day pass for free.

The 2.3-kilometer basic distance can be completed both individually and in relay. This year there will also be a beach volleyball court, and a maze track where children can learn about orienteering.

As the Olympic Games are taking place at the same time as the festival, there will also be an Olympic tent where visitors can cheer on the athletes. As last year, visitors can try dragon boating, and there will also be a board game tent and a display of veteran vehicles. Furthermore, everyone with a festival entry ticket can swim for free in the pond at the Kecskemét leisure center.

Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Jazzfőváros / Jazz Capital