The inaugural Saulkrasti Jazz Festival was held in 1997. It featured guest artists from three countries (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) and 25 workshop participants, and attracted about 3,000 visitors. The festival has been growing ever since. The present-day Saulkrasti Jazz Festival showcases musicians from more than 15 countries, includes over 70 workshop participants and attracts about 6,000 visitors from Latvia and abroad.
The main venue of the festival is the Minhauzena Unda Hotel. It hosts ticketed concerts held every evening. Alongside ticketed performances, the Saulkrasti Jazz Festival hosts a series of day concerts on the main stage located in downtown Saulkrasti and a number of smaller stages throughout the town. All open-air concerts at the festival have free admission.
The Saulkrasti Jazz Festival features artists and bands from many countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Germany, the United States, and others. Its line-up includes both world-renowned performers and up-and-coming artists. For the latter, the festival is a platform that might help launch their careers. Famous artists who have performed at the Saulkrasti Jazz Festival include Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl, Dave Becker, Djabe, Dom Famularo, Evergreen, James Taylor Quartet, Marija Naumova, Mel Gaynor, Mezzoforte, Raimonds Pauls, Steve Hackett, Steve Smith, Wolfgang Haffner, Yuval Ron, and many others.
As we’ve already mentioned, one of the festival’s highlights is the Workshop Camp that runs concurrently with the main event. It gives young musicians a unique opportunity to spend a weak learning and practicing under the supervision of skilled musicians and experienced teachers from around the world. The campers attend intensive workshops and play in combo ensembles, preparing for the final concert where they showcase their skills. The camp includes six workshops: guitar, drums, bass, vocal, piano, and winds.
Alongside concerts and workshops, the Saulkrasti Jazz Festival hosts Baltic Drummers’ League, an international drummer contest open to young musicians aged 14 to 25. Participants compete in two age groups (14–17 and 18–25), winners are chosen by an international panel of judges.
Photo: saulkrastijazz.lv
