ISTANBUL, TURKEY, June
16, 2005 – Istanbul, the timeless city that embraces two continents,
will celebrate music’s global appeal with the 12th
International Istanbul Jazz Festival, July 6 – 17, 2005,
when hundreds international musicians and 30 bands will enliven the
city’s already exuberant tempo for 12 days and nights at an exciting
array of venues. The festival embraces the masters of jazz but also
heralds the triumphs of genres such as rock, pop, reggae, funk and folk
in performances from massive free street shows to intimate club concerts.
Headlining the
festival, the iconic singer songwriter Tori Amos will grace the
stage of the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater making her Istanbul debut on July 10th
and performing her melodic ballads under the stars. Wrapping up the
European leg of her Summer of Sin Tour, Amos will perform the newest
hits from 2005’s poetic album The Beekeeper, along with fan requested
favorites.
On July 8th the Open Air Theater will reverberate with a
different kind of groove, when Elvis Costello cuts loose with his
unique blend of rock, pop, jazz and reggae steeped in the gospel-rooted
sounds of Memphis soul seasoned with a dash of new wave
rock. In this highly anticipated demonstration of jazz’s expressive
freedom, Costello and his acclaimed band, the Imposters, will showcase
how today’s music synthesizes elements of classic styles in one of
Istanbul’s most historic venues.
Trumpeting a favorite
sound among festival goers, legendary trombonist Dizzy Gillespie’s
All Star Big Band will showcase the classic sounds of brass and the
power of jazz on July 14th during another Cemil Topuzlu Open
Air Theater performance. Starring the internationally acclaimed Slide
Hampton and John Lee, the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band gives voice
to the swing tradition. As a tribute to the rich music and cultural
tradition of the festival’s host city, the band will be joined by
special local guest artist Muvaffak “Maffy” Falay during the show.
The sound of Falay’s jazz inspired trumpet caught the ear and admiration
of Gillespie himself, who recommended him to the American market joking
"Just your
name is going to make you famous!"
Jamie Cullum,
who many consider the leader of contemporary jazz, will perform his
“magnificently vibrant” rock, pop jazz concerts on one of the oldest
stages in the world, the Sepetçiler Kasri on the coast of the
Bosphorus. Two years ago, Cullum, then 23, launched his debut album
“Twentysomething” which quickly became the fastest
selling jazz album in UK
jazz history making him the biggest selling UK jazz artist ever.
As a Blue Note
recording label artist with a more traditional jazz approach to vocals,
Dianna Reeves, on stage July 13th, follows in the
footsteps of legends Ella Fitzgerald and Anita Baker. Her strong and
distinct voice, a portal to the sounds now seldom heard, will offer the
audience a voice from yesterday with words that speak to today.
As always, one of the
festival’s distinguishing features will be the way it utilizes
Istanbul
’s many attractions, mounting productions in venues as spectacular as
the performances, from historic monuments and Ottoman palaces to
exhibition halls and nightclubs, even a ferry. Events are set to take
place in Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre, Ses Theater,
Babylon
, Kemer Golf & Country Club, and the Istanbul Culture and Congress
Centre set amidst the forest in AyazaÄźa. The festival will take
advantage of Turkey ’s idyllic coastal setting
offering a water-trotting ferry venue and free day of music open to the
public upon the Jazz Boat on Sunday, July 17th.
For the complete
schedule of events and ticket prices for the 12th
International Istanbul Jazz Festival, a member of the European Jazz
Festivals Organization, visit
http://www.iksv.org/english/.
Tickets can be ordered
in advance via telephone or the Web and can also be arranged on-site by
the concierges of any of
Istanbul
’s many world-class hotels. To order tickets by phone, call 90 216
556 98 00 and to purchase on the Internet, long onto
www.biletix.com or
www.garanti.com.tr.
Reflecting the
international range of the festival is the global perspective of it
supporters. This year’s sponsors and contributors are Garanti Bank,
Emirates, Matras, DHL, Heidelberg Cement and LASSA.
Turkey , the site of
two wonders of the ancient world, is a present-day marvel – the cradle
of civilization, the very center of world history and a modern
Westward-looking republic. It is a country of fascinating contrasts,
where antiquity is juxtaposed with the contemporary, the familiar with
the exotic; where sun-swept beaches beckon less than an hour away from
snow-capped mountains, and everywhere visitors are treated to the
extraordinary warmth of the Turkish people.
Turkey
, the site of two
wonders of the ancient world, is a present-day marvel – the cradle of
civilization, the very center of world history and a modern
Westward-looking republic. It is a country of fascinating contrasts,
where antiquity is juxtaposed with the contemporary, the familiar with
the exotic; where sun-swept beaches beckon less than an hour away from
snow-capped mountains, and everywhere visitors are treated to the
extraordinary warmth of the Turkish people.
For information about travel to Turkey, call 1-877-FOR-TURKEY
or contact the Turkish Culture and Tourism Offices in New York at
212-687-2194
or in Washington D.C. at 202-612-6800 or in Los Angeles at 323-937-8066
and visit
www.tourismturkey.org
or
www.kulturturizm.gov.tr |