Since 2003, Ukraine’s largest open-air cultural event has brought music lovers from all over the globe together to take part in Ukraine’s musical traditions. This year, the Koktebel Jazz Festival will be in Zatoka, a small beach resort just south of the major seaport of Odesa. From August 23 to 30, jazz musicians and musicians in other genres, from avant-garde to indie to tango, will play for concertgoers.
About 50 bands from Ukraine, Europe and the United States will perform on four stages during the event. Participating bands include 5′NIZZA, Machete/Tokyo, Paris Monster, Undiscovered Soul and Bomfunk MC’s. There will also be lectures, exhibitions, master classes and music sets from Ukrainian electronic DJs.
While the festival continues to host big-name performances, the organizers also plan to nurture young talent. In 2008, the festival community launched a link that allows anyone to file an application for participation. The best performers have been chosen by user voting and will take part in the festival.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is lending its support to the festival by sponsoring the participation of New York-based Paris Monster, which performs August 22 in Odesa and then at the opening of the festival in Zatoka on August 23.
The Koktebel Jazz Festival relocated from Crimea in 2014.
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