Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival
Tajikistan
Concept and History
The Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival has been held every two years since 2009.
The Swiss Cooperation Office, as the main initiator and donor, together with its partners Bactria Cultural Center and the Tajik National Conservatory, have successfully held jazz festivals for several years (2009, ‘10, ‘12, ‘14, '17, ‘19 and ‘23). The festival brings together jazz composers and musicians from different parts of the world (Central Asia, Europe, America, etc.) to hold concerts, round tables, master classes and art laboratories that contribute to the outbreak of a new wave of interest in ethno-jazz music in the Republic of Tajikistan.
One of the main objectives of this festival is to encourage musical experimentation and the development of genres based on traditional Tajik music. Musical experiments combining various styles are particularly successful. Local musicians, like their foreign counterparts, are given a unique opportunity to create an incomparable musical composition based on traditional Tajik music genres such as Makom and Falak.
Such experiments should encourage the trend of development and preservation of traditional genres of Tajik music, contribute to the development of new forms of improvisational music, and encourage:
- Further development of various forms of jazz music based on the cultural heritage, traditions and innovations of traditional Tajik culture
- Increased interest in jazz and ethno-jazz music among the population of Tajikistan
- Regional and international cooperation based on musical creativity
One of the main achievements of the Festival is the creation of new musical groups that play a unique mix of ethno-jazz. These are such groups as Daj (Dushanbe) and Payvand (Khujand). These groups are a vivid illustration of the potential impact of the Jazz Festival on the development of the entire music industry in the Republic of Tajikistan.
The initiator and main donor of the Dushanbe Ethno Jazz Festival is The Swiss Government. Muattara Bashirova - National Programme Manager for SDC Central Asia Art and Culture Programme. The Artistic Curator of the festival is Jasur Khalilov, and the Technical Director of the festival is Jafar Khalilov. The organizer of the festival is the Bactria Cultural Center, represented by Dina Miller, Amal Khanum Gadzhieva, Makhvash Shoeva, Masud Vohidov, and others.
Participating Groups: "Avesto", "Mizrob" from Tajikistan, "Caspian Jazz Group" from Azerbaijan, "Salted Nuts" from Kyrgyzstan, "Arvana" from Turkmenistan, and "Artshan" from Uzbekistan.
Participating groups: "Bacustic Jazz" from Azerbaijan, "Khomenkov-Osipov Quartet" from Kazakhstan, "Salted Nuts" from Kyrgyzstan, "Jame Five" from Uzbekistan. Among the domestic groups that participated in the festival were: "Avesto", "Dadjsh", "Mizrob", "Paiwand", and the composers Jasur Khaliov and Akhmed Bakoev.
Participating groups: "Avesto", "Paiwand", "Dadj", "Mizrob", composers Akhmad Bakoev and Jasur Khaliov from Tajikistan, "Savab" from Azerbaijan, "Magic of Nomands" from Kazakhstan, "Aura" from Kyrgyzstan, "Silk Road" from Uzbekistan participated.
Participating groups: Roman Seehon" from Germany, "Stephane TSAPIS Trio" from France, "Nick Katzakis" from the US, "Martin Ruter" from Austria, "Farsi" - Russia - Tajikistan. From Central Asian countries: "Dervishi" from Kazakhstan, "Shunkar" and "Jazzirama" from Uzbekistan, "Ayo" from Kyrgyzstan. From Tajikistan: "Avesto", "Mizrob", "Dadj", "Up the line", "Orzu", "Baht", "Paiwand" and "Esxata" from Sogd region (Khudzhand), "Charkh" from Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region (Khorog).
Participating groups: "Avesto" "Mizrob" the "Khalil Brothers" Trio, Parvin Yusufi, and the "Ruyo" collective, "Bakht," "DADJ'6" and "Salt Peanuts" from Kyrgyzstan, "Satjan Project" from Kazakhstan, "Kemenjazz" from Turkey, Yeye Faye from France, "Florian Favre Trio" from Switzerland, the female ensemble "Women Voices" from Austria, "Tomas Langer & Ralf Cetto" from Germany, and Peter Coish from the United States.
Participating groups: "Florian Favre" from Switzerland, "Sinfonia De Carnaval" from Austria, "Edil and Satjan project" from Kazakhstan, "LOWN" from France, "JEEP" from Germany, "Aura" from Kyrgyzstan, "Sinfonia De Carnaval" from Austria, "Under the Surface" from the Netherlands, "In jazz only grandfathers" from Uzbekistan, as well as Tajikistan's "Navoi Adjam", "Silk Road", "Avesto", "Khalil Brothers" and Jazz Collective of the Tajik National Conservatory named after T. Sattarov gathered at the concert hall of the Kohi Surush.
Due to the unfavourable epidemiological situation in the world, the festival did not take place in 2021. However, an online concert featured Tajik jazz collaborations such as "Avesto" Parvin Yusufi, "Dadj" "Khalil Brothers", and graduates of the 2020 Jazz Academy. The concert was streamed live on the social networks of the Bactria Cultural Center, with an audience of more than 2000 viewers.
Participating groups: Nepesov Trio from Turkmenistan, "Feride Girgin & Ruslan Volkov" from Uzbekistan, Homenkov Band from Kazakhstan, and musicians from France, Germany, Italy, and Greece. Also, Nazeer Band, Gulshan Band, Khalil Brothers Trio, Dadj, Avesto Band, and graduates of the Jazz Academy from Tajikistan.
Components of the Festival
Concerts
Concerts take place for three days, on concert stages in Dushanbe with presenting musicians from Tajikistan, Central Asia and far-abroad countries.
Ethno Jazz Laboratory
All participants in the Dushanbe International Ethno-Jazz Festival perform a traditional or classical Tajik song in their jazz interpretation.
Master Classes
A series of master classes, led by invited international music groups (participants in the festival) for students of musical institutions, is promoting the exchange of experience between musicians.
Round Table
Discussing the way forward for the Ethno-Jazz community in Central Asia and worldwide.
Jam Sessions
Improvisational format, with festival participants and interested musicians.
Art Laboratory
Music residency of musicians from different countries before and during the festival to experiment with music and develop a joint composition that will be demonstrated at the festival.
Jazz Academy
A few months before the festival, an educational program is held for all interested musicians in Dushanbe to learn the basics of ethnic, jazz and improvisational music.
Festival in Numbers
During the seven festivals over
- 35large concerts and jam sessions were held
- 350professional musicians from Tajikistan
and all over Europe and Central Asia - 38jazz master classes sessions were conducted by international music experts
Lineup 2023
- Feride Girgin
Ruslan VolkovUzbekistanPopular singer from Uzbekistan. She works in the direction of ethnic and modern jazz. Feride Girgin – vocal, Ruslan Volkov – piano. - Nepesov TrioTurkmenistanTrio, led by composer, conductor, and pianist Rovshen Nepesov, is a distinguished figure in the arts scene of Turkmenistan. Rovshen Nepesov – piano, Ashir Veliyev – double bass, Aram Bezikyan – drums.
- Homenkov BandKazakhstanViktor Khomenkov, composer and arranger, often uses oriental ethnic music in his compositions. Vyacheslav Tikhonov – double bass, Ediljaik Turlibek – saxophone, Viktor Khomenkov – piano.
- Jazz MaqomFrance, GermanyMusical project whose creations explore the links between Jazz, the French language, and the different geographies of Maqâms music. Andréa Romani – ney player and jazz flautist, Claudio Puntin – clarinet, Apostolos Sidéris – bass, Alexis Bajot-Nercessian – piano, Sirojiddin Dzhuraev – dutor, Sato, Khaidarov Zoirov – Tanbur, Shavkatjon Okilov – gidzhak, kamonsh, Khoshimov Naim - doira
- Gulshan BandTajikistanEgamberdiev Shakhzod - Guitar, Kalandarov Daler - bass guitar, Palvanov Emomali - drums, Karimov Shahboz – saxophone, Nematov Bakhovaddin – piano, Mezrafzuni Mahmadullo – percussion.
- Khalil Brothers TrioTajikistanThe Khalil brothers trio performs original music while also synthesizing Tajik folk music with modern jazz. Jafar Khalilov – bass guitar, Timur Nurlabekov – percussion, Jasur Khalilov – composer, pianist, and trio leader.
- NazeerTajikistanNazeer is an ethno jazz-rock band that emerged relatively recently in Dushanbe. The basis of their music is folk rhythms, interwoven with the study of natural phenomena. Firuz Khasanov – bass guitar, Shukhrat Nigmatov – percussion, Lee Pavel – guitar.
- DadjTajikistanDadjsh is a project jazz collective founded in 2010. The idea of the band is to try themselves in new, namely in ethno-jazz and get new musical experience. Daler Kalandarov – composer and band leader, bass guitar, Umarov Churabek – keyboards, Karimov Shahboz – saxophone, Khalikov Timur – drums, Egamberdiev Shakhzod – guitar.
- AvestoTajikistanOver the years, the band 'Avesto' has received numerous awards and international prizes, and the musicians share their art on concert stages around the world, participating in major international festivals. Takhmina Ramazanova - vocal, Jasur Khalilov - piano, Jafar Khalilov - bass guitar, Saido Amonov - saxophone, Umed Khalilov - drums, Timur Nurulobekov - percussion.
- Graduates of the Jazz Academy
TajikistanThe debut music group is the result of an educational programme of the Jazz Academy within the framework of the festival. Tabrez Khalilov - piano, Faridun Bokiev - saxophone, Kurbon Khalilov - drums, Firuz Hasanov - bass guitar, Bekhzod Khomidov - ruba, guitar.
Programme 2023
7th Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival
April 29
April 29
1 Day - Opening
Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival
Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival
Sooroosh Hall, beginning at 17:00
Jazz Maqom (France, Germany, Italy, Greece); Graduates of Jazz Academy (Tajikistan); Gulshan Band (Tajikistan); Khomenkov Band (Kazakhstan); Avesto Band (Tajikistan)
April 30
April 30
2 Day
Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival
Dushanbe International Ethno Jazz Festival
Sooroosh Hall, beginning at 17:00
Nepesov Trio (Turkmenistan); Nazeer (Tajikistan); Dadj (Tajikistan); Feride Girgin & Ruslan Volkov (Uzbekistan); Khalil Brothers Trio (Tajikistan)
Buy ticket
Dushanbe International Ethno-Jazz Festival
29 – 30 of April | Sooroosh Hall
29 – 30 of April | Sooroosh Hall
Location
Sooroosh Hall (concert hall) is centrally located in the capital city, and can be found in the Vefa Center building (behind the main entrance with access from the street parking area).
Additional concerts and events in 2023
Free entrance
April 28
April 28
Creative session with international musicians
Bactria Cultural Centre, beginning at 15:00
Ethno-jazz music master class featuring the Homenkov Band (Kazakhstan)
April 28
April 28
Solo concert of Jazz Maqam
Institute of Arts, beginning at 18:00
This concert will showcase a special music programme that was created during a five-day music residency, in collaboration between European jazz musicians and Tajik maqom masters.
April 30
April 30
Round table: Ethno-jazz as a dialogue in Central Asia
Conference room of Sooroosh Hall, beginning at 10:00
Closed event (for access, contact us: bactria.jazz@acted.org)
May 1
May 1
Creative session with international musicians
Bactria Cultural Centre, beginning at 11:00
Ethno-jazz music master class featuring Feride Girgin (Uzbekistan) and Nepesov Trio (Turkmenistan)
May 1
May 1
Jam Session
Bundes Bar, beginning at 11:00
Any musician is welcome to join on stage and jam with international artists
Dushanbe International Ethno - Jazz Festival 2017
The festival in 2017
The festival in 2019
Every year, our festival continues to attract an increasingly diverse range of captivating artists, partners, and enthusiastic attendees.
Organizers and partners
FAQ
Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have at +(992) 987 600 405.
ВОПРОС:
Where can I buy tickets?
Festival:
Tickets can be purchased on the website www.echipta.tj/jazz, which is an online ticketing service. Various payment methods are available on this service, including Alif, Dushanbe City, Korti Milli, Humo, Visa, MyBabilon, and many others. After purchasing the ticket, you will receive an SMS with a link to your electronic ticket.
ВОПРОС:
Do I need to print my ticket?
FEStival:
If you purchased your ticket on www.echipta.tj/jazz , you can simply present your ticket from your smartphone screen for barcode scanning. The link to your electronic ticket will be sent to you via SMS immediately after payment.
ВОСПРОС:
I am unable to purchase tickets online as I do not have any online wallets, and I really want to attend the festival. What can I do?
FESTIVAL:
Please contact us at +(992) 987 600 405, and our team will assist you in purchasing the ticket. Please note that you will need to come to our office, which is located at 3Zero House, Mirzo Tursunzoda Street 12a (across from the Republican OVIR).