An unusual band will perform at Koktebel Jazz Party for the first time. Alexei Kortnev, a popular musician and member of the Neschastny Sluchai rock band, will try his hand at jazz.
“We do not claim to headline the festival. Perhaps we will be interesting to someone. This is a new project, “Nes'jazz'ny Sluchai,” as smart people suggested to us today, a fusion project,” said Kortnev.
According to Pavel Timofeyev, a participant in the project, this idea came about a long time ago:
“I have been working in Neschastny Sluchai for almost 11 years. It is a big family. I am a jazzman and wanted very much for Alexei to try singing jazz with us.”
According to Timofeyev, Kortnev refused many times. But during the pandemic, when dozens of concerts were cancelled, there was a big tour planned, but one of the performers failed to come. The band had to do something, and they turned to Alexei for help. Suddenly he agreed.
“Now we have more concerts with this project than with Neschastny Sluchai,” Kortnev added.
Alexei Kortnev confessed that he was nervous about performing at such a festival. However, the musicians rehearsed a lot and are ready to present new arrangements of well-known and well-forgotten melodies.
The Koktebel Jazz Party international festival is taking place in the artistic village of Koktebel on August 20-22. According to the organizing committee, in order to access the venue guests are required to provide a negative PCR test dated no earlier than August 18, 2021, test of antibodies to COVID-19 S-protein dated no earlier than May 25, 2021, or a COVID-19 vaccination certificate. Performers, VIP guests, the festival’s personnel and journalists are also required to provide one of the three documents: a vaccination certificate, test of antibodies or a negative PCR test.
This year, Koktebel Jazz Party performances will be held in a new format: the shows will be filmed. The festival streams can be found on its website and social media accounts. The number of spectators will be limited.
Koktebel Jazz Party was established in 2003 and it was the idea of journalist Dmitry Kiselev. In different years, the festival was attended by jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb (US), winner of a Grammy Award for the best Latin Jazz album Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Cuba), many-time Grammy winner trumpeter Randy Brecker (US), best baritone saxophonist of the last decade Gary Smulyan (US), nu-jazz stars Club Des Belugas (Germany), and one of the most talented representatives of the modern world blues scene, guitarist Selwyn Birchwood (US).
Vladimir Putin was a guest of KJP-2017. The festival is organized by the Krasny Kvadrat (Red Square) media group.