Dmitry Kiselev, Koktebel Jazz Party founder and MIA Rossiya Segodnya General Director, opening the festival’s final day thanked all participants and guests for their responsible attitude towards Rospotrebnadzor’s requirements.
“I think we demonstrated a new standard of responsible behaviour. If someone speaks of civic society, this is it right here. It is your honest approach toward COVID, each other, jazz and Crimea,” Dmitry Kiselev said.
He separately thanked the region’s head Sergei Aksyonov for the opportunity to hold the Koktebel Jazz Party.
“He made an exception for us because other festivals and events are not being held in Crimea. We took it seriously,” Dmitry Kiselev stressed.
According to Koktebel’s founder, he avoided shaking anybody’s hands because new times have arrived, and people must learn to express their emotions in a different way.
“There have been many emotions the last few days, therefore we are staying the course and continuing our flight pattern. Come again next year. I hope it will be easier in this respect. But even if it isn’t, we now have this experience under our belt, which will guarantee that the 20th festival will happen,” he concluded.
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.