Jazz Fest Bansko

The International Jazz Festival in Bansko -
in 2011 from 6th to 13th August, is one of the biggest summer music events in Bulgaria and on the Balkans.

http://banskojazzfest.com

Throughout the festival jazz musicians from all over the world will perform on open-air stage on the Nikola Vaptsarov square in the centre of Bansko.

Additionally, during the festival, smaller stages are built so jazz is also played in some of the resort complexes and restaurants.

The musicians, coming from four different continents and more than 20 countries, represent each and every type of jazz – from standard, blues and swing to Dixieland and bebop.

Legendary names in the jazz music, such as Jackie Ryan & Larry Vuckovich Trio (USA), Mungo Jerry blues band (Great Britain),
The Jive Aces (Great Britan) , Jazzex (Ukraine), Yoni Vidal
(Spain, Belgium) and Oleg Kiriev (Russia) will perform for the public in Bansko.

An interesting accent in the festival will be the Egyptian Percussion Show on the last day.

During the event some of the most famous Bulgarian jazz musicians - Camellia Todorova,
Bulgarian National Radio Big Band, Dixieband Teteven,
Lilly of the West and
Akaga band will perform for the fans of jazz music.

Full programme for the stage in Nikola Vaptsarov square:

6th - 19:30h: Dixieband Teteven (Bulgaria)
Lili Ivanova & band (Bulgaria)

7th - 19:00h: Ensemble Trakia (Bulgaria)
Balkan Horses (Bulgaria)
Albena Veskova (Bulgaria)

8th - 19:00h: Bulgarian National Radio Big Band (Bulgaria)
Jazzex (Ukraine)
Jackie Ryan & Larry Vuckovich Trio (USA)

9th - 19:00h: Kaffe Ball (Serbia)
Camellia Todorova & JP3 (Bulgaria)
The Jive Aces (Great Britan)

10th - 19:00h: Ondrej Stveracek quartet (Czech Republic)
Elina Duni quartet (Albania, Switzerland)
Yoni Vidal (Spain, Belgium)

11th - 19:00h: Boriana Dimitrova Quartet
(Bulgaria, Germany)
Maya Nova Quartet (Bulgaria)
& Rick Margitza – sax (USA)
Mungo Jerry blues band
(Great Britain)

12th - 19:00h: Big Band Saransk - Conductor Alexander Kurin
& Special guest Oleg Kireyev
Lily of the West (Bulgaria)
Milo Suchomel quartet (Slovakia)
Akaga (Bulgaria)

13th - 19:00h: Ankara Combo band & Elif Tacer (Turkey)
Baron - sax & Jarek Bothur Quartet (Poland)
Márta Téli trio (Hungary)
Percussion Show (Egypt)


All the concerts are free for the standing audience. However, if you want a seated place during the festival, you need to ask for and buy a subscription card from your hotel. It is advisable to do that upon your arrival as the number of such cards is limited.

How to get to Bansko:
- by car: from Sofia take the E79 road south to the town of Simitli (direction "Kulata") and turn east at Simitli onto national Road 19 to Bansko. Distance from Sofia: approx. 160 km.
Check for Sofia car rental deals and airport transfers at URCA rent a car & transfers www.urca.bg
- by bus: daily buses from Sofia: Central Bus Station http://www.centralnaavtogara.bg/index.php or Ovcha Kupel Bus Station. Journey takes about 3hours.

Where to stay in Bansko
- Hadjipopov family guest-house: http://www.hadjipopov.eu Green-lodge quality certificate
- Hotel Martin: http://www.hotelmartin.domino.bg Family owned 4-star hotel close to the Old Quarter of the town.

Where to eat in Bansko
- Baryakova mehana: a long established traditional resaurant. 3 Velyan Ognev Str, Tel +359 749 8 44 82
- Todeva mehana: a traditional Bulgarian restaurant located close to the old church. Excellent food and service by Mitko and Nadia. 7 Neofit Rilski Str. Tel. + 359 898 634 514