Most musicians have already confirmed their participation. The first participants BJF can announce are:

Dave Douglas and Joe Lovano Quintet: “Sound Prints” – One of the top jazz events of 2012 is the performance of the super-band led by contemporary jazz masters – trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano – who will in part showcase original arrangements of Wayne Shorter’s pieces;

Ursula Rucker – A long awaited performance of the eminent American singer and poet. Her music flows through the waters of blues, Philadelphia soul, avant-garde jazz, hip-hop and electro, while her poetry presents a mystical response to beat poetry;

Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet – Certainly the best young trumpeter on the international jazz scene today. He won two awards this year for best trumpeter from the prestigious Jazz Journalist Association and the DownBeat magazine. While only 30, he topped numerous renowned jazz musicians on the charts.
Jerry Gonzalez y el Comando de la Clave – A veteran master on the trumpet and percussions, and one of the most famous names of Latin jazz ever, Gonzales is the leader of the famous New York Fort Apache Band and a close associate of Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Jaco Pastorius and Tito Puente;

Mostly Other People Do The Killing – Winner of the DownBeat award for best new jazz band in 2009. They are provocative, open, uncompromising and radical. Heroes of the New York avant-garde jazz scene, the band is lead by the great trumpeter Peter Evans;

All this points to the topic of this year’s festival: THE ART OF THE TRUMPET.

Stars of the opening night will be “Miles Smiles” project, devoted to the memory of Miles Davis, 20 years after his departure. Miles was 3 times on Belgrade Jazz Festival and was considered a friend of this city, so this event will function also as the warm reminder of local devotion to modern jazz. “Miles Smiles” is consisted of Wallace Rooney (playing on the Miles’ own trumpet), and the band consisted of most important members of Miles former music groups – Larry Corriell, Omar Hakim, Daryl Jones, Rick Margitza, Joey DeFrancesco.

In the opening of the night we will have the opportunity to see Belgrade veteran soul singer Bisera Veletanlic with the odern alternative band Darkwood Dub, building up a vertical line between past and future of the music influenced by jazz.

We draw attention to the German-Danish-French trio Das Kapital who play interpretations of the legendary classical, cabaret, revolutionary and film music composer Hanns Eisler.

We will also celebrate through various content 30 years from the release of Lala Kovacev’s legendary album “Balkan Impressions”, one of the greatest contributions to jazz history from this region.

The previous 27th Belgrade Jazz Festival was, based on the opinion of audience and critics, the most successful since this international musical festival was renewed in 2005. Except for the concert of superstar Pat Metheny and his trio, the audience was dancing to Dusko Gojkovic, Charles Lloyd, Marc Ribot, Tigran Hamasyan, Stefan Bollani, Joachim Kuhna, Cheikh Loa, Cristine Branco, Elliot Sharp and many others.

You can expect more information on the line-up of the 28. BJF very soon.