Leopolis Jazz Fest (previously Alfa Jazz Fest) is an international jazz festival, annually held in June in Lviv (Ukraine) since 2011. The Guardian included Leopolis Jazz Fest in the list of the best European festivals.Top 10 jazz festivals in Europe // theguardian.com
Overview The festival was initiated by Mikhail Fridman, one of a shareholders of Alfa-Bank Ukraine and a native of Lviv, in 2011. The founder and the title sponsor of the festival till 2017 was Alfa-Bank (Ukraine) (from 2022 Sense Bank), and therefore the festival was called Alfa Jazz Fest. In 2017, the festival was renamed to Leopolis Jazz Fest to indicate its venue (Leopolis is the city's name in Latin).International Jazz Festival Alfa Jazz Fest changes the festival name // leopolisjazz.com
In 2017, after the festival was renamed, the management of the festival was transferred to the organizing committee. At the moment, all trademarks and copyrights belong to the organizing committee. The festival is managed by a team of managers.Festival team
Organizer of the festival: NGO "LEOPOLIS JAZZ". On September 18, 2024, the creation of the legal entity of the non-governmental organization "LEOPOLIS JAZZ" was registered. The main direction of the Organization's activity is the development and popularization of jazz music in Ukraine. The founders of the Organization are the festival team representatives.
In addition to concerts of jazz musicians from around the world, the festival also hosts jam sessions, master-classes and autograph sessions with global jazz stars.
An annual awards ceremony, "Leopolis Jazz Music Awards" dedicated to Eddie Rosner (previously "Alfa Jazz Music Awards") is held during gala concert of the festival in Lviv. These awards are established to honour the artists who have made significant contribution to the development of jazz music. The winner is selected by a wide range of experts, including music critics, prominent culture persons, public and government officials, journalists and entrepreneurs from different countries.About Award // leopolisjazz.com
Venue The festival takes place on three stages:
• the main festival stage in the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Culture Park: the stage bears the name of famous Soviet jazz musician Eddie Rosner (ticket required)
• a stage on the central square of the city: Rynok Square (free entry)
• a stage in a historic part of the city: Pototski Palace square (free entry)
History
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2022 / 2023
The festival was canceled due to russia's war against Ukraine. The festival team involves musicians for the international support of Ukraine:
- for International Jazz Day 2023 a charity online broadcast of the concert of Lars Danielsson Group Liberetto III & INSO-Lviv from Leopolis Jazz Fest 2018 was organized; Leopolis Jazz Fest invites for charity online broadcast on International Jazz Day https://leopolisjazz.com
- on the traditional festival days (the last weekend of June) in 2023 – Leopolis Jazz Weekend charity online broadcasts, when everyone can donate via UNITED24 – the official fundraising platform of Ukraine.Join us for the Leopolis Jazz Weekend charity broadcasts https://leopolisjazz.com
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2021
The 10th Leopolis Jazz Fest took place on June 24–28, 2021. During five days, about 200 musicians from 18 countries of the world performed on the stages of the Leopolis Jazz Fest.10th Leopolis Jazz Fest 2021 https://mag-audio.com
Headliners of Leopolis Jazz Fest 2021: Seal, Chris Botti, Avishai Cohen Trio "Arvoles", Kamasi Washington, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Jan Lundgren, Harold López-Nussa, Itamar Borochov, Kathrine Windfeld, Pianoboy.The program of the Stage dedicated to Eddie Rosner at Leopolis Jazz Fest 2021 https://leopolisjazz.com
For guests and residents of Lviv, two stages worked in the city center with free access - on Rynok Square and in the courtyard of the Potocki Palace. The concerts were held with the participation of leading European groups and bands from Austria, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Turkey, France, Sweden and Switzerland. Most of the performances on these stages traditionally took place with the support of embassies and cultural institutions.
The festival was held in compliance with all quarantine measures: the number of guests in the parterre and picnic areas was significantly reduced; to control the number of people, the entrance to the picnic areas was carried out with tickets with a symbolic price; all festival guests who bought tickets, as well as musicians, the organizing committee and contractors underwent mandatory testing for coronavirus.Leopolis Jazz Fest will take place on June 24-28, 2021 in compliance with all quarantine rules https://leopolisjazz.com
This year, there were three picnic zones for the guests of the festival, where concerts of the main stage dedicated to Eddie Rosner were broadcast on the large screens. The largest picnic area was traditionally located on the territory of the Yunist stadium in the Bohdan Khmelnytsky park. It was also possible to comfortably accommodate in the Kyivstar picnic c area at the lower entrance to the park.We invite you to Kyivstar picnic area https://leopolisjazz.com At the top entrance to the park was the Staropramen picnic area.
Wynton Marsalis became the winner of the International music award "Leopolis Jazz Music Awards 2021".About Award https://leopolisjazz.com
During the festival, master classes for musicians and listeners were traditionally held in Lviv at the Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy.Master classes 2021 https://leopolisjazz.com
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2020
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2020 has been postponed until 2021. The X anniversary of the Festival was scheduled for 25–29 June 2020 in Lviv. The decision to postpone the festival was made due to the large-scale spread of COVID-19. The new dates for Leopolis Jazz Fest are 24–28 June 2021 (Thursday-Monday).
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2019
On 26–30 June 2019, Lviv hosted the 9th International Jazz Festival Leopolis Jazz Fest. About 300 musicians from 15 countries gave their performances on the stages of Leopolis Jazz Fest during 5 days.The dates of Leopolis Jazz Fest 2019 are announced https://leopolisjazz.com
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2019 headliners included Adrien Brandeis, an award-winning young French jazz pianist and composer; Snarky Puppy, modern fusion and funk musicians, winners of three Grammy Awards; Etienne Mbappe & the Prophets, a renowned Cameroon bassist and composer; American composer and arranger Kenny Barron with his quintet; a pianist and multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer Jon Cleary and his band, The Absolute Monster Gentlemen; a world-renowned pianist and composer, holder of 22 Grammy Awards, Chick Corea with his project, My Spanish Heart Band; American singer and pianist Peter Cincotti; as well as one of the most famous British singers, Lisa Stansfield.Leopolis Jazz Fest 2019 https://hotel-edem.lviv.uaLeopolis Jazz Fest 2019 LineUp https:// youtube.com/leopolisjazz
The performance of well-known Canadian singer and pianist Diana Krall, who came to Ukraine for the first time, became a sensation for the festival guests. On the stage, she was accompanied by star musicians, including Joe Lovano, one of the leading saxophonists of our time, a unique guitarist Marc Ribot, who plays music ranging from free jazz to rock music, Robert Hurst, one of the leading jazz contrabassists, a holder of 7 Grammy awards, and a renowned drummer Karriem Riggins.Diana Krall – June 27, Leopolis Jazz Fest https:// leopolisjazz.com
The performance of one of the most globally famous vocal improvisers, due to which voice turned into a musical instrument, Bobby McFerrin with his program Gimme5 (circlesongs) was unusual and exciting. A concert hall in Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Park turned into an impromptu choir, which included about 80 persons.Bobby McFerrin, the famous American jazz vocalist, conductor and ten-time Grammy Award winner, will perform on 28 June at Leopolis Jazz Fest https://leopolisjazz.com
Winner of «Leopolis Jazz Music Awards» dedicated to Eddie Rosner became Kenny Barron.Kenny Barron became a winner of «Leopolis Jazz Music Awards» dedicated to Eddie Rosner https:// leopolisjazz.com
The visitors and residents of the city had a chance to visit two stages in the city center with free access, on the Rynok Square and in the courtyard of Potocki Palace. The concerts included the leading European bands and bands from Austria, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Germany, Turkey, Hungary, France, and Switzerland. Most performances at these stages were traditionally supported by embassies and institutions.Leopolis Jazz Fest https://view.joomag.com
The festival guests could enjoy two complimentary picnic areas, where large LED screens broadcast the concerts from Eddie Rosner’s main stage (picnic area on the main alley of the park with the support of Kyivstar and Jazz Picnic at Yunist stadium in Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Park). The guests traditionally watched a very intense program: a souvenirs fair, entertainments for children with an interactive zone, workshops and a carousel, food courts, as well as concerts of street music festival winners.Welcome to the picnic areas at Leopolis Jazz Fest 2019 https://leopolisjazz.com
On June 28, on the Constitution Day of Ukraine, TNMK, Skhid-Side and Dennis Adu’s Big Band with an exclusive Jazzy DeLuxe show performed at the Rynok Square Stage.TNMK will perform on Rynok stage on June 28 on Constitution Day of Ukraine https://leopolisjazz.com
Traditionally, Leopolis Jazz Fest became a venue for master classes for musicians and listeners in Lviv National Music Academy named after Mykola Lysenko. Master Classes 2019 https://leopolisjazz.com
Vsi.Svoyi, the largest platform of Ukrainian brands, presented a separate "gift area" in Jazz Picnic zone for the first time as a part of Leopolis Jazz Fest.
Leopolis Jazz Fest 2018
From 27 June to 1 July 2018, the 8th International Leopolis Jazz Fest took place in Lviv. More than 170 musicians from 16 countries around the world performed on three city stages in Lviv over 5 days.
Special guests of the Leopolis Jazz Fest 2018 included legendary avant-garde jazz saxophonist and flautist Charles Lloyd & The Marvels, featuring Bill Frisell, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland and Greg Leisz; Jamie Cullum, an outstanding British vocalist, pianist and composer, and Ronnie Scotts Jazz Award winner; R+R=NOW (Reflect + Respond = Now), a project by three-time Grammy Award winner Robert Glasper; leading fusion and jazz guitar player, as well as Grammy Award winner Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin, an American composer, arranger, producer, pianist and orchestra leader, as well as a ten-time Grammy Award winner, feat. Melvin Lee Davis and Wes Ritenour; Ahmad Jamal – a great American jazz pianist, composer and arranger; Jacob Collier – singer, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist; Mario Biondi – Italian soul vocalist; Stefano Bollani - Napoli Trip – a virtuoso Italian pianist, composer, singer and TV host who performed with Napoli Trip; Marcus Miller – an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, arranger and two-time Grammy winner.Leopolis Jazz Fest brings international music stars to LvivRobert Glasper’s band R+R=Now plays jazz that reflects modern times
Lars Danielsson Group Liberetto III & INSO-Lviv also performed at the Leopolis Jazz Fest. A special exclusive programme was introduced to visitors of the Leopolis Jazz Fest by Swedish contrabass and bass player, cellist, composer and arranger Lars Danielsson, alongside the Academic Symphony Orchestra INSO-Lviv.Leopolis Jazz Fest kicks off in Lviv with spectacular show