For over than 4 decades the Ruse Jazz Fest has been presenting what’s best on Bulgarian stage. Foreign artists have been guests at the show through the years without having been its accent. The 41^st edition however which ended up a few days ago scored perhaps the strongest presence from abroad across the event’s entire history.

“I am really glad that we managed to invite foreign participants at this edition of the fest,” says saxophone player Boris Petrov – Parcheto, the forum’s artistic director. “It is not the oldest Bulgarian jazz festival, but it is the only one that has been ongoing for such a long time with no interruption. The Ruse Municipality is the one ‘guilty’ with its firm support. I always select a program with a variety of styles. I am in constant touch with Bulgarian and foreign performers, I follow their concerts and new recordings. The festival was established back in 1975 by my father Petar Petrov – Parcheto as a National Jazz Meeting, but in the end of the 1980s there were guest musicians from Poland, Hungary, the former Soviet Union and others. After the 1989 transition changes my father preferred to invite Bulgarian jazz persons, in order to keep their spirit alive. Continuing his deed I decided that it was about time to turn the forum into an international one.”

Boris Petrov unveiled the forum alongside Germans Wolfgang Schmid, bass guitar and Thomas Langer, guitar. That was the first time they played together.

Singer Miroslava Katsarova presented the Desafinado LIVE program onstage in Ruse and Vladimir Karparov presented his new album.

The Yotsov Clarinet Sextet brought in the classical flavor into the show.

“Our music is ‘in between several shores’,” says the sextet’s founder Borislav Yotsov. Jazz can be felt really well, but there are elements of different styles. The presence of jazz pianist Teodor Petkov does contribute to that. I am happy and grateful that our formation received an invitation for this festival and the applause was really coming from the heart of the audience.

“It is always a great joy for me to play in Ruse,” says pianist Mario Stanchev, who lives in France. I was a guest here yet in my younger years, as the founder of the event was my friend. I love the people of this magnificent town who are among the warmest audience one can meet worldwide.”

Mario Stanchev presented his new Jazz Before Jazz project, recorded in France together with saxophone player Lionel Martin

Singers of the Skety Czech acapella sextet were among the youngest participants in the forum. It’s worth remembering the name due to the professionalism and incredible energy that those talented musicians spread around.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev