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| Blue Note Jazz Club Presents The Rigas Ritmi Festival All Stars The Blue Note, in collaboration with New York University and The New York Foundation of the Arts, presents a rare opportunity to hear world-class musicians from the venerated Baltic city of Riga in Latvia. This special evening salutes the idea of cultural exchange, as The Rigas Ritmi Festival All Stars, featuring special guest artists Chris Potter and Brian Lynch, present the sound of Baltic jazz. They come to the States as artistic ambassadors representing a country rich with jazz talent, and embark on an East Coast tour highlighted by an appearance at the Blue Note jazz club. THE RIGAS RITMI FESTIVAL ALL STARS Drummer and producer Maris Briezkalns leads the group. He is the head of the Latvian Radio Recording Studios, and founder and executive director of the Rigas Ritmi Festival in Riga, Latvia, which takes place each year at the beginning of July. Maris's quintet is one of the most celebrated mainstream bands on the Latvian jazz scene today. It has performed throughout Europe and abroad, at world-class festivals and locales - MIDEM, Pori Jazz, Ottawa Jazz, Kaunas Jazz, Nomme Jazz, Jazz Kaar, Jazz the Castle (Prague), Ankara Jazz, the 2010 Venice Jazz Festival, and throughout Toronto and Montreal. The band has released a total of five critically acclaimed recordings. The Rigas Ritmi Festival All Stars consist of * Intars Busulis, voice, trombone * Viktors Ritovs, piano, keys * Gints Paberzs, saxophones * Andris Grunte, bass * Maris Briezkalns, drums Founded more than 800 years ago, Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltic States. Riga's historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its central location and its seaport have exposed the city to a wide array of nationalities and influences, laying ground to its reputation as an important cultural hub. Latvia borders Estonia, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |