The organizers of the JazzFestBrno are preparing the first jazz showcase festival in the Czech Republic. The festival will take place from November 26th to 27th, 2020 at the “Husa na provázku” Theater in Brno. Bands from the Czech Republic and Austria are invited to apply for a showcase.
Central European Jazz Showcase (CEJS) is a new project within the wide range of activities from one of the largest Central European jazz festivals today. During the two-day festival emerging bands from the Czech Republic and Austria will perform. Bands will partly be selected from online applications by a jury of experts, and partly nominated by JazzFestBrno and Mladí ladí jazz festivals. CEJS is loosely connected to the highly successful 2018 contest of young jazz bands called Central European Jazz Competition organized by JazzFestBrno in cooperation with its long-term Austrian partner Jazzwerkstatt Poysdorf. Bands will perform for a typical showcase audience – predominantly consisting of program directors of festivals, music clubs and concert halls and journalists.
“These days names of Czech and Austrian jazz musicians and bands appear in reprehensibly low numbers on the programs of foreign clubs and festivals, thus we want to help reverse this adverse situation. In addition, the Czech Republic has been missing a representative jazz showcase for quite some time,” says director Vilém Spilka, adding: “The aim is to show our foreign colleagues that truly remarkable jazz music is being made in Central Europe and to encourage them not to think twice about including these musicians in their programs. To have a stronger voice, we partnered with our longterm Austrian collaborator Jazzwerkstatt Poysdorf.” The showcase format effectively presents performing bands to industry professionals and supports concert opportunities outside of their homelands.
CEJS inherited the competition format from its predecessor – all present delegates will vote for the four best acts who will then be invited to perform at the prestigious Pizza Express Jazz Club in London in spring 2021. Bands can apply for a showcase until July 31st, 2020, using a simple online application form. The organizers will announce the selected artists in late August 2020.
Links:
Central European Jazz Showcase
Central European Jazz Showcase (Facebook)