Jazz acts from 10 countries at international festival

Jazz acts from 10 countries including India are set to play at the third edition of the International Jazz Festival that features 12 bands.

The festival beginning March 15 at the Nehru Park here will be webcast live according to the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), which is organising the three-day event.

Some of the bands that will perform at the festival will later travel to other venues in India.

The first day will witness performances by New Bone Quintet from Poland, Lindi and Mimi from South Africa, Sylvie Bourban from Switzerland and Oscar Acevedo Quartet from Colombia.

On March 16, bands like Sachal Vasandanti from US, Radha Thomas from India, Ararat from Israel and Oleg Butmen Jazz Trio are set to perform.

On the concluding day performers include Toshanbar and Dhruv from India, Jorge Pardo from Spain and Imany from France "Every major city such as Montreal, London, Stockholm and Edinburgh has a world class Jazz festival that is not just named after the city but almost defines its cultural ethos.

"With a truly International Jazz Festival we intend to include Delhi in this list and make it a truly world class city. For the lovers of music in Delhi, this three-day unique festival would be a treat of great music from around the world in the serene environs of the Nehru Par," says ICCR director general Suresh K Goel. MORE PTI ANS 03131245 NNNN

JAZZ 2 LAST ZCZC PRI ENT ERG ESPL NAT WRG .NEWDELHI MAG2 JAZZ 2 LAST

The New Bone Quintet will perform in Jammu, Lindi and Mimi in Chennai under the Festival of South Africa and Oscar Acevedo Quartet in Kolkata, on March 17. It will be followed by Ararat in Bangalore on 18 March, Jorge Pardo at the Jaipur Art Festival and Imany in Mumbai on 19 March.

The fest was conceived by the ICCR in 2011 as a "tool of cultural contact" spanning Asia, Africa, North America and Europe.

"It has become an annual feature on the ICCR's calendar. Having lived abroad for a long time, I have realized that our musical reactions are not limited to classical traditions. We take a great deal of interest in their genres of music like rock, pop, jazz and blues.

"Not only older people, even younger people in India are listening to jazz. I thought a Jazz Music Festival would generate interest in India. It is a kind of free-wheeling music that represents freedom", says Goel.