Creative Jazz Clinic in Velenje was organized for the first time in year 2000 under creative direction of legendary jazz vibrophonist Boško Petrović. Last year it was brought to life again by Jure Pukl, internationally renowed Slovenian jazz saxophonist, who lives and works in New York City and is part of it’s vibrant music sceneplaying with many prominent figures from the jazz scene and releasing records on international labels. But despite his international career Pukl is also very active in Slovenian music scene, organizing concerts, curating festival, initiazing gigs and collaborations and supporting younger musicians.His curation for this year’s edition follows last year’s path with strong team of international mentors from the fields of jazz and free jazz.
This year Creative Jazz Clinic Velenje starts on 18 February and lasts until 2 March. Again Pukl has assembled great international cast of mentors, who will run various workshops. In wokshop younger musicians will get knowledge from the field of improvisation, composition, music business and theory, As part of the workshop they will be also playing public gigs and jam sessions under the supervision of following musicians from the field of contemporary jazz: drummers Jeff Watts and Howard Curtis, reedists Jure Pukl, Melissa Aldana and Ben van Gelder, bassists Joe Sanders, Michael Janisch and Miha Koren, vocalist Emilia Martensson, pianist Danny Grissett and guitarists Johnathan Kreisberg and Jani Moder.
In the team of mentors there are also two prominent musicians from the field of free improvisations, jazz and free jazz. The first one is legendary Dutch drummer Han Bennink, one of the pioneers of free improv who were esthablishing this musical legacy in the early sixties of previous century. Bennink was playing with pianists Misha Mengelberg (with whom he has cofounded legendary ICP Orchestra and label Instant Composers Pool), Alexander Von Schlippenbach and Fred Van Hove, guitarist Derek Bailey, reedists Peter Brötzmann and Steve Lacy and has in more recent years played also with members of noise rock groups The Ex and Sonic Youth. The second one is prominent trumpeter from NYC Peter Evans, one of the most innovative trumpet players of the last decade who plays jazz, free jazz, free improv and contemporary classical music. He is known for his solo work and his own groups and playing with Evan Parker, Nate Wooley, Craig Taborn Mary Halvorson, Okkyung Lee and many others.
Applications for the workshops are still open. You can apply here.
Bennink-photo by Dawid Laskowski
