Tbilisi Jazz Festival Brings Quartet that Celebrates ‘Year of Czech Music’

The 2024 Tbilisi Jazz Festival selected the Herak/Bulatkin Quartet as one of the artists to perform at the three-day event as a part of the ‘Year of Czech Music.’

Running for the 27th year, the Tbilisi Jazz Festival is the first international jazz fest held in a former Soviet Union country, and it continues to expand each year. Every year artists are invited to perform from around the world, and according to the Managing Partner of the festival, Misha Giorgadze, they are very excited to welcome so many performers at this year’s prestigious event.

“This year’s festival line up is truly stunning, so we are sure that for the audience, it will be another breathtaking journey into the world of incredible creativity and improvisation,” wrote Giorgadze in an email.

Director of the Czech Center Tbilisi, Ivana Bursíková, said this is the third year that Czech music has been featured in the festival lineup. However, it is extra special because the performing group, the Herak/Bulatkin Quartet, will be doing so as a part of the ‘Year of Czech Music.’ Bursíková told GEORGIA TODAY that numerous, famous Czech composers have anniversaries this year, such as Bedrich Smetanav and Antonín Dvorák, amongst others, so the idea is to further promote Czech music worldwide.

The Quartet, led by Dutch vibraphonist of Czechoslovak descent Miro Herak and Czech pianist Daniel Bulatkin, will perform on stages all around the world, including Tbilisi, Rome, London, Budapest, and the famous Jarasum Jazz Festival in South Korea. Bursíková said the group received a grant from the Czech Republic Ministry of Culture so they can perform in these different venues. The quartet was offered the chance to play in the Tbilisi Jazz Festival, and since the Czech Center Tbilisi likes to promote young artists, and the locals liked their sound, Bursíková said it was settled that they would be among the performers.
Bursíková noted the group is influenced by Slavic and Gypsy folk music, while also incorporating classical music and rhythms from the Balkan area. The quartet uses various rhythms created by a vibraphone, light electronics, and extended techniques on the double bass.

Giorgadze said what is so special about jazz music is the public education it shares, not necessarily through words, but through sounds.

“I believe it is very important to get the audience familiar with not only modern tendencies of today’s international musical industry, but to share with the audience the philosophy of jazz – freedom, solidarity, equality and dialogue between people despite any differences,” Giorgadze said.

The Czech Center Tbilisi was founded three years ago by Bursíková. Czech Centers is a big network with at least 28 locations worldwide, and their mission is to promote Czech culture. Bursíková explained how their main themes are photography, film, architecture, and monument care; however, they also promote science, business, sports, or anything that can be of interest to the Georgian public.

The goal, according to Bursíková, was to show what happens in the Czech Republic by establishing an organization and partnerships in Georgia. The Center coordinates heavily with its partners on events, and after three years, they established a cooperation with the biggest Ethnofest in Tbilisi. They also have other partners in the photo and film industry, and private entities to focus on architecture and monument care.
“Georgians have extremely good knowledge of our Czech reality – our musicians, writers, our presidents, whatever is happening in our country,” explained Bursíková.

She said the Center holds exhibitions of varying topics for the purpose of creating an outreach. One project they worked on entailed going to various schools around Georgia and showing an exhibition of famous Czech women. The children then made portraits and descriptions about the women they saw. Bursíková told GEORGIA TODAY that this shows young girls in Georgia the possibilities they can do with their lives.

Another project in small villages, amongst local people, shows what people can do with small tools and their hands to make their surroundings look better. This could mean painting a house or planting flowers. Bursíková said very often people are waiting for things to be done for them, but there are so many things that can be completed with little to no effort to beautify the spaces around them.

The Tbilisi Jazz Fest started on May 22 and will wrap up on May 24. Each day has different performances, including the Herak/Bulatkin quartet, Bill Frisell Trio, Joey Calderazzo, John Patitucci, Dave Weckl Trio, and Stacey Kent. Bursíková stresses the significance that events like the jazz festival currently have in Georgia.
“Music is the last thing remaining. I’m afraid that everything [the Czech Center] does now will be perceived as political, though we strictly promote culture,” says Bursíková. “Music is an extremely good means because it unites people no matter what color, or sexual orientation they have. This is something that should be supported now.”

Giorgadze says the festival brings a positive international image for Georgia, making it attractive for tourists and investors, while also showing the world that the country is safe and technologically advanced enough to hold events of such a high nature. Tickets and timing for the event can be found online.

By Shelbi R. Ankiewicz