VEF Kultūras pils sezonas ieskaņas koncerts / Bila Evansa iedvesmotie

Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist and composer, whose use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines have decorated jazz music stages for almost 30 years. Evans received 31 Grammy nominations and seven awards. Leaving a significant impression not only on the jazz music genre, but also its community and listeners, Evans has played his last notes to us in 1980, nevertheless they don't ever seize to sound. As a tribute to this amazing pianist, Latvian musicians are creating a program featuring some of the most beautiful compositions of Bill Evans.

Concert line-up:
Evilena Protektore (vocal)
Krists Saržants (piano)
Toms Poišs (double bass)
Kaspars Kurdeko (drums)

EVILENA PROTEKTORE
A jazz singer from Latvia, graduated from Jazz Department of Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music with a Masters degree and has stayed there as a jazz vocal teacher. Has spent a year studying in Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia (Italy) with prof. Maria Pia de Vito and taking part in a vast amount of projects with local musicians, and half a year in Hannover (Germany) with prof. Romy Camerun. In 2016 received a Nic Gotham prize for the contribution to jazz music and jazz life in Latvia.  Participated in various festivals and projects: Jazz in Latvia compilation album, Pori Jazz (Finland), Limassol Jazz (Cyprus), Live in Blue Bay (Ukraine); and contests: Riga Jazz Stage (Latvia), Nomme Jazz (Estonia) and got a Grand Prix award at JazzVoices 2014 (Lithuania). Evilena has collaborated with Lynn Seaton (USA), Rob Duguay (CA), Inga Berzina (Latvia), Serge Junior Robinson (United Kingdom), Tommaso Troncon (Italy), Fil Straughan (UK), Andreas Stefanou (Cyprus), Andreas Rodostenos (Cyprus), Nicolas Tryphonos (Cyprus), Leonid Nesterov (Cyprus), Tie Pereira (Brazil), Aviv Kohen (Israel), Gilad Abro (Israel), Anne Geertsen (DK), Onur Mulayim (TR), Gianmarco Tommai (IT), Federico Santoni (IT), K.Trio (NL). Since 2005 Evilena is a vocalist, composer and leader in Latvian funk band "Pieneņu Vīns", since 2015 Evilena is also a composer and vocalist in Jazzatomy project. Evilena actively collaborates with Latvia’s leading jazz musicians, participates in projects with several big bands and other collectives. Apart from her musical activities she is also one of the creators and editors of the only Latvian online magazine about jazz JAZZin.lv.

KRISTS SARŽANTS
A Latvian composer and pianist who takes his inspiration from classical, jazz and film music. Started his studies in jazz piano and composition with Raimonds Petrauskis, Andris Dzenītis, Madars Kalniņš, Tuomo Uusitalo and Kārlis Vanags at Jāzeps Mediņš Riga Music High-school and Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, and Søren Møller and Kenneth Dahl Knudsen at The Royal Academy of Music in Aalborg, Denmark. In 2018 Krists was nominated for the Nic Gotham Award for the contribution to jazz music and culture in Latvia, as well as represented Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music at the IASJ (International Association of Schools of Jazz) in Viljandi, Estonia. In 2019 he was the opening artist for the 2019 TEDx conference in Riga, Latvia. While performing in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, Germany, USA, the Netherlands and other countries, Krists has studied at and collaborated with Etienne Charles (US), Simon Toldam (DK), Lorenz Kellhuber (DE), Michael Arbenz (CH), Yacine Boularès (US), Rob Duguay (US) and many others. His recordings were distributed worldwide at the largest European jazz gathering Jazzahead! 2017 and included in the official Jazz in Latvia 2018 and Jazz in Latvia 2020 CD compilations. In May 2020 Krists Saržants released his debut album Then and Now.

TOMS POIŠS
One of the most active Latvian bassists who is now regularly playing and participating in projects of various genre, including such musicians as Dons, Astro'n'Out, Elza Rozentāle, Daumants Kalniņš, Mārtiņš Brauns and Raimonds Pauls. Played bass guitar and double bass in City Jazz Big Band, Latvijas Radio Big Band, together with Nic Gotham, DJ Monsta and Laima Jansone. Took part in different plays and TV shows. Since 2016 is an ensemble and bass teacher at Ventspils Music high school. Is a graduate of Latvian Academy of Music and Riga Dome Choir School, studied also at Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Taavo Remmel. 

KASPARS KURDEKO
Drummer, percussionist and composer, studied at the jazz department of Amsterdam Music conservatoire. Learned drums and composition in Manhattan Music school in New York with John Riley, Henry Cole, Dave Liebman, Ari Hoenig, Theo Bleckmann and Dave Douglas. A jazz quartet DekoMotion founded by Kaspars has been named the best band at the international Keep an Eye Jazz Award 2010 contest in the Netherlands, meanwhile the musician himself got the best performer's prize. Kaspars Kurdeko actively participates in different international and local projects, including the Baltic jazz musician band Tree Stones and trio KlusiKlusi, performs at the festivals and concerts in Latvia, South Korea, France, Germany, Portugal and other countries. Time spent within a creatively saturated New York environment has worked on the special handwriting of the musician, influenced by various styles of music and art. The drummer is characterized by delicate ensemble play and energetically rippling, true and meaningful musical interaction. Kaspars Kurdeko has composed music for the movie Kriminālās ekselences fonds, modern dance performance Divotne with choreography by Rūta Pūce and Anna Novikova and contemporary ballet performance Tikko with choreography by Elza Leimane. He is also the musician and composer for the album Tālu Tālu by the ethno art-rock band Bur Mani.