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A to JazZ Festival presents Bulgaria’s first-ever world music showcase this July
Good news for every world music-adjacent musician in Europe, and, especially, in Bulgaria; the popular A to JazZ Festival brings the country’s first-ever world music showcase to Sofia. The country’s capitol welcomes 8 winning acts, to be announced on March 31. Bands are encouraged to sign up via the festival’s website before March 8.
While there are ample showcases for jazz and pop music, world music is often bundled together with those genres, or simply overlooked. In an effort to give world music musicians more opportunities, A to JazZ Festival is part of Upbeat, the European showcase platform for world music, offering a small fee and educational opportunities to winning groups alongside their main stage performance. Successful applicants can expect to meet an audience of both professional delegates and journalists as well as tens of thousands of music lovers annually - last year, the festival attracted a whopping 50,000 visitors. Fellow Upbeat partners include WOMEX, Tallinn Music Week, Budapest Ritmo, Waves Vienna, and many other leading festivals across Europe. These numbers make A to JazZ one of the most significant festivals in Bulgaria.
Signing up to A to JazZ’s showcase competition is free for those who meet its criteria. The organization established eight simple rules, including that groups must consist of emerging artists under the age of 35, hail from the EU as well as some other countries, including all Balkan countries and Ukraine, and that the group’s debut album must have been released no more than five years ago, with its total discography not larger than three albums.
Aside from celebrating its debut, being linked to a major festival in the region, and welcoming international delegates among its audience, it is perhaps A to JazZ Showcase organizer Peter Dimitrov’s commitment to equal opportunity that makes the festival stand out most. Successful applicants don’t just get access to panels and training and mentoring sessions, but are offered a travel budget and accommodation, providing a fresh contrast with older pay-to-play opportunities offered across the continent. This way, Dimitrov keeps participation accessible for all; world music for the whole world, if you will.
A to JazZ Showcase Festival, July 6, 2023
Terms & conditions + signup forms via atojazzbg/showcase
