THE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL SPARKS & VISIONS!

Regensburg has had a new international jazz festival since 2023. Sparks & Visions was founded by Anastasia Wolkenstein, who may not yet be a household name to some in Regensburg. Having lived in Regensburg since 2002, she not only represents numerous well-known jazz bands with her agency, but has also been a jury member for the German Jazz Award in recent years. In 2023, she launched her own jazz festival in Regensburg. She also runs the jazz festival “Jazz & The City” in Salzburg. Sparks & Visions already showed how diverse jazz can be with a top-class program at its premiere in January 2023.
The international jazz festival Sparks & Visions will now take place for the second time at Theater Regensburg from 19 to 21 January 2024. A special highlight at the beginning of the year with three concerts on Friday and Saturday evening and a matinee with two bands on Sunday morning.

The venue is the Regensburg Theater (Photo: Pawel Sosnowski)

Anastasia Wolkenstein has once again put together an excellent program, with a total of eight bands from eight countries offering a firework of sound colors and emotions in the beautiful, historic theater on Bismarckplatz. It starts on Friday at 7 p.m. with the singer Ganna. “Strong voice, strong sound” is how Deutschlandfunk Kultur sums up the music of the Ukrainian singer, composer and pianist, who has lived in Germany since the age of 13. The award-winning Danish guitarist, composer and bandleader Teis Semey has made a name for himself on the jazz scene in recent years with his punk-infused playing and will be performing with his quintet after Ganna. The third concert on Friday features the grand dame of jazz singing Norma Winstone and the great pianist Kit Downes from Great Britain.

We are also very much looking forward to Saturday evening: the second day of the festival begins rather quietly at 7 p.m. with Dutch pianist and composer Wolfert Brederode and his project Ruins and Remains. Things get livelier with Estonian singer Kadri Voorand and bassist Mihkel Mälgand. Her first internationally released album, simply titled “In Duo with Mihkel Mälgand”, which was released at the end of 2019, catapulted the then 33-year-old pianist, composer and singer from Estonia onto the cover of the renowned Jazzthetik magazine shortly afterwards. The third concert is with New London Jazz by Alfa Mist.

The festival ends on Sunday with a matinee from 11.00 am. The duo of vibraphonist Evi Filippou and bassist Robert Lucaciu and the star trio of Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen will perform on the theater stage.

The program:
Friday, 19.01.2024 from 19.00: GANNA (UKR) / Teis Semey Quintet (DK, N) / Norma Winstone & Kit Downes (GB)
Saturday, 20.01.2024 from 19.00 hrs: Wolfert Brederode – Ruins and Remains (NL) / Kadri Voorand & Mihkel Mälgand (EST) / Alfa Mist (GB)
Sunday, 21.01.2024 from 11.00 hrs: Evi Filippou & Robert Lucaciu (GR, D) / Tord Gustavsen Trio (NO)

→ You can find the entire program at https://sparks-and-visions.com/

The organizer of the international jazz festival Sparks & Visions: Anastasia Wolkenstein

“Jazz is life and also a wonderful adventure: you never know what’s about to happen!”

can be read on the homepage of the jazz festival sparks-and-visons.com. We are looking forward to this adventure.

Day tickets for Friday or Saturday cost €65 each, Sunday €45. The regular festival pass (€140) is valid for all three days and is only available from the box office at Bismarckplatz, the ticket office and the tourist information office in the Old Town Hall.
There is also an exclusive “Delicate Jazz Ticket”, which includes a multi-course catering from Degginger as well as drinks before and between concerts in the theater’s studio stage (€45).
(only available at https://sparks-and-visions.com/)

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