JAB Conference
JAB Conference includes panel and round-table discussions, lectures and open discussions on the most topical issues in the jazz industry. Leading experts from across the world publicly address trends, ways to promote Russian jazz musicians abroad and their foreign counterparts in Russia, discuss tour and festival planning, etc.
Among the honoured guests of the Forum Fest were Fernando Sousa, Programme Director of the Casa da Musica Foundation from Portugal; Jill Rodger, Programme Director of the Glasgow Jazz Festival from the UK; Steven Bensusan, founder and owner of Bluenote; Frank Bolder, producer of the North Sea Jazz Festival, the largest European jazz festival; Jason Olaine, one of the directors of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York; Mika Shino, programming director of International Jazz Day; Atsuko Yashima, musical director of Tokio Jazz Festival; Darryl Pitt, one of the most influential managers in the jazz business; Giambattista Tofoni, CEO of Europe Jazz Network; André Ménard, co-founder and Vice President of International Montreal Jazz Festival; Jan Ole Otnæs, Managing Director of Nasjonal Jazzscene, President of EJN; Christoph Huber, Art Director of Porgy&Bess Club; Sunna Gunnlaugs, director of the Reykjavik Jazz Festival; Edin Zubčević, founder of the Jazz Fest Sarajevo, curator of the Ljubljana Jazz Festival; Minnakaisa Kuivalainen, executive director of the Tampere Jazz Happening, Tampere Biennale and Tampere Vocal Music Festival, and many other leaders in the international jazz market.
In 2019, JAB gained a new partner – Europe Jazz Network, one of the largest and most important organizations in jazz and improvisational music, uniting leading European festivals, clubs, venues, independent promoters and national organizations. EJN consists of over 150 experts from across 35 countries.
The mission of Europe Jazz Network is to stimulate, promote and support the music sector in Europe, as well as to create opportunities for interaction between artists, organizers and audiences from different countries.