JAB Showcases

JAB Showcases — JAB Showcases festival enables Russian and foreign jazz musicians to show off their creativity before a wide range of music industry professionals (promoters, program directors of festivals and clubs, record labels representatives, journalists). Jab Showcases offer:

  • An opportunity to showcase your music and your band before a wide range of Russian and foreign music industry professionals (promoters, program directors of festivals and clubs, record labels representatives, journalists);
  • Free participation in all JAB events (except JAB Gala);
  • Free visas for artists (for foreign participants);
  • Free video recording of your showcase performance;
  • All required equipment (sound, light, backline).

Artists themselves are responsible for organizing and covering the costs of transport, accommodation, and food.

To apply for band participation in JAB Showcases, you must first register either as “Participant” or “PRO” and pay for participation as a delegate. You can submit an application in your account after registration. One delegate can submit one application (one band) for participation in JAB Showcases.

The deadline for applying for JAB Showcases is October 27, 2021.

JAB Showcases selection results will be announced on November 1, 2021.

Band members who have been selected to perform at JAB Showcases, will be entitled to participate in all events of the main program and workshops for free.

“JAB Showcases is not a competition”, emphasizes Igor Butman, the President of the Forum-fest. “Our project is more of a talent fair, not a challenge to win. The main goal is to expose the leading producers to Russian jazz, showing that our musicians can be as competitive as western bands. Primarily, we want our foreign specialists (the Forum welcoming leading producers, experts and festival managers) to see as many of our musicians as possible and to appreciate the variety of styles and ideas that can illuminate even the most famous world jazz venues and that will be loved by a foreign audience. We want our artists to perform in America, Asia and Europe and to become famous there”.

Applications are selected by an international expert jury. Last year it included the president of “Justjazz agency” Catherine Mayer; the founder and director of “Ina Dittke & Associates” Ina Ditke; the National Artist of Russia, Art director of the Moscow Jazz Orchestra, President of Igor Butman Music Group, President of the Authors’ Council of the Russian Authors’ Society and head of the Jazz Across Borders forum-fest Igor Butman; the Russian trumpeter, bandleader, teacher, TV host Vadim Eilenkrig; the editor-in-chief of “Jazz.Ru” magazine Kirill Moshkov and the Esse Jazz Club owner Grant Khanjyan.

The main selection criteria are technique and originality of delivery.

In 2017-2019 more than 300 bands from 15 countries applied for Jazz Across Borders showcases. After playing at JAB Showcases, many artists were invited to perform at festivals and prestigious

Venues in Russia and abroad: Anton Gorbunov’s Trio (Sochi Jazz Festival, Sochi), Amber Sept (Ural Music Night festival, Ekaterinburg), Ivanov Vibe Band (“Jazz Seasons” festival, Moscow), Alexander Dovgopoliy Project (“Jazz at the Old Fortress” festival, Novokuznetsk), VAN Quartet (festivals “Jazz Seasons in Leninskiye Gorki”, Moscow region, and “JazzMay”, Penza), Ilya Morozov’s Sextet (“JazzMay”, Penza), Moscow Jazz Orchestra (Umbria Jazz Festival, Umbria, Italy), LRK (Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London, Great Britain, DC Jazz Festival, Washington, USA, Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal), Highland Project (Sirius Jazz Festival, Sochi), Lenny Sendersky & Moon Strings (Red Sea Jazz Festival, Eilat, Israel), Kle2Go trio (“Jazz Manor” festival, Moscow), Dmitry Ilugdin’s Trio (Ubud Jazz Festival, Jakarta, Indonesia, Amersfoort Jazz Festival, Amersfoort, Netherlands) and many others.