JVC JAZZ FESTIVAL, WARSAW

The JVC Jazz Festival Warsaw 2005, the fifth JVC jazz fest in Poland, took place for two days October 29-30. Once again jazz fans were treated to performances by some of the most respected names in jazz from both the Polish and international jazz communities. Concerts were held at the Sala Kongresowa (Congress Hall) in the heart of Warsaw and the festival was a roaring success, as it has been in past years.

The first night featured the Anna Serafinska Groove Machine, Madeleine Peyroux and Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra featuring Carla Bley. Peyroux thrilled the crowd with her smoky vocal style and her bluesy, jazzy guitar work. Carla Bley, one of the most distinctive and intriguing composers in jazz, put on a wonderful show with Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra. Carla performed at the Newport Jazz Festival in the mid-sixties and one could feel a little bit of jazz history as Polish fans received her enthusiastically.

Night two featured Wlodek Pawlik's Anhelli, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon and finished off with Chick Corea's Touchstone. As he has so many times, Corea thrilled the audience with the power and precision of his performance.

In all the JVC Jazz Festival Warsaw 2005 was rousing triumph and great reminder that jazz is alive and well in Poland.