“It’s amazing,” said Louise Balkville, winner of the Best Jazz Vocalist Award. “I didn’t expect it. It was such a wonderful competition. Everyone was so supportive and welcoming. I was also very surprised by the Latvian jazz musicians and I was honored to be with them on the same stage. And I am excited about the invitation to participate in the festival. Riga Rhythms. I can’t wait to come here again this summer. I have a really great quartet to perform with. I will be happy to take them to the festival. The story is also about new music. We just released our debut album. It’s called First Class and the performers are Louise Balkville and The Mailmen. The Mailmen is my group. That will be great! ”
“I’m very happy to have won, but I really don’t think about my victory,” said Domo Branch, winner of the Best Jazz Drummer Award. “I think everyone won. I think the main prize of this competition was that we all met new people here. We heard so much different music. From original music to standard arrangements. I’m from the US. I’ve never met anyone from Turkey, Lithuania or So it was amazing to meet all these people, I actually had a nice conversation with them about life and just being together, I think it’s the real victory, this overall prize. as a group of competitors. “
The winners of the best jazz vocalist award:
- Louise Balkville (UK) – Invitations to perform at the festival Riga Rhythms, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club London (UK) and Nardis Jazz Club In Istanbul (Turkey), EUR 1200, Shure microphone from sponsor Best Music/AT;
- Valentina Fina (Italy) – invitations to perform at the festival Riga Rhythms, Vision Tallinn (Estonia) and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club London (UK), EUR 1000;
- Paula Saija (Latvia) – invitations to perform at the festival Riga Rhythms a Kaunas Jazz Kaunas (Lithuania), EUR 700.
Winners of the Best Jazz Drummer Award:
- Domo Branch (USA) – invitations to perform at the festival Riga Rhythms a Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club London (Great Britain), EUR 1200, Sigu wooden hoops, That’s right drum pedal;
- Pauls Pokratnieks (Latvia) – invitations to perform at the festival Riga Rhythms, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club London (UK) and Nardis Jazz Club In Istanbul (Turkey), EUR 1000, Sigu wooden hoops;
- Janik Balman (Belgium): EUR 700, Sigu wooden hoops.
Winner of the International Jazz Journalist Award: Domo Branch (USA) – ten hours of recording time at the legendary Latvian Radio 1st studio.
Winner of the Audience Award (voted online at rigajazz.lv): Katrīna Kabiņecka (Latvia) – mobile operator Tele2 the latest generation smartphone is offered.
Festival Riga Rhythms will take place from 30 June to 2 July this year. The next competition Riga Jazz Stage will take place in April 2023 and this time its participants will be vocalists and saxophonists.
–
