Suwalki Blues Fest,Poland July 11-13

Not really a jazz festival, this musical event could be recommended for fans of great atmosphere which becomes more and more rare thing nowadays.

I am a hot fan and regular visitor of Suwalki Blues (have been there at all but one fests from very beginning)and I will be there next weekend again!

The town of Suwalki has difficult history: after Russian Empire occupied Poland few ages ago small town became Russian main fort on the border with (German) Eastern Prussia. During wars it became Prussian, Russian again and at last - Polish. Russian Empire returned it back, but after Communists revolution in Russia Suwalki became Lithuanian. Before WWII the town became Polish again - but stayed almost abandoned in the Poland's North Eastern "bear's corner". During last decade Polish regional authorities try to push more life in this area of beautiful nature, Suwalki Blues is one of main region attraction.

The event runs three days with lot of concerts around. Two main scenes are placed in the town's central square and are attractive because of free entrance! Near ten of town's restaurants and bars have scenes for free or ticketed concerts from midday till late night all three days long. The town is pedestrian friendly - you will need a car only to reach Suwalki, than you will spend all three days traveling by walk.

Main concerts usually attracts few hundreds fans, and the public is great! Last decade I become more and more disappointed by concerts - there are too many of them around and listeners became lazy and extremely snobbish. Not in Suwalki - average listener there is agricultural worker or just small provincial town citizen, who listen music mostly by radio. This live show is yearly event no.1 there - and people openly and very naturally enjoy music, doesn't matter how good it is! It like just to return back to times when music fests weren't just huge beers companies advertising machines!

Food is cooked right on the central square, you can buy "karkuvka" (grilled pork meat) or "kilbase" (grilled sausages) portion paying tiny 2 Euros (less than 3 bucks) plus two more buck for half-litre beer and to eat/drink just sitting on the grass and listening free music!

And -they try to present not only local, but world known artists as well: I saw there live such nice acts as Ten Years After, Canned Heat, The Yardbirds, Glenn Hughes, etc,etc

This year's program could be attractive for jazz-related music lovers even more than usually. Two big names on this year's list are ex-Weather Report member and probably most popular Polish fusion musician ever Michal Urbaniak and British legend Jack Bruce.

Michal Urbaniak plays with his daughter vocalist Mika Urbaniak, and Jack Bruce (who is all fest headliner) will present his newest project - Jack Bruce Big Blues Band.
 


Festival Program:



11.07.2013 (Thursday)

18:00 – admission free
BLUES EATERS (FR)
Summary of the music workshops
scene front of SOK, Papieża Jana Pawła II 5 Street

20:00     – ticketed concert
Opening of the festivalSuwałki Blues Festival 2103
MICHAŁ URBANIAK & MIKA URBANIAK (PL)
Large Scene at SOK, Papieża Jana Pawła II 5 Street

22:30     – admission free
UNION OF BLUES (LT/PL)
Rozmarino summer garden, Kościuszki 75 Street

accompanying event – admission free

22:00
START OF SUWAŁKI BLUES DRIFT 2013: MAZDA MX5 RALLY
Papieża Jana Pawła II 5 Street

12.07.2013 (Friday)

blues breakfasts live – 11.00 – admission free

HOODOO BAND (PL)
Na Starówce restaurant, Chłodna 2 Street

THE RHYTHM CHIEFS (NL)
Rozmarino summer garden, Kościuszki 75 Street

JUTAS & BELKIN DUO (LT)
Pizzeria Pub "U Dzika", Kościuszki 54 Street

THE BLUESTOWN KINGS feat. Jostein Forsberg,
Morten Omlid & Trond Ytterbø (NO)
Bar Polski restaurant, Kościuszki 59 Street

accompanying concerts – admission free

13:00 – 14:00
SZULERZY (PL)
stage at Kościuszki 82 Street

14:30 – 15:30
WILLIE MAE UNIT (PL)
stage at Chłodna 2 Street

15:00 – 17:00
THE JAN GAŁACH BAND (PL)
BOGDAN SZWEDA & EASY RIDER (PL)
stage at Kościuszki 82 Street

17:00 – 18:00
EL TRIO (LV)
stage at Chłodna 2 Street

accompanying event – admission free

17:00 – 19:00
SUWAŁKI BLUES DRIFT 2013: MAZDA MX5 RALLY
Kościuszki 74 Street

main concerts – admission free

17:00 – 18:00
ERIC GALES BAND (USA/PL)
stage at Konstytucji 3 Maja park

18:10 – 19:20
HENRIK FREISCHLADER BAND (DE)
stage near the City Hall

19:30 – 20:30
HUNDRED SEVENTY SPLIT (UK)
stage at Konstytucji 3 Maja park

20:40 – 22:00
THE DANA FUCHS BAND (USA)
stage near the City Hall

club concerts – 22:30 – ticketed

HOODOO BAND (PL)
Na Starówce restaurant, Chłodna 2 Street

THE RHYTHM CHIEFS (NL)
Rozmarino summer garden, Kościuszki 75 Street

JUTAS & BELKIN DUO (LT)
Pizzeria Pub "U Dzika", Kościuszki 54 Street

THE BLUESTOWN KINGS feat. Jostein Forsberg,
Morten Omlid & Trond Ytterbø (NO)
Bar Polski restaurant, Kościuszki 59 Street

13.07.2013 (Saturday)

blues breakfasts live – 11.00 – admission free

HARPCORE (PL)
Na Starówce restaurant, Chłodna 2 Street

NIE STRZELAĆ DO PIANISTY & CHEAP TOBACCO (PL)
Rozmarino summer garden, Kościuszki 75 Street

BOB DER BLUESMEISTER & HIS SPECIAL GUESTS (DE/PL)
Bar Polski restaurant, Kościuszki 59 Street

MOJO (PL)
Pizzeria Pub "U Dzika", Kościuszki 54 Street

accompanying concerts – admission free

13:00 – 14:00
TRES HOMBRES (PL/PO)
stage at Kościuszki 82 Street

14:30 – 15:30
TOM PORTMAN (IE)
stage at Chłodna 2 Street

15:00 – 17:00
JJL TRIO (PL)
WHY DUCKY? (PL)
stage at Kościuszki 82 Street

17:00 – 18:00
MONA JOHANSSON DUO (SE)
stage at Chłodna 2 Street

fringe event – admission free

16:30 – 17:00
MOTORBIKE PARADE AND SHOW (Northern bears Motorbike Club)
Kościuszki 74 Street

main concerts – admission free

17:00 – 18:00
FLESH CREEP (PL)
stage at Konstytucji 3 Maja park

18:10 – 19:20
MORELAND & ARBUCKLE (USA)
stage near the City Hall

19:30 – 20:30
LAYLA ZOE (CAN)
stage at Konstytucji 3 Maja park

20:40 – 22:00
JACK BRUCE & HIS BIG BLUES BAND (UK)
stage near the City Hall

club concerts – 22:30 – ticketed

HARPCORE (PL)
Na Starówce restaurant, Chłodna 2 Street

NIE STRZELAĆ DO PIANISTY & CHEAP TOBACCO (PL)
Rozmarino summer garden, Kościuszki 75 Street

BOB DER BLUESMEISTER & HIS SPECIAL GUESTS (DE/PL)
Bar Polski restaurant, Kościuszki 59 Street

MOJO (PL)
Pizzeria Pub "U Dzika", Kościuszki 54 Street

The main concerts will be conducted by::
Jan Chojnacki – the Polish Radio the 3rd Program
Andrzej Jerzyk – the Okolice Bluesa Forum, www.blues.com.pl


P.S. And if you'll be here - don't miss fantastic Layla Zoe (same night - right before Jack Bruce show):



Edited by snobb - 10 Jul 2013 at 2:12pm

Just back from Suwalki.

Unfortunately Saturday night was rainy there and what is much more sad -Jack Bruce didn't come because of health problems. Hi Blues Big Band ("R'n'B Brass Band" would be probably a more correct name) played though without a leader, so the night wasn't destroyed ( I made 100 miles driving to see Jack). Guys played really very pro and nice, the program consisted of all Bruce hits (mostly from his early times, in different bands) and included his legendary "Spoonful". Brilliant songs were re-worked in mostly r'n'b tradition with some jazzy arrangements and lots of trombone solos. Tony Remy is excellent guitarist, and trombone solos gave nice, almost Dixieland-ish atmosphere to all gig. For sure, there was not Jack Bruce charisma presented, it's a pity :(

JACK BRUCE BIG BLUES BAND line up:

PADDY MILNER (vocals, keyboards) – Best keyboard player 2012 British Blues Awards. Played with David Gilmour, Joss Stone.
TONY REMY (guitar) - played with Herbie Hancock, Annie Lennox, George Michael)
NICK COHEN (bass) - played with Eurythmics, Massive Attack.
FRANK TONTOH (percussion) - played with Amy Winehouse, Level 42.
DEREK NASH (sax alto) - Sax Appeal band's founder, plays now with Jools Holland.
WINSTON ROLLINS (trumpet) - played with Jamiroquai, plays now with Jools Holland.
PAUL NEWTON (trombone) - played with Brand New Heavies