5. MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL

MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL
5th INTERNATIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL
12.07. - 21.07.2007.

After demanding preparation, 5th MBF started on July, 12 with seven days movie show about the Blues. Movies document period from the beginning of Blues in the Valley of Mississippi up to development of the modern Blues expression originated in Chicago.

Regarding the fact that these movies were directed by the world-known directors (Scorsese, Eastwood, Wenders, etc.), they been announced, with all credits, as the best movies about the Blues ever.

Concert's program started on July, 19 at the Pavarotti Music Centre. Concert titled On The Stage presented young Blues forces performing together for the very first time. This kind of session is almost forgotten way of communication between musicians but it improved as direct hit motivating lot of them to come on the stage and present their capabilities. Of course, this achievement made the organizational team very happy as the original aim of the Festival is to present young bands and musicians.

The day after, again at the Pavarotti Music Centre, audience enjoyed in the performance of Zana Mesihovic and The Band, bringing up together musicians from Sarajevo, Mostar and Sweden. In unplugged formation they performed few Zana’s personal compositions as well as few blues standards.

Afterwards, Miroslav Evacic Trio (CRO) gave the brilliant performance. Immediately after first few accords, ethno music influence was obvious as well as very special vocal expression. Expression on tambura and slide guitar backed up by the saxophone and bass guitar, awarded several times by the audience applauding, resulted with very relaxed atmosphere and the audience satisfaction motivated with something completely different from urban and electronic stage. Just to make a note, Miroslav Evacic was awarded with Porin for the last year and his performance will have its place in audience memory for a long time.

But, the highest interest was for the third Festival day, July 21 which took place on the Spanish Square. The best PA and Light system was set up for this occasion and the staging was rented from the very well known Sarajevo Jazz Festival.

Few minutes after 9 p.m. Marin Zadro, young artist presented as The One Guitar Story, started his performance on acoustic guitar performing R. Gallaghera and J. Hendrixa

master – pieces as well as his own compositions. Comment- brilliant.

Around 10 p.m. on the stage showed Snowy White Blues Quartet: Darren Abraham - drums, Kuma Harada - bass guitar, Sam Vernon Beste - keyboard and Snowy White - guitar and vocal. Media titled this concert as “The huge music magic in Mostar”. Snowy White guitar expression reminded on the best days of Peter Green, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters as well as his own authorship achievements. The top-level control over the dynamics and creativities in arrangements, especially in guitar’s lines turned up this concert in a real music dream that Mostar has not a chance to dream about.

After two hours of magic, the lights of 5th Mostar Blues Festival turned down.

5th Mostar Blues Festival was supported by: City of Mostar, US Embassy in BH, Federal Ministry of Culture, Cantonal Ministry of education, culture and sport and Pavarotti Music Centre.

Media sponsors were: RTV Mostar, Radio Dobre Vibracije, Black Sun Production and portals 24sata.info and Vjesnik.info.

 

4. MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL

MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL
4th INTERNATIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL
10.07. - 13.07.2006.

The 4th International Mostar Blues Festival was held at the Pavarotti Music Centre from 10 th to 13 th of July 2006. To make a parallel to previous years, when the Festival started, it is obvious that, regarding its organization and program, this event gradually grows into the European music event. During a technical preparation, we had a problem with rainy weather, which caused a lot of problem with the stage and equipment. The day before the Festival started, storm wind demolished the stage and damaged some equipment. The rain did not allow us to keep on schedules for PA and light system testing. But, it was raining on legendary Woodstock Festival, too and beside that it became the most important festival in history of music.
It seems that the rain during MBF was sign for top class music performance. After the official opening ceremony, the first performer Marin Zadro alias One Man Guitar performed few well-known blues classics , starting with Jimi Hendrix “Hear My Train Coming” to Rory Gallagher blues works. But, the most important was that Marin has introduced his own compositions very well received by the audience.
It became almost as a tradition that some of the local musicians, blues fan, are setting up the blues bands especially to perform at the Festival. The Blues News band was set up on that way by the local blues musicians. They gave top class performance and received special credits from American Blues musicians.
The Organisational Team efforts to bring one of the best American blues musicians, Danny Shepard gave the results. Danny Shepard & Friends performance attracted a huge attention on the first Festival day. Danny Shepard was awarded 4 times as the best blues vocal of Florida and it is almost impossible to find a famous music name he did not make cooperation with.
Danny Shepard & Friends concert in hard blues manner presented their expertness in live performance.
On second Festival day we organised the drum workshops led by Innes Sibun Band drummer.
For that day people were looking for extra tickets as Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Ljilja Buttler Petrović had a performance. They gave a three hours concert performing a repertoire all the time backed up by the audience. They were called up three times on bis. That was a night of the Blues from South of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the western music experts titled their music like that.
The last Festival day, again after the rain, as a first performer on the stage were acoustic guitarist Koća and saxophonist Mr. Chemistry, duo from Split that presented themselves trough repertoire starting from period of delta blues to modern blues expression. Unusual synthesis of these two instruments proved as a very successful.
Band “Šinobusi” from Novi Sad (Serbia) once again confirm theory that young bands can offer very good performance. One hour of energetic, urban blues with excellent arrangements and skilled used harmonica is the best evidence that in incoming years “Šinobusi” will offer a lot of good music.
British guitarist Innes Sibun and his band performance was simply a holiday of blues. From the musician who cooperates with Robert Plan we expected exactly that. Virtuoso’s solo parts backed up strongly by the band, often played in the middle of audience were superiority of this performance. It was a blues from the bottom of the soul and we do hope to see Innes again in Mostar.  
We have to give all compliments to sound engineers who put maximum efforts to have such a good sound all three Festival nights.
Also, special thanks to all sponsors and others who help us to organize this Festival. Organisational Team would like to give special compliments to Emir Bukovica for all support and efforts he has put in realization of Danny Shepard concert.
Video clips produced by EUPM “Chose life- not drugs” were broadcast during the Festival  and ticket income was donated to Association of parents in fight against addiction.

 

3. MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL

MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL
3rd INTERNATIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL
14.07. - 16.07.2005.


Third International Mostar Blues Festival took place in July 2005 at the Pavarotti Music Centre.
Despite the fact that the biggest problem was again how to insure money for a whole budget, this Festival, for a change, had three concert days.
Music critics, audience and media opinion is that the third Festival has made important step forward and offered different kind and good quality program presenting artists that perform traditional blues, rhythm and blues, fusion of rock and jazz with blues and acoustic blues.
Without any subjective pretension, we would like to point out that young blues bands from the region presented invidious level of live performing and justified the invitation to perform together with famous musicians.
The Festival program was opened by the dancing of Inga Krpo, member of the studio “Flash”. Very well performed choreography on Joni Michelle song “Woodstock”, has refreshed memories on the most important festival in modern music history.
For the first time artists from the USA have performed on Mostar Blues Festival - Michelle David, vocal and world known pianist Mike del Ferro.
Performing several evergreens they received brilliant feedback from the audience and all of it proved that the decision to start the Festival with the musicians from the country of blues was more then good.
They were backed up by BH trio: Amar Cešljar- drums, Dinko Šimunovic – double bass and Dino Šukalo – guitar.
Second night was opened by the performance of the Triple Trouble Blues Band from Mostar. They gave excellent performance playing very demanding program dedicated to legendary guitarist, Steve Ray Vaughan.
Goran Bare and “Placenici” from Croatia with especially chosen repertoire caused frenetic atmosphere in audience, which was expected having in mind their popularity and the fact that it was their first concert in Mostar ever.
Last Festival day started with performance of young musician from Sarajevo, Lejla Catovic. She presented perfect combination of acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies.
Herzegowina Blues Project, band especially set up for this Festival, brought up together very talented musicians from Herzegovina. Despite the fact that trio is very demanding formation, they proved that they play excellent blues.
“No Rules”, band from Tuzla, presented their own songs, synthesis of rock and rhythm & blues.
“Chicken Shack Blues Band”, blues quintet from Split, performed standard songs of Muddy Waters, one of the greatest blues authors. Extremely good arrangements, unavoidable harmonica and excellent vocal brought them title of the most pleasant surprise of the Mostar Blues Festival.
This Festival, as the previous two, kept humanitarian character and total income of ticket selling was donated to the Association of parents and friends of special needs people “Sunce” from Mostar. We would like to express especial acknowledgment to City of Mostar and US Embassy in BH on their support to the Festival, as without it we would not be able to organize the Festival.
We would like to thank to the other sponsors and to all others that help us.
Preparation for the fourth Mostar Blues Festival has been started already.

Program:

14.07.05. – 21:00 h
Opening of the MBF
Inga (BH) – “Woodstock Dance”
Mike Del Ferro and guests (USA/BH) – Michelle David (vocal), Amar Cesljar (drums), Dinko Šimunovic (Double bass), Dino Šukalo (guitar)

15.07.05. – 21:00 h
Triple Trouble Blues Band (BH) – Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan
Goran Bare & “Placenici” (CRO)

16.07.05. – 21:00 h

Lejla (BH) – “Sounds of Heaven”
Herzegowina Blues Project (BH)
No Rules (BH)
Chicken Shack Blues Band (CRO) – Tribute to Muddy Waters

 

2. MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL

MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL
2nd INTERNATIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL
16.07. – 22.07.2004.

Extremely positive audience, music experts and media reactions on the first Mostar Blues Festival and the huge interest for Blues as a music form were the reasons to start with organization of the second Mostar Blues Festival.
Second Blues Festival was part of the traditional Summer Festival, which was in 2004 completely dedicated to the opening of the Old Bridge. This engagement confirmed that
Mostar Blues Festival is recognized as a high quality event.
Second Festival took place at the Pavarotti Music Centre for seven days, from 16th to 22nd of July, and also had a humanitarian character. Total income from ticket’s selling was donated to the Centre for prevention and non-hospital addiction healing in Mostar.
In order to keep and make program and organizational level even better, the Organizational team, in cooperation with the US Embassy in B&H, has decided to present seven documentary movies about the Blues. These movies present evolution of Blues, and the famous American directors such as Martin Scorsese, Wim Wenders, Clint Eastwood, etc directed them.
One of the main targets of the Blues Festival is to give the chance to the young local bands to perform together with famous music names at the same stage.
In the music part of the first Festival evening, local bands “Ten Dollar Band” and “Magla” have performed fulfilling expectation of the demanding audience.
The central band of the first evening was famous band “STOP” from Zagreb. Their two hours performance refreshed memories on music of the guitar legend JIMI Hendrix as the whole first night program was dedicated to his work.
The local band Triple Trouble Blues Band performing Stevie Ray Vaughan music has opened second Festival night. Bad Blues Band from Mostar has performed afterward presenting their first material. Swedish band Midnight Train performed music from their new CD “Alligator” which was awarded by several music awards. Sponsors of Mostar Blues Festival 2004 were SFOR (golden sponsor), the US Embassy in B&H, City of Mostar, Federal Ministry for Culture and Sport, Swedish organization SIDA, Swedish Institute and the Pavarotti Music Centre. Media sponsors were: Mreza Plus and RTV Mostar and media promoters were: Studio 88, Radio Stari Grad Sarajevo, Radio X, RDV and web site 24 sata info. Mostar Blues Festival is urban event attracting wider audience and media attention.

Concert program:
16/07/2004
TEN DOLLAR BAND – BH
MAGLA- BH
STOP – CRO

17/07/2004
TRIPLE TROUBLE – BH
BAD BLUES BAND – BH
MIDNIGHT TRAIN – SWE

Documentaries about the Blues:
16/07/04 – Martin Scorsese – Feel like going home
17/06/04 – Wim Wenders – The Soul of a Man
18/07/04 – Richard Pearce – The Road To Memphis
19/07/04 – Charles Burnett – Warming by the devil’s fire
20/07/04 – Marc Levin – Godfathers and sons
21/07/04 – Mike Figs – Red, White & Blues
22/07/04 – Clint Eastwood – Piano Blues

1. MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL

MOSTAR BLUES FESTIVAL
1st INTERNATIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
05.09. – 06.09.2003.

The first Blues Festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in September 2003, in the Pavarotti Music Centre Mostar. This Festival, initiated by the BH music enthusiasts despite a lot of barriers, from an idea managed to become reality. Thanks to performance of musicians such as Dado Topic, Telephone Blues Band and Point Blank, the festival received huge audience and media attention. The Festival Organisational Team’s aims and goals such as young people involvement, not very well known but talented blues band performance, the Festival humanitarian character, bringing up young people from the whole region together in order to cross over the differences and contribution to the urbanization of music culture in BH, were completely accomplished. Mostar Blues Festival has had the humanitarian character and total ticket income was donated to the Mostar Orphanage. Thanks to a very good performance on this Festival, Dado Topic and Point Blank were nominated for the most prestige music award in BH, “Davorin”. Mostar Blues Festival was announced as the best cultural event in BH of the month. The Festival program was broadcast via satellite as well. The Festival sponsors were: SFOR (golden sponsor), US Embassy in BH, City of Mostar, Shuler Helfen Leben and Hotel Bristol. Media sponsors: Mreza Plus and RTV Mostar Media promoters: Radio Stari Grad Sarajevo and Studio 88 Mostar.

Program:

05.09.2003.
HAPPY FUNK – BH
ONE MAN BAND – BH
GENTLEMEN’S CLUB – BH
POINT BLANK - SCG

06.09.2003.
BAD BLUES BAND – BiH
TELEPHONE BLUES BAND & DADO TOPIC – CRO
WALTER NEUGEBAUER - CRO