Istanbul Jazz Festival 2010
2010 UPDATE
For the past few years, we’ve put together free-wheeling packages to coincide with each summer’s Istanbul Jazz Festival. This year, the Festival has been extended and will run from 01-20 July 2010.
Once again, we’ll be happy to help you plan your own exploration of the sounds and sights of Istanbul, the center of East-West fusion. Whether you’re a single traveller or a small group, we can offer you advice and insights on how to best enjoy the arts scene in this exciting metropolis. Visits to modern galleries, new museums, and a stop at a traditional cymbal-making workshop are just a few of the treats we can offer.
And by night, you can take your pick of events in a city alive with music—in concert halls & historic ruins, inside tiny clubs, on the streets, and even afloat on ferry-boats. Strike out on your own or with one of us, and if you’re a musician yourself, even sit in to jam with local musicians.
We can help you book the hippest budget or upscale accommodations, arrange transportation, private guides, and memorable gastronomic adventures. For a glimpse of what awaits you, please read on…
Celebrate Jazz in Turkey!
17th İstanbul International Jazz Festival
Unique venues— Byzantine basilicas, Ottoman palaces, museums, open-air theaters—will host scheduled events. More informally, the back streets, neighborhood squares, tavernas & even the waterways of Istanbul will resonate with music—Jazz, Blues, Big Band, of course… but and also Pop, Reggae, Rock, & New Age. This jubilant festival takes place in the very heart of the city! You can see a map of the concert venues
The 2010 program is now online, and the Festival’s English/Turkish Website provides extensive details about this year’s performers and the historic settings of many concerts. For ticketed events, you can even book your seats online.
One of the best-organized festivals of Europe, the International İstanbul Jazz Festival has long brought many renowned artists to İstanbul’s music lovers. Tony Bennett kicks off the 2010 Festival and past seasons have included performers such as: Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Caetano Veloso, Tower of Power with Marcus Miller, Al Jarreau, Lenny Kravitz, Zakir Hussain, Dee Dee Bridgewater and many of Turkey’s internationally acclaimed performers, including Sibel Kose and the Istanbul Saxophone Quartet. For a hint of what awaits you in 2010, see the Festival Website.
And remember—Many more Jazz events take place outside the official schedule and at many other venues. A great many of them are free admission.
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See this article in the New York Times
Bookmark this page and check back as we add more details.
We’ve taken advantage of Istanbul’s electric energy to plan one-of-a-kind trips for our music-loving clients. If you prefer to travel solo, already have your own group and ideas, or if you’ve already sampled Turkey’s offerings and want to see some new aspects of this fascinating country, please let us know. We’ll be happy to craft a custom tour to your specifications.
If you are a first-time visitor, we propose that you lodge in one of the distinctive boutique hotels in the historic district of Istanbul, within walking distance of Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia, and the Covered Bazaar.
By day, you can explore an endlessly fascinating city astride both Europe and Asia: To see where the world’s finest concert cymbals are still handcrafted, visit a brass workshop. A Bosphorus cruise with live Jazz or a Whirling Dervish ceremony with traditional Sufi musicians are also options. No matter how each day unfolds, by night you’ll be able to partake of the Jazz Festival.
To sample Turkish delights beyond Istanbul, we suggest a mini side-trip along Turkey’s Aegean Coast. The fabulous ruins of ancient Ephesus and the world-renowned Museum of Underwater Archeology in Bodrum (Halicarnassus) are just some of the highlights of Turkey, and we can help you customize your trip to include them.
We’re always able to book special hotels, private yachts, and restaurants not suitable for larger groups.
Remember, if you’d like something not mentioned here —just ask. This year (2010) the Festival actually spans nearly three weeks in July. Perhaps you want to be in Istanbul for the entire Festival? Or maybe you want less music and would prefer to visit more archaeological sites? Whatever you’d like, know that we are experts when it comes to custom arrangements for individuals and special-interest groups
Click here to see details for the type of tour we could offer your and your friends for 2010.
For questions, please call Holly Chase at 941.330.8738 or email Holly
