| A Trio of Wine, Jazz and Gastronomy in the Homeland Of Wine |
Jazz and Wine is an internationally renowned festival that is celebrated in regions known for winemaking, so Kakheti is a natural and organic environment for a festival of this format. For the seventh consecutive year, the company- Eastern Promotions expanded its long-standing series of jazz festivals in Tbilisi and Batumi by adding – Jazz and Wine Kakheti, and in autumn, in this famous winemaking region of Georgia, unites Georgian and foreign winemakers, jazz musicians, chefs, and most notably, the public who love wine, jazz, and gastronomy. Homeland of Wine magazine joined the 2023 festival as a media supporter.
Eastern Promotions has been curating jazz festivals in Georgia since the year 2000. Their arsenal includes: the Tbilisi International Jazz Festival, the Black Sea International Jazz Festival, and the Jazz and Wine Kakheti. Additionally, the company has been responsible for organizing the visits of almost every world renowned jazz musician and performer to Georgia.
The Festival’s Wine Section
Jazz and Wine Kakheti is a blend of improvisation, captivating wines from small wineries, original culinary creations by foreign chefs, a plethora of music, all converging in Tsinandali, at the historic Chavchavadze estate. 30 Georgian wine producers from various regions of Georgia took part in the 2023 festival, whose wines could be tasted and evaluated in the amphitheatre of the Tsinandali estate. Many winemakers participate in the festival regularly, but some joined the Jazz and Wine festival for the first time, amongst them- Dzmebis Marani (Brothers’ Cellar) from Bolnisi, which presented several types of wine and Pét-nat.
The festival participants: Tsinandli Estate, Orilo, Togonidze Wine, Melitoni Winery, Rtoni Winery, Pesvebi, Matisi Georgian Wine, Khomlis Marani, Chigogidze Wine, Mandzula’s Wine, Guro Janiashvili, Pavilion Wines, Bua Wines, Ia’s Winery, Kardanakhi Estate, Tanini.ro, Ishta Wines, GRW, Doctor’s Bio-Cellar, Kizikuri Tradiciuli, Margo, Muzze, Dzmebis Marani, Vivare Wine, Zurab Kviriashvili Vineyards, Peri Wines, Milorauli Winery, Toreli Winery and Jobava Winery. Winery-Luca Anselmi Falezze, from Italy and Inminor from France.
Georgian-Italian Hospitality In The Homeland of Wine
For the second consecutive year, the festival embraced the tradition of a host country, which began with the United States of America, the birthplace of jazz, last year. In 2023, the spotlight shifted to Italy, renowned for its winemaking and gastronomy. The Italian Embassy in Georgia played an active role in this collaboration. Enrico Valvo, the Italian ambassador to Georgia said, “Our countries share many similarities in hospitality, gastronomy, music, and of course, wine. That’s why we wanted to bring all this to the homeland of wine.”
The Salt Peanuts Show with Sarah Jane Giotti as a special guest opened the musical part of the festival. On the stage of the amphitheater, the band, whose name comes from the famous composition of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, performed covers of iconic compositions from the 60s, while Italian chef Maurizio Siciliano and his team ignited the gastronomic fire. Chef Maurizio, who owns a restaurant in Tuscany, prepared a signature dish from his restaurant’s menu with the same emotion which he later went on stage and sang to the audience with. It was a surprising gesture that added more appeal to the festival.
Theo Croker, a Trumpeter by Genetic Legacy
Theo’s music is alive, diverse, multi-layered, and lingering, reminiscent of Georgian wine. The Grammy Award-nominated trumpeter, composer, and producer carries the essence of jazz in his genes. His grandfather, Doc Cheatham, who was also a trumpeter, played in various bands and boldly pushed the boundaries of music. Theo, a rising star of jazz, successfully does the same.
His portfolio boasts collaborations with vocalists like- Ari Lennox and Jill Scott, rappers such as J. Cole and Wyclef Jean, and mentors like NEA Jazz Master- Dee Dee Bridgewater and saxophonist Gary Bartz. Particularly intriguing are Croker’s two previous albums – Love Quantum and BLK2LIFE // A FUTURE PAST – and his latest release- By The Way, in which jazz, funk, soul, R&B, hip-hop, and electronic elements harmoniously coexist.
Theo came to Tsinandali with his band featuring Eric Wheeler on bass, Mike King on keyboard, and Shekwoga Ode on drums, and he took the listeners on a big musical odyssey filled with the unexpected and intriguing synthesis of diverse musical genres, velvety and existential trumpet solos, and vocals.
“The message of my music is peace and love,” Theo told us at the end of the evening. “Together with the listeners, we felt the emotions of joy and peace and harmony and it’s wonderful.”
Mikheil Giorgadze / Founder of Eastern Promotions: The Jazz and Wine festival format has been established for years in countries famous for winemaking, including France, Italy, Portugal, and California. It was only logical that seven years ago, we embraced this format also, by organising a festival in Georgia, the homeland of wine, specifically in Kakheti, its foremost winemaking region.
Jazz and Wine Kakheti already has a seven-year history and continues to soar in popularity annually. Aside from hosting world-class musicians in Kakheti, we pay particular attention to small wineries that can participate in the festival at no cost. It provides an ideal setting for winemakers to engage directly with prospective customers and industry experts and to promote their wines.
The festival is invariably accompanied by an intensive advertising campaign – at the beginning, during, and on completion. Ensuring that each winery is presented to the international community within the same campaign, reflects positively on their awareness. We are also delighted to witness the number of participating winemakers increasing annually.
Kakha Kandelaki / Founder of Eastern Promotions: Our company hosts three festivals annually, and selecting musicians based on relevance and professionalism are the primary criteria. We keenly observe the level of demand for them at international festivals in Europe and America throughout the year, as well as considering the preferences of the local market, thus ensuring the encounters between the Georgian audience and renowned musicians are engaging and delightful.
Not only does the festival play a crucial role in promoting Georgian wine, but also in promoting the region itself. During Jazz and Wine Kakheti, the hotels in the Tsinandali estate and the surrounding areas are fully booked, because the festival has more and more guests every year, which means additional jobs and income for the local economy, and considerable financial benefits for the region.
The 2023 Jazz and Wine Kakheti musical journey at the Tsinandali estate concluded with an enthralling program from Mo’Horizons.
The festival said goodbye to the public until autumn of 2024 when it will return to the Tsinandali estate with new wines from small wineries and fascinating musicians.
