13th EUNIC Jazz Festival: Mindaugas Stumbras Quartett (LT)
Lineup
About the Event
Contemporary Jazz & World Music
Mindaugas Stumbras is one of Lithuania’s leading jazz guitarists and composers, whose music combines emotional depth, intellectual sophistication, and a refined sonic aesthetic. An internationally acclaimed artist and graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Stumbras has performed at prestigious jazz festivals and concert venues across Europe.
Together with his exceptional acoustic quartet, Stumbras delivers a distinctive and compelling sound that blends technical mastery with profound emotional expression, offering a musical experience that is both thought-provoking and beautifully memorable.
In this program, the quartet presents original compositions from the albums Among the Pines, Inspirations, and the latest release The Spinner of Yarns, alongside several brand-new works receiving their premiere performance. The concert offers a musical journey through the broad spectrum of Stumbras‘ artistic vision—from delicate acoustic textures to powerful, energy-filled jazz improvisations.
Each composition unfolds as an individual story, shaped by personal experiences, cultural influences, and an ongoing search for artistic expression. Blending the freedom of European jazz improvisation, Lithuanian folk music, with elements of world music and contemporary harmonic language, the quartet creates an immersive live performance that is both intimate and compelling. Audiences can expect a dynamic and emotionally engaging concert that showcases the richness and versatility of contemporary jazz.
Ensembles founded by Stumbras have won Vilnius Jazz Young Power (2015) and Kaunas Jazz Competition (2020). In 2016, M. Stumbras took the first place in one of the most significant Lithuanian guitar competitions “Gitarų Šėlsmas”, and in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022 his works were
selected for the collection “Jazz from Lithuania” published by the Lithuanian Jazz
Federation. In 2022 he was awarded by Lithuanian Ministry of Culture for successful
musical activity at the young age.
Andrius Savčenko is a Lithuanian pianist, keyboardist, and composer from Vilnius.
In 2024, he graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre with a Master’s degree in Jazz Piano. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree at the same institution. In 2022, he was an exchange student at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied with renowned jazz musicians and educators, including Karel Boehlee, Xavi Torres, Michael Moore, Harmen Fraanje, and Yuri Honing.
Alongside his own artistic projects, he is an active session musician, regularly performing in Lithuania and abroad with a wide range of ensembles and artists, including BIPLAN, Shinkarenko Jazz 5N, DAIVA, KJ Collective, Vilnius JJazz Ensemble, and Karolis Šarkus Quintet, among others.
Niklas Lukassen (bass) displays an equally astonishing lyrical sensibility and skilful command of the upright bass, the bass guitar, and his unique bass cello. Described as „a versatile bass virtuoso“ by Jazzwise magazine, he has emerged on the international jazz scene as an original voice with a vision that also demonstrates a natural bandleader authority.
Niklas ventured from an inconspicuous village in the South German Black Forest out into a life of creative opportunity. He spent his formative years cutting his teeth in Berlin and New York. Mentored by Ron Carter, Niklas received his Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Pursuing artistic research, he is a doctoral candidate at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Adept across contrasting musical worlds, Niklas has accompanied performances with artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joe Lovano, Jorge Rossy, Norma Winstone, Till Brönner, Jo Lawry, Will Vinson, Tim Garland, and The New York Voices. Among his recording credits is the Grammy Award-nominated album Some Days Are Better by the Kenny Wheeler Legacy Project.
Drummer/composer ANDREA MARCELLI moved to the USA in 1989, spending eight years in Los Angeles and four in New York City. He has resided in Berlin since 2001. Over 200 of his compositions
have been recorded. Two of his tunes are included in both “The European Real Book“ and “The Digital Real Book part 2“. He is leading a very active international musical life, performing in five continents. He collaborate with Wayne Shorter, Don Menza, Dave Liebman, Allan Holdsworth, Mike Stern, Bob Mintzer, Eddie Gomez, Markus Stockhausen, Ekkehard Wölk, Ralph Towner, Eberhard Weber, Palle Danielsson, John Patitucci, Alex von Schlippenbach, Hiram Bullock, Frank Gambale and for over 25 years with many local musicians from the Berlin jazz scene.
He recorded many albums and two critically acclaimed Cds with legendary Label Verve/PolyGram.
John Kelman schreibt:
„…Marcellis Kompositionen transzendieren simple Melodien, die den Zuhörer zu bekannten und unbekannten Plätzen entführen, versteckte Emotionen ans Licht bringen… Da ist die Reife des Konzeptes, die klare Vision, die ‚Beyond the Blue’ zu einer Art Markenzeichen
Marcellis wird.“
Lithuanian Culture Institute
https://www.instagram.com/stumbrasmin/?hl=de
https://stumbrasmin.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwJvpQJm5Ws
www.andreamarcelli.com
https://de.niklaslukassen.com/
Zum dreizehnten Mal wird mit einem eigenen Berliner Festival der Reichtum des europäischen Jazz mit seinen unterschiedlichen Wurzeln, Dialekten und neuen Entwicklungen vorgestellt. Neben den 24 wunderbaren Musikerinnen und Musikern aus 10 europäischen Ländern veranstalten in diesem Jahr 8 Kulturinstitute und Botschaften der Gemeinschaft der europäischen Kulturinstitute EUNIC Berlin das Festival. Jede einzelne Band präsentiert dabei eigene Kompositionen und interpretiert bekannte Stücke aus ihrem jeweiligen Land neu oder in freier Improvisation. Darüber hinaus werden die Künstlerinnen und Künstler ihre musikalische Herkunft aber auch auf neue Art miteinander verbinden, wenn jeden Abend Musiker verschiedener Kulturen direkt aufeinandertreffen.
@VisitMalta
Botschaft des Großherzogtums Luxemburg in Berlin
Botschaft der Republik Zypern in Berlin, Kulturabteilung
Die Botschaft der Republik Estland in Berlin
DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
Lithuanian Culture Institute
Rumänisches Kulturinstitut
Sacem Auto production
TICKETRESERVIERUNG
Reservierte Karten müssen eine halbe Stunde vor Beginn der Veranstaltung abgeholt werden!
Reserved tickets need to be picked up 30 minutes before the beginning of the event!