Bozcaada Jazz Festival, which stirs people up in the soul-soothing beauty of Bozcaada (Tenedos), will meet the audience for the sixth time on Aug. 26-28 this year. The festival will host new talents as well as the masters of jazz on its stage at Ayazma Monastery.

The 6th Bozcaada Jazz Festival will be held under the main sponsorship of Paribu and with the contributions of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and with the support of Kendine Has, Volkswagen, Jack Lives Here, Metro Türkiye and Organics by Red Bull.

The 2022 edition of the festival examines how we adapt to the situation in times of crisis that we are not used to and cannot foresee, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to find healing with the belief that a better world is possible and the power of coming together.

Thanks to the ability to adapt, which is one of the most critical features of the human species, people develop new awareness by trying to make sense of their surroundings in every environment they enter and in the moments of crisis they are exposed to. The ties they form with their communities transform them as they develop and share solutions together.

Based on this, the festival underlines that communication and cooperation help people develop solutions in difficult times. Focusing on the healing power of self-expression, creativity and being a part of a whole, the event invites people to Bozcaada for the sixth time with the dream of an edition where everyone will connect with themselves and each other, share their feelings and heal.

The festival program is curated in collaboration with the member institutions of the Europe Jazz Network and offers an exciting lineup, which was announced to enthusiasts on May 26. Speaking at the launch event of the festival at Salon IKSV – the performance venue of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts – Gizem Gezenoğlu, the founding partner and CEO of the Bozcaada Jazz Festival, underlined the healing power of music and the festival’s theme "healing" and highlighted the importance of turning to arts, and music in particular, in times of crisis.

Spirit of music in Bozcaada

Created by 3dots and fermente, the festival features concerts that aim to balance the oscillation between mind, body and soul and be a revelation to everyone. Bringing together soul, pop and indie rock tunes, award-winning artists Shishani & Miss Catharsis will perform in Turkey for the first time.

Also taking the stage are Max Plattner Trio, combining pop culture inspirations with jazz tunes, and the French band NOUT, whose members push the limits of their instruments.

As previously mentioned, the festival focuses on the healing power of being part of a whole this year. Aiming to create that bond on the island, the festival also brings together the internationally recognized iconic tunes of the local band Yeni Türkü, the legendary and one of the most established bands of the Turkish music scene, and the clarinet master Hüsnü Şenlendirici, who is a virtuoso of eclectic vibes.

The melodies of the Almagest Quintet, each of which has deep-rooted stories just like the artists involved in this special project, will radiate the jazz breeze under the plane trees of the Ayazma Monastery. The festival also offers music lovers the chill-dance session TWO, arranged with electronic infrastructures by Alp Ersönmez and Çağrı Sertel as well as Dilan Balkay's unique naive melancholy, a musical experience intertwined with different tempos and styles.

The common performance of Guillaume Perret, one of the most prominent names of French jazz, and Volkan Öktem, one of Turkey’s leading drummers, is preparing to whet the appetite for music, as well.

Besides, DJ sets will keep up with the jazz beat at the Ayazma Monastery. Fahranoise & fecese, Harun Izer, Men With a Plan and Sheb will accompany the alternative jazz sounds with their most beautiful sets.

The KEŞİF program, with which the Bozcaada Jazz Festival spreads its energy to the entire island, will also focus on areas of advocacy such as gender equality, ecological transformation and accessibility in its sixth year. The program offers a selection of activities that appeal to different interests including cultural policies, the local and cultural history of the island, gastronomy, entrepreneurship, art and well-being.

The festival tickets are on sale now. While you can purchase the tickets at the best possible price on the website of PASSO, updates on the festival can be found on bozcaadacazfestivali.com and social media accounts.