The sixth year of Šķūņa Džezs

In conversation with Ieva Leiduma about the only jazz festival in Latgale

Conversation with Ieva Leiduma about the only jazz festival in Latgale
From August 21 to 24, the sixth Baltic Jazz Festival, «Šķūņa džezs,» will take place at Lūznavas Manor. It’s not just a festival where listeners can attend concerts and jam sessions, but also a camp where participants spend the whole week taking masterclasses taught by local and foreign masters.

Jazz fans are, of course, well informed about this festival, because Latvia’s jazz community is relatively small and it’s pretty hard to surprise local jazz lovers with novelties. Still, as Šķūņa Jazz approaches its tenth anniversary (in just four years — not that far away), I decided to talk about the program and the festival’s regional significance with one of the participants who has been there every year — in fact, a singer who is currently a student at the Jazz Department of the Music Academy and who witnessed the opening of the jazz department at Rēzekne Secondary School, an achievement of our colleague Toms Lipskis. Although Tom is no longer with us, we still remember him and appreciate every day how much he did for jazz in Latgale.

Returning to Šķūņa Jazz, it’s essential to mention all the teachers who taught there this year. This year the festival’s masterclasses were led by Donatas Bukauskas (Lithuania) — winds, improvisation, ensemble; Mindaugas Stumbras (Lithuania) — guitar, improvisation, ensemble; Fabian Kallerdahl (Sweden) — piano, improvisation, ensemble; Olli Rantala (Finland) — bass, improvisation, ensemble; Pauls Pokratnieks (Latvia) — drums, improvisation, ensemble; Giedrė Kilčiauskienė (Lithuania) — vocals, improvisation, ensemble; Vita Rusaityte (Lithuania) — vocals, improvisation, ensemble; and Diāna Pīrāgs (Latvia) — vocals, improvisation, ensemble. Audiences could enjoy concerts by all these teachers, as well as performances by participants showcasing what they had prepared during the masterclasses. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the festival this year, but from eyewitness accounts, it ended, as usual, with a beautiful party enjoyed by everyone. It’s hard to beat Latgale’s hospitality and kindness!
So, let’s start the conversation with Ieva Leiduma!

Are you the only one who attends Šķūņa Jazz and has been there from the very beginning? You’ve been there every year, right?

Yes — as a participant, I think I’m the only one who has been to every festival. My colleagues Ralfs Arbidāns and Kristians Justs were at the festival this year as musicians. Ralfs also acted as a tuner at a few concerts. They were with us, but I’m the only one who, as a participant, has attended all the festivals.

Maybe let’s start with the beginning. Describe how the festival has developed from your perspective as a participant

It’s developing, and I hope it will continue to do so, because, first of all, the number of participants is increasing. I think we were about 20 in the first year and almost 40 this year. Last year, I think we had even more. This year, the participant count was a bit lower, but we’re still growing.

The variety of participants is also widening. At first, we were only people from Rēzekne, then some Lithuanians came with their teachers. Now we have students from Liepāja and Riga. Last year, there was only one participant from Estonia, but this year, there was none. Still, this year there were more participants from music secondary schools and, as usual, also from the academy. We were two or three girls representing higher education institutions, but this year there were more young people.

Much younger?

Yes — high school level, say, from about 15 to 19–20.

And how do you think the skill level of participants who choose to come is changing? Are they people just starting in jazz? People curious and dipping in? Or people who already know something and come to improve and to make connections?

This year, there were more beginners. Very often, some people study in academic departments, e.g., classical vocal, and are simply interested in jazz. They decide to come, so they don’t just hang out, but also learn to sing something that isn’t classical.

Overall, I noticed many beginners this year — they were younger and less experienced musically. Of course, some come to «party,» just to hang out in the Latgale countryside.

Which isn’t bad, as long as they know something.

Yes, really.

Tell us about this year, then. What was special or interesting, impressions in general?

This year, yes — I really liked the teachers who worked with the combos. I was with Pauls Pokratnieks and Olli Rantala. Both are very professional musicians. I especially enjoyed the jams — maybe more than any other year. Perhaps students attended the jams more often, and occasionally a teacher would show up to play with them.
It’s nice to see that the youngsters actively participated in the jams, which helped create a good atmosphere. And of course, the final concerts are always memorable. This year, the NATO big band performed at the end and really kicked off the party. We were all dancing by the end and enjoying the event. People were very friendly.

We also taught Lithuanians Latvian folk songs, and they, in turn, taught us Lithuanian folk songs.

Usually, foreigners at the festival are mostly Lithuanians, right?

Yes.

Because it’s closer?

Yes, exactly! As I understand it, they organize shared transportation, such as arranging a van, and everyone travels together to the events. That certainly helps build team spirit and lets people get to know each other better! Also, the Lithuanian teachers bring and take their students with them.

Last year, those Lithuanians were from the Vilnius college. Was it the same this year?

This year, there were participants from a conservatory (Vilnius Conservatory of Juozas Tallat-Kelpša), where Vita Rusaityte is director. It’s connected to secondary-level music education, as in our secondary schools. There were many young people, and they were really talented. It’s great to see youth from such schools participating and developing their skills!

Tell me about the vocal teachers — what was interesting, what did they teach, what did you like most, what was most useful to you as a university student?

Warmups this year were with Giedrė (Giedrė Kilčiauskienė), who sings not only jazz but also pop and even rock. I really liked her exercises; they weren’t just singing at the piano, she had found melodic exercises on Spotify. That was very interesting because I’d never done that before.

Then I was with Vita Rusaityte, who works more with beginners. We sang simple blues, and later she taught major modes. We did more beginner-level stuff there.

With Diāna, we worked on different timbres and focused on technical aspects. I really enjoyed working on timbre, finding different timbres because we imitated instruments from a big band. I imitated the trumpet, trying to find the right sound so the voice could sound different. That was very interesting for me as an academy student.

And yes, with Giedrė, we also improvised «circle singing,» which I usually really like.

What is «circle singing»?

It’s when one participant starts, for example, with a bass line or a rhythm, and then others join in, creating a song together. It’s a very creative process where everyone can participate and express ideas, making music together. It’s fascinating to see how each participant builds their part and how it all comes together to form a harmonious sound.

Ah, layered like that. And how does it work — did the masterclasses happen simultaneously so you could choose which to go to each day?

Yes — with Giedrė, we had 45 minutes. She warmed us up, then there was a break, and the rest of the time we split up, going either to Diāna or to Vita.

How many vocalists were there in total?

There were 11.

Quite a lot.

But fewer than last year. Last year, there were about 15.

And what do you think was the most impressive thing at the festival this year?

That American big band that at the end blasted «Revelation» — it was simply outstanding! Everyone started running around the park like a little train, and even the saxophonist from America joined in. We all ran to the stage together and started dancing — it was a great way to start the party!

And yes, this year the jams were particularly memorable — truly warm and pleasant experiences. It was great!

On a broader note: since you are local and know the small-town spirit and development dynamics well, and since you graduated from Rēzekne Secondary School, how do you think the existence of such a festival in Latgale affects the development of jazz music?

For me, coming to these parts is truly valuable. The teachers, who mostly come from other places, including the U.S., offer not just new contacts but a rich experience.

That experience is significant, and so is the audience. Usually, many people come, and I think it’s essential that people who come are genuinely interested. In Rēzekne, people have become acquainted with jazz, especially since the festival created by Toms Lipskis, which has provided everyone with the opportunity to take that path. It was like a breakthrough in the previous understanding of jazz and its promotion in the region.

I’ve also noticed that most of the festival audience comes from Rēzekne city or district rather than from Riga (because it’s far). Some people come to every festival evening for jams and listen to the music, taking in the atmosphere. I feel this development affects not just the students and participants but also the audience — it seems the audience is growing.

Do you think the festival influences how many students enroll in Rēzekne’s jazz department?

Yes, I think so. I think it’s essential. Many start to learn that Rēzekne actually has a jazz department. However, sometimes it seems that local Rēzekne students at the music secondary school don’t even know that a festival like Šķūņa Jazz exists. It’s an opportunity that could have a significant impact, as many students from the music secondary school participate in the festival. If local young people realize this, it could inspire them to become more involved in jazz!

What do you think could be the next step in the festival’s development?

Ah, the next step. Ideally, the festival would attract participants not only from Rēzekne and Lithuania but also from Estonia. Including Estonian artists in the program could enrich the festival offering and promote cultural exchange between the countries. That would create opportunities to share experiences, learn from one another, and, of course, enhance the overall atmosphere. I hope that in the future the festival can attract more Estonian musicians and other participants from the region!

And in terms of the masterclass program?

It would be great to include lectures and workshops on composition and arranging. Last year, I recall attending a jazz history lecture with Indriķis Veitners, as well as exciting rhythm classes.

This year, Olli Rantala shared inspiring reflections on life. However, by incorporating lectures on composition techniques and technical skills, the festival could provide numerous valuable resources to young musicians. That would be a fantastic way to enrich the experience, because such classes haven’t been part of the festival so far. I’m sure many participants would appreciate that!