Austrian pianist David Helbock belongs to the generation of jazz musicians that are heading in their own, individual, direction. The immense dose of originality in his music pushes the boundaries of jazz, radically re-configuring our understanding of old and new music. Lyrical, provoking and surprising in equal measure, the musical personality of the Austrian pianist has already left an imprint on European contemporary jazz. David Helbock received the „Outstanding Artist Award” in Austria. „You can try to understand music rationally or you can call upon your emotions, and then you can do nothing but love it,” says Helbock. „Music has the capacity mystically envelop you when there are no more words. One of my goals is to search for the inner mystery of music„.

Vasil Hadžimanov (b. 23.06.1973, Belgrad, Serbia) is well known and appreciated beyond Europe’s borders. He graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston and has performed with David Gilmore, Antonio Sanchez, Matt Garrison, David Binney, Nigel Kennedy. Vasil’s ideas of mixing traditional Balkan rhythms and modern melodies (from jazz, funk, world music) led him to a personal approach to jazz music. He founded his own band 20 years ago and started performing in Serbia and other European countries. Vasil Hadžmanov Band also played in Romania, at Gărâna Jazz Festival 2017. With this band he has released 8 albums, many of them with huge success both in sales and with audiences and jazz critics. In addition to his work with this band, Hadžimanov has also recorded with his trio the albums “El Raval” (2011) and “Melody Rhymes” (2021), with Bojan Zulfikarpašić – “Koncert na Kolarcu” (2017) and with Dušan Jevtović – “Duo” (2020).