vlatos jazz season 1

What happened in the world during 2018

Back in February 2018 (when the Vlatos Jazz Festival was just launching), the world was in a different phase: The Winter Olympics were underway in PyeongChang, South Korea (with North Korea’s participation sparking diplomatic hope); the #MeToo movement was gaining massive momentum globally; cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) was experiencing wild volatility after its late-2017 peak; the U.S. was under President Trump’s first full year, with debates over gun control after the Parkland shooting (late Feb), trade tariffs looming, and the Mueller investigation intensifying; Europe grappled with Brexit negotiations and migration issues; and major news included the bridge collapse in Genoa (later in the year, but tensions were building) and ongoing Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. It was a period of political polarization, technological optimism mixed with privacy concerns, and cultural reckonings.

Vlatos Jazz 2018 Program

The inaugural season of the Vlatos Jazz Festival launched in summer 2018 as a small, passionate initiative by the local Cultural Society “New Horizons” to bring world-class acoustic music to the remote mountain village. It featured intimate, unplugged jazz and world music concerts every Sunday evening in the historic 150-year-old stone church (Vlatos Music Hall), with no amplification—just pure acoustics, candlelight, and Cretan mountain vibes.Curated by violinist Maria Manousaki (who has led the festival since), the program blended international and local talents, emphasizing Cretan fusion and global influences. Specific artist lineups from that first year are sparsely documented online (as it was a grassroots start with limited archiving), but highlights included performances like the Cretan Jazz Project (a blend of Cretan music and American jazz, e.g., a notable concert on September 6, 2018) and early collaborations with Greek/international musicians. The focus was on soulful, sustainable acoustic sets in an intimate ~50-seat setting, setting the tone for the festival’s growth into a beloved annual tradition.

Hot Club de Grece, Just Friends, Ourabi & Mintus & Gunaydin, Giorgios Limakis & Dimitris Koliakoudakis, Alex & Nicolas, Haig Hazdjian, Adama, Ross Daly & Kelly Thomas

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S01.E02.P02 Vlatos Jazz Just Friends How Fragile We Are

S01.E01 Vlatos Jazz: Hot Club de Grece – But Not For Me

S01.E03 Vlatos Jazz Ourabi Mintus Gunaydin Sunrise

S01.E02.P01 Vlatos Jazz Just Friends If I Ain't Got You

S01.E04 Vlatos Jazz Limakis Koliakoudakis

ERT1 Item Vlatos Jazz 2021.12.19

S01.E08 Vlatos Jazz Eirini Derebei Karolos Kouklakis

S01.E06 Vlatos Jazz – Cretan Jazz Project

S01.E09 Vlatos Jazz Ross Daly Kelly Thoma

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