Rigas Ritmi jazz festival returns in full-force

What power this woman has. And what charisma. Jabu Morales is the heart and pulse of AYOM. This becomes clear when you experience the multi-culti band with members from Angola, Greece and Italy on stage in the large garden of Riga Cathedral.

The Brazilian is not only the charismatic singer and percussionist of the currently so popular sextet, but also twirls and dances across the stage to finally cause storms of enthusiasm at the end of the show with frevo dance steps.

But at this point, she and her five boys on electric guitar, electric bass, percussion and accordion have already got the initially somewhat reserved Latvian audience off their chairs and dancing along. Which is actually not difficult with their Afro-Lusitanian Black Atlantic Music, as they call their invigorating world music mix with influences from Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Portugal and other Mediterranean countries.

How nice it was to be able to experience a concert with many people at Rigas Ritmi again.

Last summer, the festival also took place, but the reticence was more than noticeable among the audience.

This time, festival organiser Maris Briežkalns looked much more satisfied. Probably also because this year's top act was very well received by the large audience.

Modern Standard Supergroup

The Modern Standard Supergroup around drummer Billy Cobham, trumpeter Randy Brecker, saxophonist Bill Evans, pianist Niels Lan Doky and bassist Linley Marthe surprised the audience in a positive way, because they did not play jazz standards, but took pieces by Shakira and the Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars or even K-Pop as models for jazzy interplay and improvisation. This was at least entertaining and classily played, if not necessarily insanely exciting.

Randy Brecker

Great entertainment is also the thing of US singer, guitarist and pianist Clark Beckham, who once started his career on the talent show American Idol. And now in Riga, with songs by Stevie Wonder, James Brown, but also self-penned material, he was certainly able to please. Because the 30-year-old can sing, and the likeable musician from Nashville also has entertainer qualities.

As in 2021, there was again a small stage in the cool, semi-open art centre Noass, located directly on the giant Daugava River.

Mareks Ameriks' vinyl record label Jersika Records once again provided this small festival within the festival, where you could discover, for example, the fine organ trio of keyboard man Atis Andersons and, in addition to some foreign artists, other Latvian musicians and bands.

And if that wasn't enough music for you, you could end this year's tropical days and nights in Latvia's capital city, which is well worth a visit, in the pleasantly chilled bar of a large hotel at the evening jam sessions.