A Look Back: Ms. Lauryn Hill at the Black Sea Jazz Festival

The 10th and so far the biggest Black Sea Jazz Festival held this year within the Check in Georgia project has come to a close. On July 17th the Batumi Tennis Club hosted Ms. Lauryn Hill’s concert, with audiences seeing the singer and her 17 member band performing new and famous old hits from various albums.

Born on May 26th, 1976 the American singer, composer, rapper, producer and actress is more famous for being the member of the Fugees band. She had a significant impact on the development of modern music. Her first solo album Miseducation was released in 1998, won five Grammys and sold in the millions. Songs Doo Wop and To Zion are especially popular globally.

The most large-scale Black Sea Jazz Festival opened in Batumi on July 15th with the project QUINCY JONES & THE GLOBAL GUMBO ALL STARS (feat. Richard Bona, Alfredo Rodriguez, Jacob Collier) created by one of the most influential Jazz musicians of the 20th century, Quincy Jones, who has received 27 Grammys. The film Miles Ahead was premiered on July 16th, followed by the Miles Electric Band concert. The festival closed on July 24th.

The tenth edition of the festival hosted world renowned artists and lasted for ten days. Performing artists were QUINCY JONES & THE GLOBAL GUMBO ALL STARS, JAMIE CULLUM, MACY GREY, THE PRODIGY, Ms. Lauryn Hill, MILES ELECTRIC BAND, NIK WEST and Chris Brown. Within the festival guests could also attend the MACY GRAY DJ SET at Club Take Five, as well as concerts by NIK WEST, DJ LOGIC & Friends, Georgian singer SALIO and others.

Locals and tourists also had the opportunity to attend the BRASS BAND concerts, which were held for free on the Batumi Boulevard and international and Georgian Jazz bands which performed near the Batumi Colonnades.

Makho Jighaurishvili