The Baltic Jazz Trio will perform in Washington, D.C. in honor of 100 years of Diplomatic Relations between the Baltic Countries and the United States

With support from Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the embassies of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, the Baltic Jazz Trio will perform in Washington, D.C. The tour is dedicated to 100 years of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Baltic countries.

The Baltic Jazz Trio is a collaboration of three outstanding jazz artists from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – Toivo Unt, Māris Briežkalns and Dainius Pulauskas respectively. The Baltic Jazz Trio’s visit to the United States is a unique cooperation project between the three Baltic embassies. They will perform on October 15 on the Millenium Stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The concert begins at 6PM ET and is free to attend. On October 14 the Trio will perform at a diplomatic concert and reception at the Organization of American States to celebrate 100 years of relations between the Baltic countries and United States. 

The music of the Baltic Jazz Trio is elegant, fresh and characteristic to the Baltic region. Each of the musicians is a leading force of jazz life in his own country. Estonian bassist Toivo Unt, Latvian drummer Māris Briežkalns and Lithuanian pianist Dainius Pulauskas first performed together in 2008 at Baltic States Culture Week in Paris, France. The Trio also performed at the Ottawa Jazz Festival in Canada, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany, Vilnius Jazz Festival and Birštonas Jazz Festival in Lithuania, Via Baltica Festival in Liepāja, Latvia, Korzo Theater in Hague, Netherlands, Vanemuine Concert Hall in Tartu, Estonia etc.

The Trio has released two albums so far – Baltic Saga and Centenary – with music bythe famous Baltic composers Arvo Pärt, Pēteris Vasks, Raimonds Pauls and Mikalojus Čiurlionis. These will be featured in the concerts as well.

Toivo Unt is known as one of the top double bass players in Estonia. He has played with well-known international jazz artists and participated in lots of international jazz festivals. Unt plays in the Estonian National Opera Symphony Orchestra, is a jury member of several international competitions, a music teacher, and an organizer of the annual Jazz Time Fest in Sillamäe, Estonia. He has played on more than 30 album recordings.

Māris Briežkalns has played in over 60 music albums and is a leader of the Māris Briežkalns Quintet. He has performed and given master classes in many countries, including the UK, France and Germany. Briežkalns runs the Contemporary Music Centre and is the artistic director of the Rīgas Ritmi Festival and International Jazz Artists Competition Riga Jazz Stage. He is the head of the Sound Recording Department of Latvian Radio and for many years was artistic director of Latvian Radio Bigband, producing Euroradio Jazz Orchestra 2018l. Briežkalns has been awarded the Order of the Three Stars, which is the highest civilian order awarded for meritorious service to Latvia.

Dainius Pulauskas is a keyboard player and composer. He is the leader of one of the leading active Lithuanian jazz ensembles Dainius Pulauskas Group, which has produced five albums. Pulauskas has participated in festivals all over the world, including Asia (China, India, Indonesia) and USA. Dainius Pulauskas has received numerous international awards.

“Baltic Jazz Trio is a vivid proof of the strong roots of jazz music in the Baltic States, the high level of performance and the unusual fusion of American and Scandinavian schools with the nuances of ethnic cultures that are unique to this region. Top-class enjoyment is guaranteed for every jazz lover!” - Latvian music journalist Kaspars Zaviļeiskis.

Free tickets:

Kennedy Center: https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/millennium-stage/2022/october/baltic-jazz-trio/