This year, the Rīgas Ritmi Festival continued its mission to reinvigorate the jazz scene in Latvia, the Baltic nation that was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1991, save for three years, 1941-44, when it was occupied by the Nazis. Under the artistic direction of drummer Māris Briežkalns, the festival began in 2001, and as evidenced by its 16th edition, which took place June 30-July 2, it’s accomplishing its goals admirably.
Hosted in Latvia’s picturesque capital, Riga, the festival took cues from many other major jazz festivals by utilizing multiple venues, including Trompete, the city’s main jazz club and restaurant. Rīgas Ritmi used the term “jazz” as an overreaching catchall less than other festivals do; rather, jazz was one of three accurate descriptive subheads, the others being “impro” and “world.” Nevertheless, jazz, in one of its most classic formats, the big band, provided the best vehicle for Latvians to assert some of their own musical identity.
