Viljandi Kitarrifestival

Andre Maaker & Inga Lunge a will perfom at this year’s family concert on October 13.

At a traditional family concert on Sunday morning, all age limits disappear again. Music made from an immediate presence offers the joy of recognition, singing together, parables, interludes and new friends.
A musician and an actor meet on stage, resulting in one of the most wonderful concert performances, and of course, the always great audience has to play their part as well. There will be surprises either!

Andre Maaker is one of the most respected guitar players in Estonia, especially in the field of acoustic guitar. He has been nominated twice as the best jazz musician at the Estonian Jazz Awards in 2017 and 2018. He collaborates with many recognized jazz musicians in Estonia such as Kadri Voorand, Lembit Saarsalu, Villu Veski, Ain Agan and others. In addition, he has had international projects with, for example, Ian Ethan Case, Teemu Viinikainen, Mārcis Auziņš, Saulius Petreikis and others.

Andre Maaker will perform at this year’s festival with his new solo program. “Solo guitar is the core of my musical language and expression. Places, light and smells are stored in many stories. These components are often the source of my initial inspiration. In this way, a piece of tune is suddenly born, which gradually grows into a complete piece as it starts to accompany me,” says Maaker. That is why more and more original compositions have been added to the musician’s repertoire year by year. Maaker has released three albums with solo guitar (“Minu laulu pidu” 2014, “Andalusian Illusion ” 2016, “Meie laulu pidu” 2019) and a new album is expected soon.

Gambale is an inspired songwriter with more than 300 songs published on 20+ albums. His music touches on many styles from rock, funk and jazz to R&B and some Latin and Brazillian influences. His compositions showcase a dynamic range, from intricate and lightning-fast guitar solos to soulful and melodic passages, reflecting his deep musical sensibility.

As a legendary guitarist, Grammy Award Winner and three times Grammy Nominated, Gambale is an undisputed genius who originated the “Gambale Sweep Picking Technique” (an economy picking technique and a new way to play the instrument) and elevated it to a precise art form now standard in the guitar lexicon. The “Gambale Sweep Picking Technique” continues to inspire generations of musicians. Jazz, rock, metal and progressive artists alike are united in their awe of Frank as both an amazing technician and an unsurpassed musician.

In the early 1980s, Frank rose to prominence as a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band, contributing his exceptional skills to Grammy-winning albums that pushed the boundaries of fusion jazz. His solo career soared with the release of critically acclaimed albums such as “Brave New Guitar” and “Live!.”
Frank Gambale’s impact extends far beyond the stage and recording studio. His educational contributions, including instructional books and videos, have empowered generations of guitarists to develop their technical skills and artistic voice.

Whether weaving intricate guitar solos or crafting memorable compositions, Frank Gambale remains a guiding force in the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary music.
As a jazz legend, Chick Corea, described Frank this way: “Everything you touch with your guitar turns gold – always has.”

Frank Gambale – guitar, vocal
Jerry Leonide – keyboard
Dominique di Piazza – bass

Mandarones started playing in 2012 in Tartu. They are an instrumental compost, prog, and experimental rock band with a strong blues note in their music.

Although they are primarily a live band, they have released a full-length album “Aatomisõdalased” (2014) and an EP “Catharsis” (2018).

In Viljandi, the musicians share their work with the audience, ranging from instrumental blues to psychedelic prog rock. However, at any concert, they don’t set boundaries for themselves and strive to stay free and sense what is the vibe at the moment.

In 2023, Marcus Tuul was awarded the Tiit Paulus Young Guitarist Prize by the Viljandi Guitar Festival.

The concert will feature both Marcus’s original compositions and selections from the repertoire of his greatest idols, such as Barry Harris, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, and Tadd Dameron. With his music, the guitarist brings the improvisational techniques and sound of traditional jazz into a contemporary context through fresh compositions.

Marcus Tuul is a guitarist from Tartu who graduated the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy in the spring of 2023. In Estonia, his mentors have been Karl Laanekask, Andre Maaker, and Marek Talts. Additionally, he has furthered his studies through the Erasmus+ program at Metropolia University in Helsinki under the guidance of Jere Haakana.

Marcus has performed in various ensembles, including Ingrid Rabi Group, the party band Välk, INGRA, Anna Lea Haamer Quintet, Living Room Quintet, and Any Key Trio, with whom he recorded an original EP in 2022 and participated in the Novi Sad Jazz Marathon in Serbia. Starting in the fall of 2024, Tuul will pursue a master’s degree at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.

Máté Palásti is a Hungarian guitarist who has performed in Latin-America and in several European countries. He has had guitar tours in India with concerts and fingerstyle workshops. He has had an occasion to play music with Richard Bona, Paolo Vinaccia and other great musicians. After his first CD, he is working on his second album now. His style is a fusion of jazz, latin and flamenco music with improvisation based on gipsy roots – which makes his music unique.

The concert is supported by The Tallinn Liszt Institute – Hungarian Culture Centre’s.

“It’s Jazz. It just doesn’t sound like it” – this is how virtuoso guitarist Oz Noy describes his intoxicating blend of jazz, funk, rock, blues, and R&B.

Born in Israel, Oz started his professional career at the age of 13 playing jazz, blues, pop and rock music. By age 16, he was playing with top Israeli musicians and artists. By age 24, he was one of the most established studio guitar players in the country. Oz was also a member of the house band on Israel’s top-rated television show for more than two years.

Since his 1996 arrival in New York, Oz has made a huge impact on the local and international music scene. His unique and intoxicating style has broken all the rules of instrumental guitar music by focusing on the groove. All-stars such as Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Dave Weckl often contribute on drums, with bassists Will Lee, James Genus, and Reggie Washington.
Oz also conducts periodic master classes at The Collective School of Music (New York City), Musicians Institute (Los Angeles), and others.

For his accomplishments as a trend-setting guitarist, Oz won the highly acclaimed Guitar Player magazine readers poll for “Best guitar riff on a record” (2007), “Best new talent” (2008), and “Best out there guitar player” (2013).

During his career, Oz has released 14 albums.

Oz Noy has performed, toured and recorded with Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Gavin DeGraw, The Gil Evan Orchestra, Tom Scott, Don Was, Nelly Furtado, Natasha Bedingfield, Andy Grammer, Angelique Kidjo, Matisyahu, Jennifer Hudson, Patti Austin, Take 6, Michael Buble, Wiz Khalifa, Shelea, Jordin Sparks, Average White Band, Christopher Cross, TYP, Betty Buckley, Idina Menzel, Luke Nelson, Justin Timberlake, Bonnie Raitt, Lizzo, Dave Mathews, Cat Stevens, Scary Pockets among others.

Oz Noy – guitar
Jimmy Haslip – bass
Anton Fig – drums

Rainer Jancis is a guitarist and composer, known not only for his music with the famous rock band Metro Luminal but also for two acclaimed ballets he has composed over the years (“Dance Marathon,” “Rhinoceros” choreographed by Mai Murdmaa), both of which are major works featuring electric guitar used in various tunings and irregular time signatures. Additionally, Rainer is renowned for his spontaneous improvisational solo performances, where he creates music on the spot, and he has performed both in Estonia and abroad.

Rainer Jancis has come to the Guitar Festival to present his new vinyl record featuring a full-length solo performance, which includes a foot-operated drum kit he built himself, vocals, guitars in different tunings, and a special visual program, playing multiple instruments simultaneously.

“Guitar has always interested me as an orchestral instrument, and this is my take on a one-man band, which allows me to leave behind pre-recorded backing tracks and loopers and do it all myself in real-time,” adds the musician celebrating his fifty-fifth anniversary. “While drums and pedals have been used for foot-tapping before, I’ve developed a more refined method of controlling percussion. I also use real-time sampling of drum hits from my guitar playing, effectively becoming my own metronome.”

Toomas Vanem’s performance is something for the aficionados of progressive instrumental music – he has blended heavy metal rock with electric jazz-rock fusion, forming a tough yet distinctive whole. Such music conveys deep emotions, amidst which influences from the Orient and of course jazz can be heard. The guitarist has collaborated with world-renowned names such as Ritchie Kotzen, Nicko McBrain, Mattias IA Eklundh, Stuart Hamm, Virgil Donati, Alex Argento. At the concert, you can hear how the musician opens up to the audience and tells his story through his characteristic guitar handling and musical language.

In April 2024, Toomas Vanem’s solo album “Confession” was released. What is confessed on this album, the author will not elaborate. Instead, he leaves the listener free to let their imagination soar, to contemplate and philosophize. And to discover THAT in the music itself.

Toomas Vanem – guitar
Kaarel Liiv – bass
Andrus Lillepea – drums
Andrus Rannaääre – keyboard