If you are in New York, do not miss the chance to attend a series of concerts in the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club on August 16-21 involving a top Georgian musician and international jazz legends.
Grammy award winner and 19-time Grammy nominee guitar player Lee Ritenour has chosen bright jazz star Giorgi Mikadze of Georgia to be part of the main rhythm section as the pianist.
It’s also been announced iconic composer and arranger Dave Grusin will be a special guest for the last three performances on August 19-21.
The collaboration between Mikadze and Ritenour started in 2014 when the young Georgian artist won the Six String Theory competition, founded by Ritenour four years before.
"Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin are the artists who influenced my music a lot,” Mikadze told Agenda.ge today.
I was listening to their records throughout my childhood so now to share the stage with them brings me huge happiness and its big challenge and great responsibility at the same time,” he said of his participation in the concert series.
Last month Mikadze became the first Georgian artist to sign a contact with globally renowned musical instrument company Yamaha, joining a list of internationally acclaimed artists including Alicia Keys, Chick Corea, and Jamie Cullum.
The young artist's global career was heavily supported by a financial contribution from the Georgian Government's International Education Centre (IEC), established in 2014 to fund the Masters or doctoral study costs of Georgian citizens at leading international universities.
Mikadze, a 2014-2016 beneficiary of the IEC, also holds three Bachelor degrees in Classical Music, Composition and Performance from Tbilisi State Conservatory in Georgia and the Berkley College of Music in Boston, US.
See the Blue Note Jazz Club schedule of concerts and book you tickets here.