Jazz, rock and Salvador Dali in Skopje

03/11/2009

A jazz concert and exhibit of renowned artist Salvador Dali's work drew large crowds to the Macedonian capital.

By Marina Stojanovska for Southeast European Times in Skopje—03/11/09

Bassist Stanley Clarke and pianist Chick Corea (left) perform at the Skopje Jazz Festival. [Getty Images]

The 2009 Skopje Jazz Festival, which was held from October 22nd to the 26th, featured the jazz trio of pianist Chick Corea, bass player Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White. The trio wowed the audience during the three-hour finale of the 28th edition of the festival.

This year's performance was Corea's second at the event. He played solo at his first festival performance.

The festival opened with a concert featuring the Macedonian-Italian trio The Skopje Connection at the Army Hall. The second evening, titled "Women in Jazz", was dedicated to Japanese piano player Aki Takase and Marilyn Mazur -- nicknamed the "Percussion Queen", and the third evening hosted US guests such as the New York-based James Carter Quintet.

Percussionist Zoran Madzirov, the Toni Kitanovski Trio and young Brazilian guitarist Chico Pinheiro played at the Hard Rock Club.

For rockers, legendary band ZZ Top performed on October 22nd at Boris Trajkovski Sports Hall. The long-bearded rockers have been on the music scene for about 40 years.

Art lovers did not go without this autumn. A spectacular exhibition titled "The Divine Comedy" composed of 100 lithographs, 15 graphics, and other painted ceramics of eccentric Spanish artist Salvador Dali opened at Skopje's Museum of Contemporary Art.

The collection belongs to Czech gallery owner Zdenek Konicek. Every artefact bears a Dali signature and is therefore treated as an original.

The first day of the exhibition drew a record number of visitors --1,200 -- reflecting Skopje's hunger for such cultural treats.

Admission was free, to allow a maximum number of visitors to see works by the 20th century Surrealist master.