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Ella Zirina – The rising star on jazz guitar
The 27-year-old Latvian jazz guitarist and composer Ella Zirina is without a doubt one of the most exciting talents on the European jazz scene. She may have only switched from piano to guitar around 10 years ago, but her impressive development and unique sound language have quickly established her as a major player on the international scene, performing at renowned venues such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Cologne Jazzweek and the Oslo Jazz Festival.
Ella has worked with many renowned musicians such as Jesse van Ruller, Sun-Mi Hong, Reinier Baas, Ben van Gelder, Tineke Postma, Pablo Held and Yuri Honing, developing her own distinctive voice in the process. In 2023, she completed her master’s degree with distinction at the Amsterdam Music Conservatory and was part of the Bimhuis talent development project “New Makers”. Her debut album “Intertwined”, which was created in a trio with Tineke Postma as a guest soloist, inspired with sensitive compositions, virtuoso guitar playing and great emotional depth. There is no doubt that this is an extraordinary new voice in jazz. Audiences and the press agree, as evidenced by the fact that Intertwined was nominated for the Edison Jazz Award.
With Unraveler, her second album (released in December 2023 and “release of the week” by gitarist.nl magazine), Ella impressively demonstrated the maturity and complexity of her artistic expression. The result: international attention and appearances at renowned festivals.
In 2024, she released her second trio album “Boundless Blue, Sunset Hue”, on which she collaborated with illustrious guest musicians such as Otis Sandsjö. “Seemingly effortlessly and very relaxed, she shows what she has to offer in eleven of her own pieces. And that’s quite a lot. She sounds as if she has been playing her instrument for many decades, in a lush free style.” (Jazzflits CD review)
Ella Zirina will kick off the jazz festival on 20.11.2025 with her solo show, bringing her unparalleled creativity and joy of playing to the stage.
Lucía Boffo arbeitet mit verschiedenen Formationen auf der Bühne und im Studio und hat mit diesen für die Labels “El Club del Disco” und “Inparmaint” diverse Produktionen aufgenommen. Dazu gehören Mingunos (Nonet-Hommage an Charles Mingus), Tomás Fares & The Sindicalistas, das Vokal-Jazz-Trio HIP SISTA und das Duo Andrés Marino & Lucía Boffo.
Sie trat bereits auf Jazzfestivals in ganz Argentinien auf (Ushuaia, Santa Fe, Ramallo, Córdoba, Mendoza, Mar del Plata, etc.), dem Internationalen Jazzfestival von Buenos Aires und nahm mehrmals am Encuentro Jazz a la Calle in Uruguay teil.
Seit einigen Jahren lebt sie in Berlin, wo sie am Jazzinstitut Berlin (JIB) ein Masterstudium absolviert.
Beim rejazz-festival tritt Lucía Boffo am 15.11.23 auf im Duo mit Andrés Marino.