WARSAW SUMMER JAZZ DAYS

July means Jazz in Warsaw and the beginning of the month marks the start of the city's legendary Summer Jazz Days. Opening the festival on July 1st is the Wadada Leo Smith Golden Quintet with Shannon Jackson, the World Saxophone Quartet, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Fans of the late, great Nina Simone will be thrilled at the lineup of of the next concert on the 2nd including Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves, Lizz Wright and Lisa Celeste Stroud performing "Sing the Truth - The music of Nina Simone". Another highlight of the festival is the Zorn Fest on July 3rd, celebrating the music of the hugely influential avant-garde composer and saxophonist John Zorn who will also perform on this day with his Zorn Quartet. As is tradition, a few concerts will be held in the Congress Hall of the Palace of Culture and Science (tickets 80 to 180 zloty), with at least one mass event open to the public at the Plac Zamkowy in the Old Town.