Veronika ChiChi – vocals
Dmitrij Golovanov – keyboards
Jan Maksimovič – saxophone
Free admission
For several years now, the spring edition of Kaunas Jazz has concluded with a concert at the Kaunas Oncology Hospital—expressing gratitude for the hard daily work of the medical staff and honoring the memory of long-time Kaunas Jazz artistic director Indrė Jučaitė-Sarneckienė.
This year, the concert will be presented by three well-known Lithuanian jazz musicians, familiar to the Kaunas Jazz audience, introducing their programme “Life is Beautiful” (“Gyvenimas yra gražus”).
Two of them are a couple not only on stage, but in everyday life as well. Singer Veronika ChiChi and pianist Dmitrij Golovanov have been performing together for years, creating music full of surprises and vibrant colors.
Veronika is one of the most prominent jazz vocalists in the country today and a member of the retro swing vocal group The Ditties. In 2018, with her international quartet, she released the album “Singer of a 1000 Faces,” a symbolic title as her voice effortlessly adapts to diverse genres, moods, and nuances. Together with Dmitrij Golovanov, she released the album “Dedication” in 2016, and in 2021 presented an exceptionally cozy programme, “Jazz from Home” (conceived during challenging pandemic times for listeners missing live music). The singer’s quintet album “Namai” (Home) was released in 2022. Veronika has performed at numerous jazz festivals across Europe, the US, and China, including performances with the contemporary opera “Have a Good Day!” (“Geros dienos!”).
Dmitrij Golovanov is one of the leaders of contemporary Lithuanian jazz (a status reflected off-stage by his role as President of the Lithuanian Jazz Federation). A virtuosic pianist fluent in the language of jazz, he has shone at the legendary Montreux Festival and various European jazz competitions. The Lithuanian Musicians’ Union has honored him with the Golden Disc Award, and the Birštonas Jazz Festival presented him with the Grand Prix for his contributions to jazz. Dmitrij Golovanov is an active participant in numerous jazz projects and bands.
Creative projects also link him closely with saxophonist Jan Maksimovič, who joins the family duo for this programme. Dmitrij and Jan’s duo has spanned two decades, and their album “After Čiurlionis,” featuring improvisations inspired by M. K. Čiurlionis’s masterpieces, was nominated for a M.A.M.A. music award. A brilliant and expressive improviser, Jan Maksimovič is recognized as a leader of his own bands and has performed with many of the most prominent Lithuanian and international jazz artists.
The programme to be performed at Kaunas Jazz consists of original compositions performed in Lithuanian as well as world-renowned jazz standards celebrating the beauty of life, its joys, and uplifting emotions. A gentle, luminous festival step into the upcoming summer, guided by three stellar Lithuanian jazz figures.