With
Maestro Raimonds Pauls, piano
Kristīne Prauliņa, vocals
Latvian Radio Big Band

The greatest Latvian music composer in the fields of popular music, jazz, and classical music is the pianist Raimonds Pauls (born 1936). His rich, creative imagination has combined the intonations of Latvian folk music, jazz, blues, rock’n’roll, French chansons, German Schläger, and popular songs with elements of worldwide trends, always managing to create modern, interesting, and democratic music for everyone. The Maestro has composed music for films, theatre, ballet, and musicals.

In 1966, the Latvian Radio Big Band was founded in 1966, but disbanded in 1996. However, since 2012, after a sixteen-year break, the legendary jazz band has resumed its active creative existence. The leader of the Latvian Radio Big Band is the artistic director of the Rīgas Ritmi (Riga Rhythms) international music festival, Māris Briežkalns, and the conductor is Kārlis Vanags. The big band performs quality jazz music concerts and recordings in collaboration with world class artistsincluding jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, drummer Jojo Mayer, vocal band New York Voices, and Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and flugelhornist, Randy Brecker.

Kristīne Prauliņa performs in Latvia as a solo artist and abroad with a gospel choir and various jazz, blues and pop bands. In 2013, she won the Ghetto Games vocalist contest, a street sports and culture movement event, as the best performer, and the prize was shooting a music video in New York, USA. She has taken part in several concerts with the Latvian Radio Big Band and maestro Raimonds Pauls. Prauliņa is also a Grand Prix winner at the international jazz artist contest, Riga Jazz Stage 2014.

 Tickets available on the Flagey web page.