Viorel Grecu participated, with the support of the Union of Interpretive Creation of Musicians in Romania (UICMR), in the annual meeting of jazz producers in Ljubljana organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

The annual meeting of jazz producers organized by the European Broadcasting Union took place in the Slovenian capital. Good morning, Viorel! So, today, instead of the Romanian Jazz Society, we have the European Jazz Society. What was the atmosphere like and what can you tell us about this meeting in Ljubljana?

Good morning, Liviu! Good morning to all Radio România Muzical listeners! It was a very pleasant atmosphere, a new experience for me. I had the opportunity to meet colleagues from all over Europe, talk to them, and attend two interesting concerts with the Euroradio Jazz Orchestra, a youth orchestra that celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. There were two concerts, one on Monday evening in Ljubljana, which was broadcast live on Radio România Muzical, and the second on Tuesday in Zagreb. The musicians are selected by jazz producers from radio stations across Europe. Unfortunately, we did not have a representative at this edition, but I hope that this will change in future editions.

Who did you get to hear at these two concerts? Who did you meet there? Are there any names we know from the jazz world?

No, they are young musicians under the age of 30 from several European countries. There was a selection process. Our colleagues from radio stations across Europe each proposed an artist. Slovenia, which organized the event, chose a conductor, Matjaž Mikuletič, who is the conductor of the Slovenian Radio and Television Big Band. He composed some songs. On May 7th, the musicians came from all over Europe, rehearsed, and thus this concert was born, which took place on Monday evening with a rehearsal on Tuesday. These are musicians who, perhaps at the moment, don't mean much to many people, but who knows, they may be the future stars of European jazz. In any case, there was a lot of talent, a lot of energy, a youthful spirit, and the openness that comes with this age, and it was really very enjoyable. I was delighted to hear musicians from all over Europe playing together.

And what about the second concert?

The second concert featured the same program in Zagreb. We took a trip there on Tuesday evening to perform at a club. In Ljubljana, the venue was closer to a concert hall, although it was a multifunctional space that could be rearranged as an art gallery and so on, but it had the acoustics necessary for a concert hall. In Zagreb, we were in a club called Kontesa, very elegant, very spacious, built to New York club standards, like the Village Vanguard, with a stage large enough to accommodate a big band. Somehow, I couldn't figure out how it would sound, with so many brass instruments and electric instruments, I thought it would be very loud, it would sound a bit strange in that space, but no, the sound system and acoustics of the venue made this big band concert sound excellent, I would even give that concert in Zagreb a few points more than the one in Ljubljana.

A youthful atmosphere, wouldn't you say?

Yes, yes, yes. The concert in Zagreb had an advantage, being the second one, the orchestra was even more polished after the two concerts.

At the end of the interview, I would like to ask you for a conclusion. What are we left with after this jazz meeting in Ljubljana?

Personally, besides the music I heard, I also appreciate the connections I made with my colleagues. At this meeting, I learned a lot about how they work. Unfortunately, I also heard about the problems faced by radio stations in many European countries. But all in all, it was a huge gain for me. As a radio broadcaster, it will count in the way I do my job. And I hope to be in Latvia again in 2027.

Thank you, Viorel, for joining us on Radio România Muzical's morning show, and have a safe trip back home.

Before concluding, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to UICMR for facilitating this trip.