Uri Caine Trio plays Raimonds Pauls. Brīnumu laukums at Hanzas Perons

A Pinch of Surprise for Latvian Music Fans
To close the season, on June 7, the cultural venue Hanzas perons will host the exceptional pianist, composer, and jazz musician Uri Caine for the first time in Latvia. Together with his trio and Latvian saxophonist Kārlis Auziņš, Caine will perform specially prepared jazz suites by Maestro Raimonds Pauls.

This concert marks the beginning of a new initiative at Perons – Brīnumu laukums (“Wonder Square”) – a series of events offering unexpected and surprising perspectives on Latvian popular, or as it was once known, “estrade” music. In this first edition, the spotlight is on a virtual meeting of jazz greats from different generations – musicians who may not have known of each other’s work until now, yet whose contributions to the genre, in their respective contexts, are invaluable. The scenography of Brīnumu laukums is created by artist Rūdolfs Bekičs.

There’s little point in trying to wax poetic to introduce Maestro Pauls to Latvian audiences, or to explain why “legendary” and “virtuosic” are appropriate terms for Uri Caine. Still, for clarity, a brief overview of both artists and the event is worthwhile.

Uri Caine was born on June 8, 1956, in Philadelphia, USA. Like many others, he began piano lessons at the age of seven. Sixty-two years later, he is known as one of the most vibrant and free-thinking pianists, jazz performers, and composers of his generation. Caine fearlessly and respectfully travels between genres – from classical to klezmer, to jungle and drum ‘n’ bass collaborations – combining them all into bold artistic statements that challenge musical orthodoxy. His jazz-infused interpretations of Mahler, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations, and other classical repertoire have provoked controversy among traditionalists, yet it is this daring, humble, and singular approach that makes Caine so exceptional.

It is no coincidence that Caine and his collaborators have been invited to reimagine some of Maestro Pauls’ lesser-known early works for a Latvian audience.

Let’s go back to 1964 – the year young Uri was just beginning to learn piano. Around that time, Raimonds Pauls became the leader of the Riga Estrada Orchestra and, in 1965 and 1966, recorded several instrumental suites with his trio at Latvian Radio. According to sources, “these stylistically diverse compositions were first performed at the Great Hall of the Latvian Philharmonic in 1967.” Decades later, in 2021, the label Jersika Records restored and re-released this material, drawing renewed attention to this significant page in Latvian music history – emotionally rich, melodically simple compositions where sentiment meets elegance and virtuosity. It is no exaggeration to say that The Lost Latvian Radio Studio Sessions 1965/1966 firmly establish Pauls not only as a beloved pop songwriter but also as a remarkable jazz composer and pianist with a unique voice.

Fast forward to February 23, 2025: saxophonist Kārlis Auziņš receives the Grand Music Award, Latvia’s highest state honor in music. While such recognition is important, it’s not just the award or the statuette that makes Auziņš a significant figure in his generation – it is the path he has carved from Madona to Copenhagen and back. His quiet, patient focus on the world bursts forth in performance and composition – as a fearless improviser and a mature, refined composer.

And so we return to the word fearless. Two fearless artists – Uri Caine and Kārlis Auziņš – join forces on one stage for what is likely a one-time-only concert performance, offering their own fresh perspective on a lesser-known chapter in Latvian music: Raimonds Pauls’ jazz suites, originally recorded with Aivars Timšs, Haralds Brando, Gunārs Gailītis, and Aleksandrs Piščikovs.

Details:

• Doors open at 18:00

• A limited number of numbered and unnumbered seats available

• Ticket prices will increase closer to the event

In proud partnership with Konventa Sēta Hotel & Pillar.lv