Anna Wibe and Ventspils Big Band – Spectrum is a series of original compositions by Anna Wibe, created especially for the Ventspils Big Band and featuring piano, vocals, and trumpet as solo instruments. In the summer of 2026, the program’s recording is planned to be released in album format, including compositions in a modern jazz style that sound unique, fresh, and contemporary. The compositions are designed to highlight the big band wind section with musically rich and diverse timbres, as well as the rhythm section and especially the piano, showcasing both technical and rhythmic skills, and giving soloists freedom for improvisation and expressive sound.
The following soloists have been invited to participate in this project:
Singer Linda Kanter from Estonia, who has proven herself to be a highly virtuosic and talented performer both in the Baltic states and beyond.
Trumpeter Gatis Gorkuša – a Latvian trumpeter and laureate of several international competitions, who is currently very active in concerts with various well-known Latvian ensembles, including the Latvian Radio Big Band and The Sound Poets, among others.
The Ventspils Big Band is led by saxophonist Renārs Lācis, who has participated in numerous significant projects in Latvian jazz history, including the City Jazz Big Band (with which he received the Latvian Music Recording of the Year award in 2012), the Latvian Radio Big Band, the Silvesteri Orkesteri, and others. His name in Latvia is associated not only with an excellent performer, but also with a distinguished jazz educator and big band leader, who regularly collaborates with internationally and locally recognized soloists, thus contributing to the growth and professional sound of the Ventspils Big Band.
The Ventspils Big Band is a high-level musical ensemble consisting of both young and talented students and graduates of the Ventspils Music High School, as well as professional musicians. It is one of the cornerstones of Ventspils’ cultural life.
Anna Wibe is a jazz pianist and composer from Latvia who has participated in various musical projects both in the Baltic states and in Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and Bangladesh. In 2020, Anna released her debut CD album – Anna Wibe – Vibes.
