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By:
Besarte Elshani
- March 22 2026 22: 00
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Multiple winner of the biggest award in music like “Grammy” is just a proof of the level of the American group “Snarky Puppy” and in its “biography” now also Mitrovica is included. September will bring it to “Mitrovica International Jazz Days”, the date has already been confirmed. “This year's edition of 'Mitrovica International Jazz Days' will be dedicated to young musicians who have changed the perception of jazz music, as is the case with 'Snarky Puppy'. Through this program we aim to present artists who are taking this genre in new directions and bringing it closer to new audiences”, said the festival director, Rona Nishliu
On the world music map – where the rhythms of big cities pulsate with the energy of prestigious stages – this year Mitrovica is also there. As part of the “Mitrovica International Jazz Days” festival, the famous American band “Snarky Puppy” will perform for the first time in Kosovo. Date: September 16. The band, which in the jazz world sounds like a powerful spirit of creativity, brings the story to Kosovo through the improvisational musical genre.
"Mitrovica International Jazz Days" was a hit from the start, bringing music legend Richard Bona to August 2023.
For three consecutive editions, it has brought the echo of jazz music and song to the northern city of Kosovo. And in the fourth, it aims not only to bring a concert that is expected to be unforgettable for those who like jazz, but also a moment that adds a new chapter to the history of this genre in the country.
For the Festival organizers, this is an important step that places Mitrovica on a special cultural itinerary in Europe.
"Bringing 'Snarky Puppy' to 'Mitrovica International Jazz Days' is a very important moment for the cultural scene in Kosovo. Being part of their European tour, Mitrovica automatically ranks on the list of European cities and metropolises where the band is performing this year. What makes it even more special is the fact that this is the only location in the Western Balkans on this tour. This shows that our festival is gaining international trust and attention, and is the result of a long work and effort to bring a band of this level to Mitrovica," said the festival director, Rona Nishliu.
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“Snarky Puppy” is coming to Kosovo as part of a world tour this year that kicked off on March 13 with a concert in Miami. The jazz-fusion band led by bassist Michael League will continue the tour in the United States of America, and then move on to present the works in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. In Europe, it will hold concerts in Italy, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and beyond.
They will arrive in Mitrovica on September 16th, and two days later, they will continue their tour in Istanbul, while on September 19th they will perform in Athens. The tour will continue in other American states and conclude on October 22nd.
In an era when jazz is perceived as the refined language of elite scenes, the arrival of the five-time Grammy-winning band arouses public interest that has already begun to be felt as a wave, perhaps extending beyond the borders of Kosovo. Athens and Mitrovica are the only destinations in the Balkans where the distinguished band stops. And the interest in attending the concert does not stop only with the audience in Kosovo.
"Interest in the 'Snarky Puppy' concert within the framework of the 'Mitrovica International Jazz Days' has already begun. The interest comes mainly from the audience in Macedonia but also from Albania. This shows that the event is being perceived as an important musical moment for the jazz audience and not only", said Nishliu.
This early interest makes the space where the concert is expected to take place even more symbolic. In the heart of the city, greenery and citizens are expected to meet with music on an open stage.
"Given the great interest and the lack of large concert spaces in the city, we think that the City Park is a worthy space for a satisfactory number of audiences," said Nishliu.
In the first edition of the festival, two of the members of this band – Bill Laurance and Michael League, who leads the band “Snarky Puppy” – were in Mitrovica at a concert where, in addition to them, two other musical groups had performed. The two composers, producers and poly-instrumentalists had taken the audience on a journey through music to imaginary places full of beauty and peace.
Bill Laurance, who played the piano, said that peace was the main goal of making music in Mitrovica.
"It is a great privilege for us to play here in this first edition, to be a supporter of the Festival. I heard about the recent events here and I found myself playing differently because of this. I was inspired to convey a kind of peace. I had the feeling of a powerful and important concert. We play everywhere, but this concert was very special," he said.
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The music was entirely from their album “Where you wish you were”. They also performed “Anthem for a tiny nation”, “Sant Esteve”, “Ngoni baby”, “Duo”, “Meeting of the mind”, “Tricks”, “Bricks” and “Round House”.
American Michael League, who played guitar, considered the concert in Mitrovica special.
"As musicians we travel the world, we play many concerts and every night is different, the audience always changes. But it was a special feeling tonight, I believe because the Festival is a new thing and it is something that Rona has done with love. I could feel everyone's gratitude from the stage," he said.
This concert, as Nishliu noted, was a kind of reference for the introduction of Mitrovica as one of the band's tour destinations.
"After the concert, we talked and when the European tour was first organized, this one in August/September 2026, they included Mitrovica," she said in a response to KOHA.
But this year's festival is not just a celebration of a big band. It is a tribute to a new generation of musicians. The fourth edition of the festival is being organized in September of this year.
"This year's edition of 'Mitrovica International Jazz Days' will be dedicated to young musicians who have changed the perception of jazz music, as is the case with 'Snarky Puppy'. Through this program we aim to present artists who are taking this genre in new directions and bringing it closer to new audiences," said Nishliu.
He has announced a rich artistic program.
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"This year's festival will take place over three nights with a rich artistic program. The third night will be a surprise and a special gift from us to the Mitrovica audience. Unfortunately, at this moment we cannot share more details, but we will soon reveal more about it," she said.
In Mitrovica, "Snarky Puppy" is expected to make the audience part of a musical journey that goes from improvisation to emotion.
