The unforgettable concert of Chick Corea and Steve Kujala in July 1984 was a reminder that jazz should occupy a bigger part in the Istanbul Festival, and that the musical spectrum of the Festival should be extended to cover many other musical styles. The number of concerts under the heading of jazz, rock and pop grew in number every year. As the years went by, "jazz" also went beyond the limits of its literal meaning, and the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts announced that the 1st International Istanbul Jazz Festival was to be held as a separate event. One of the best organized festivals in Europe, the International Istanbul Jazz Festival has brought renowned artists like Eric Clapton, Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry, Massive Attack, Björk, Deep Forest, Dead Can Dance, Loreena McKennitt, Suzanne Vega, Patti Smith, Bobby McFerrin, Randy Crawford, The Manhattan Transfer, Jan Garbarek, Keith Jarrett, Wynton Marsalis, Goran Bregovich, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau to Istanbul’s music lovers.

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