Last night, the “Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival” featured distinctive rhythms and a highly energetic performance.

The Elona Islamaj Quintet brought vibrant sounds to the third day of the festival. Led by an idea from Andi Kongo, the group’s pianist and arranger, the quintet performed a repertoire from the famous Italo-American composer Harry Warren, who was of Arbëresh descent from Civita (Calabria).

Warren composed music for Broadway shows and over 50 Hollywood films, winning 3 Oscars and earning 11 nominations for Best Song.

Alongside popular songs like “At Last,” “That’s Amore,” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” many of his works have become part of the Standard Jazz repertoire, performed by world-class jazz musicians such as Ellington, Armstrong, Miller, Waller, Monk, Davis, Evans, and others.

Elona balances her passion between classical music and jazz/blues singing, showcasing her warm vocal tone. She is currently a violinist in the Albanian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra.

Elona Islamaj was joined by: Andi Kongo, a jazz pianist, conductor, and composer with extensive experience in both Albania and Italy, and a professor of Jazz Music at the University of Arts; Arbin Alimeri, one of the pioneering jazz bassists in Albania and a double bassist at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet; Emiljan Dhimo, a jazz drummer with many years of experience on national and international stages, and a professor of Jazz Percussion at the University of Arts; and Eno Gjoka, a promising young saxophonist who studied in Austria and has a rich artistic background.

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