Free jazz in Prague's Old Town to mark the launch of the Czech EU presidency

This year's Bohemia JazzFest will be held in the center of Prague. The city has announced it will organize the festival and open it to the public for free. The festival this year will honor the Czech presidency of the EU Council.

Taking place from July 11-12 the 17th annual outing of the jazz fest brings local and international jazz stars to the Czech capital and a number of other cities across the country.

"Prague is becoming the European capital of jazz, and that's why I'm glad we decided to hold the festival this year right on the Old Town Square," said councilor Jan Chabr.

The councilor added that the concerts will be a symbol of the Czech EU Presidency. "The Old Town Square will be for these two days the cultural voice of the whole of Europe," he said.

The Bohemia JazzFest is an open-air music production held in city centers and historical squares, bringing world-class jazz to cities around the Czech Republic with both Czech and international musicians performing.

The festival will also take place in Pilsen, Liberec, Hluboká nad Vltavou, Domažlice, and Brno.

In Prague, the festival kicks off with a performance by Czech folk icon Iva Bittová. She will appear with the Czech-American composer, pianist, and electronic music producer Antonín Fajt. U.S. musician Julian Lange is also slated to perform as well as musicians from Spain, Poland, and Italy.