The three-day festival, taking place at a covered venue in the town's central square, will get under way with a concert by the Big Band RTV Slovenija, followed by a quartet led by Slovenia's foremost jazz guitarist Samo Šalamon.

Closing the first day will be a trio featuring Hailu Mergia, one of the pioneers of ethio-jazz.

The Šalter Ensemble, a project comprising experienced members of the improvised and experimental music scenes in Switzerland, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, will be the first to take the stage on Friday.

The celebrated US trio Smith/Taborn/Maneri will follow with compositions interlaced with free improvisation, while the evening will come to a close with a fusion of jazz, rock and electronic music by the Portuguese RED trio featuring Finnish guitarist Raoul Björkenheim.

The main part of the closing evening will start with another internationally acclaimed Slovenian musician, pianist Kaja Draklser who is bringing to Cerkno an octet of musicians active in Amsterdam.

Draksler will be followed by the lauded US quartet around cellist Tomeka Reid, producing a melange of jazz, new classical music and improvisation, while the final, more catchy note, will be given to the festival by the young Finnish trio Mopo.

A number of accompanying events are on the programme as well, including a photo exhibition featuring the work of Slovenia's leading music photographer Žiga Koritnik and his students and a debate on jazz and improvisation in the media.