On a warm April evening in Tashkent, thousands of people gathered outside the Palace of International Forums for the opening days of the International Jazz Festival.
Some stood close to the stage, while others sat on the grass with friends and family spread across the open space behind them.
On giant screens flanking the stage, close-up shots of Stanley Clarke’s band showed musicians fully absorbed in the performance.
Among the crowd, seasoned jazz listeners stood alongside people experiencing the genre for the first time, separated by age and familiarity, but watching the same stage.
Clarke has four Grammy awards, recorded music for more than five decades and collaborated with artists including Miles Davis and the Rolling Stones.
