British guitar improvisation master Fred Frith will perform at the jubilee 30th “Ring Ring” Festival at the Jewish Cultural Center in Belgrade on the opening night, May 20, 2026.
Fred Frith, born in 1949 in England, is one of today’s leading authorities in free, avant-garde, experimental, and improvised music. He began his progressive musical journey with the band Henry Cow before moving to the United States in 1978, where he continued his career as a guitarist and later as a professor at Mills College.
An innovator, improviser, and leader of numerous ensembles, Frith has become one of the most influential guitarists of his generation, exploring a wide range of genres including jazz, folk, and blues. As a composer, he is also recognized in film, dance, and theatre.
To date, Frith has released 87 albums of improvised and applied music, in addition to numerous guest appearances and contributions to compilations. He has collaborated with some of the biggest names in avant-garde music, including Robert Wyatt, John Zorn, Brian Eno, Iva Bittová, and many others.
At 77 years old, Frith shows no signs of slowing down – he currently has over 40 performances scheduled for the first half of 2026 alone.
Frith has previously performed in Belgrade twice, in July 1987 and May 2005. His return to Serbia after two decades represents an event that fans should not miss.
In an email to the organizers, Frith wrote: “I dreamt that you contacted me to ask about Ring Ring 2026, but I could find no trace of this. I tried to contact you via the Ring Ring site but never received a reply. In any case, if this was not a dream and you are interested in me doing a solo at Ring Ring this year, I would be happy to oblige!”
Jazz critic Vojislav Pantić, reviewing Frith’s performance at the 10th Ring Ring (Popboks, May 27, 2005), wrote: “Here, however, there is no pretense – you see a living man, you see him do all this before you, and you wonder – can small balls, shot, or yellow sugar (I tried to see what it was, and I’m still not sure) that Frith takes out of a tin really make a bunch of magnets and strings play, shaping organized sound?”
Reflecting on the first 15 years of the festival, Vladimir Skočajić – Skoča (B92, May 12, 2010) noted: “…in a packed Rex, the legendary Fred Frith performed (among the audience was also Rambo Amadeus), visually showing us like a magician revealing his tricks how the sounds that marked the second part of his career are created.”
Tickets for the festival evening on May 20 at the Jewish Cultural Center, which includes Fred Frith’s solo performance as the second concert of the night, are available online via Tickets.rs. Ticket prices are 1200 RSD in advance, and 1500 RSD after April 5.
The most dedicated Ring Ring fans, who trust the programming taste of artistic director Bojan Đorđević, can purchase a full festival pass for 4200 RSD in advance, or 5000 RSD after April 5.
The 30th Ring Ring Festival will take place from May 20–24, 2026, with the full program announced on April 5.
The festival is organized by Ring Ring Association.
Links:
Fred Frith Website >> ǀ Ring Ring Association Website >> ǀ Facebook Event >> ǀ Tickets >>
