By Marc Loison 
In Brezoi, Romania, people come for the blues and return for the people. Since 2017, Mihai Razvan Mugescu has turned the festival into a meeting place for fans from more than thirty countries. Ahead of its anniversary edition in 2027, he tells Blues Actu about the community that has grown around the concerts and reveals the first names on the bill.
Mihai Razvan Mugescu is one of the driving forces behind the development of blues in Romania. A concert promoter, cultural manager and live music entrepreneur, he is best known as the founder and director of the Open Air Blues Festival Brezoi, now one of Europe’s major blues gatherings. Based in Râmnicu Vâlcea, he discovered Western music after the fall of Romania’s communist regime. His passion for rock and blues gradually led him to put on concerts.
🎤 Mihai Razvan Mugescu in conversation with Marc Loison
You founded the Open Air Blues Festival Brezoi in 2017. The quality of the lineup and the welcome are part of its success. What else made the 2026 edition work so well?
The lineup matters enormously: the bigger the names on the bill, the more enthusiastic the audience. But to my mind, the festival’s real strength, what makes it so special to us, is the community we’re building around it. It has grown over the years.
In 2027, it will be ten years since we began organizing this outdoor blues festival, and we keep growing that community year after year. In Romanian, it’s called “Brezoiulumi,” meaning “Brezoi of the World.” We didn’t come up with it ourselves. It happened naturally: someone said it, and it became part of our identity. People started saying, “I’m going to Brezoiulumi,” or “I’m going to Brezoi of the World.” It became “Brezoi of the World” because, for many years now, an international community has joined the Romanian one.
People from more than 30 countries have attended the festival in recent years. Those who came at the beginning return every year, bringing other friends and blues fans with them. Brezoi’s reputation has spread internationally, and that’s not something you can create with a lineup, good sound or a great stage alone. It takes years to build. More and more blues fans come to Brezoi every year, mainly, I think, because of the community that has formed around the festival.
In my view, they’re some of the friendliest people you could meet. There’s a feeling of peace and love throughout the festival site. I think that’s what makes it so special. Of course, as organizers, we help create that. But seeing it come from the people makes us very proud: they talk, make friends year after year and return to Brezoi looking forward to seeing friends they haven’t met in a long time.
Irish singer Kaz Hawkins is part of the Brezoi experience too. What do you remember about the tribute to Gary Moore that you created together in 2026?
Kaz Hawkins and I came up with the idea after the 2025 edition of the festival.
On the last night, we danced and celebrated a little. We were listening to good music and enjoying ourselves because the festival had gone well and was coming to an end. We wondered what to play next. I said, “Gary Moore.” She said, “Oh man, I love Gary Moore!” And I replied, “I love Gary Moore even more than you do, Kaz!” That was when we knew we wanted to do something special with his music.
A simple idea became a major event in 2026 involving many artists. It took a tremendous amount of preparation. I wanted Romanian artists to be part of it. We wanted Gary’s legacy at the heart of the project, and by that I mean Jack Moore. Gary Moore‘s son took part, along with guitarists we knew and admired, such as Ben Poole. We would have liked Dom Martin to join us, but he couldn’t make it. Danny Bryant was there, as were some excellent Romanian guitarists. The rhythm section was Romanian. It took a lot of work and rehearsal: we had to get together several weeks before the festival to prepare the show.
That tribute to Gary Moore will remain a special moment for us and for the audience.
Could the tribute be performed on other European stages?
We certainly didn’t invent the idea. Tributes to Gary Moore had taken place all over the world, in many different settings, long before ours. It wasn’t unique in itself. It became unique because of what we made of it. We created it for Brezoi 2026. It could certainly happen elsewhere. I’m convinced that Gary Moore‘s music and legacy will live on through other tributes around the world.
I don’t know whether we can do it again, and that wasn’t the plan. We never intended to take it beyond Brezoi. It was a moment of its own. It will remain special for us and for the people who were there that night. What is certain is that Gary Moore‘s music will live on for a long time. This was our way of paying tribute to one of the greatest guitarists we’ve had.
The musicians come from several countries. Would it be difficult to bring them together again?
Some of the artists were already booked to play Brezoi in 2026. Kaz Hawkins was there, and Tommy, who came from Australia, was planning to attend the festival. That made the project possible, even though it still took an enormous amount of work behind the scenes.
What does the European Blues Union mean in practical terms for a festival like Brezoi?
I can’t speak for every festival, but personally, as the person running the Brezoi festival, joining the European Blues Union introduced us to a wonderful community. What the Union does is remarkable: it connects musicians, promoters, festivals, journalists and blues fans across Europe, while its various initiatives also help bring in the next generation of fans. I discovered the organization with great enthusiasm. I feel lucky to be part of this community.
Kaz Hawkins introduced the concerts on the main stage, took part in the Gary Moore tribute and sang at the late-night jam sessions. Where do you think she gets all that energy?
I can’t imagine where she finds all her strength and energy. I think it comes from her passion for what she does. She loves Brezoi, and Brezoi loves her back. That relationship has lasted for years. Since 2026, I can say with confidence that Kaz is part of the Brezoi team, and Brezoi is her home whenever she wants it to be. We were very lucky to have her with us. She stayed for a month. Alongside her intelligence and serious approach to work, we shared a lot of laughter, and that combination makes her special.
She’s someone you’d love to have around every day. That’s honestly how I feel. I can’t wait for her to return to Romania so we can spend time together again. She’s part of the family, and we already miss her. She’s in France now, busy with her music and concerts, but she’ll certainly be with us in Brezoi for the whole festival next year. If it were up to me, I’d sign her up for life. We already have plans together for 2027, and Kaz will have a key role on next year’s organizing team.
Will Kaz Hawkins sing at Brezoi again in 2027, as well as presenting the festival?
What I know for certain today is that she’ll present the festival again. We loved her in that role. Kaz is free to do whatever she wants at Brezoi. I’m not her boss and I don’t tell her what to do. She’s a dear friend and part of the team, but she’s so creative that I have a lot to learn from her. She’s one of a kind. And she’ll probably give a full concert with her band, because we missed them this year at Brezoi.
Even though she sang in the Gary Moore tribute and joined the jam-session band almost every night, who wouldn’t want to hear another full Kaz Hawkins concert with a great band? That’s what I’d like to see, especially for our anniversary edition. Honestly, even if she sang every year, it wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the love that Romanian audiences and I have for her music, her performances and the connection she creates with the crowd. Kaz is an exceptional artist.
Which artists were you especially pleased to present at the last edition?
I can’t name just one, two or five artists. I feel deeply connected to everyone who comes to Brezoi. For one thing, I book the lineup myself and choose artists whose music I particularly enjoy. I also consider the festival’s overall approach.
I like working with people I care about and presenting music I love. And of course, we build relationships with everyone who plays at the Open Air Blues Festival. I’m delighted with what we achieved this year. There are names I could mention, artists who impressed me and the audience alike, but it wouldn’t be fair to single them out now!
You also organize folk and rock festivals during the summer. How do you deal with the pressure, fatigue and everyday responsibilities?
Everyone has to work. I’m lucky enough to do work I love: organizing music events and spending time with musicians. I’m living my dream. I’ve worked hard to get here. Of course you get tired, and there’s stress involved. But can you name a job that doesn’t come with that kind of pressure?
Once everything has gone well, the tiredness and stress fade away. They disappear when you’ve achieved something you’re truly proud of.
Everyone congratulates me on the Open Air Blues Festival, but Christina is the brains behind it.
What role does your wife, Christina, play in the Brezoi Blues Festival?
Everyone may congratulate me on the Open Air Blues Festival and the events we organize, but Christina is the brains behind it. She’s my wife and I adore her. She doesn’t seek the spotlight, but she’s the one holding everything together. Without her, I’d do nothing but talk!
Does she prefer to stay behind the scenes?
She runs everything like a true professional: finances, contracts, staff management, paperwork and dealings with the authorities. Everything official goes through her. Everything superficial goes through me! It isn’t right that I’m the only one in the spotlight, so thank you for giving me the chance to talk about her. I don’t mention her nearly enough, although she deserves it.
She’s pragmatic. She’s the one who tells me, “Mihai, you’ve gone too far! Stop, don’t do that! Take this route instead; it’s the right one!” So far we’ve stayed on the right path because I’ve listened to her. If it had been up to me alone, things would probably have turned out differently.
You also run the Aby Stage Bar, which hosts musicians all year round. What kind of music do you put on, and who comes to see it?
The Aby Stage Bar was our first music project. It all began in 2013 when we opened the venue in our hometown, Râmnicu Vâlcea. It gives many Romanian artists a stage, and we’re open to almost every kind of music: rock, folk, blues and metal. It’s a small town and the venue isn’t huge, but it’s just right for the place.
Touring bands make a point of stopping here because they know they’ll find a great atmosphere. We’ve built a real community around the club, and people come to hear their favorite artists or discover new music.
Touring bands stop here despite the town’s modest size and smaller crowds than in major cities. It’s a lovely place, and we’re very proud of what we do there. The club keeps us connected to the Romanian music industry and live scene throughout the year. We also put on large summer events, but everything began with this club: it’s where we made our first contacts in the Romanian music scene. We organized many excellent blues shows there with talented Romanian musicians. That’s when I knew I wanted to do more for blues. The idea for the Open Air Blues Festival grew from my desire to give Romanian musicians another, bigger stage to play on.
The anniversary edition will run from July 19 to 25, 2027. Beth Hart will play two concerts, and Joe Bonamassa will come for the first time. What do these two artists mean to Brezoi?
We have a special relationship with Beth Hart. She’s the artist who put Brezoi on the map in Romania, particularly when she first appeared at our festival in 2019. That’s when people really began to hear about Brezoi. Since then we’ve hosted many Beth Hart concerts in Brezoi, and she’s become very dear to us. Romanian audiences, like audiences around the world, love her. Many people discover the festival and come to Brezoi because of her shows.
In 2021, we spent three weeks together in Romania, her team and ours, organizing five concerts in Brezoi over two weeks. I think that’s when we became friends. I couldn’t imagine an anniversary edition without Beth Hart. The fact that she asked to stay longer and play two shows instead of one says a great deal about our relationship.
People who come to Brezoi next year will have the chance to see Beth Hart onstage twice. I’m sure the shows won’t be identical: when we organized five performances with her in 2021, no two were quite the same.
Of course there are songs that have to be in a Beth Hart set, but she has so many exceptional tracks that I’m convinced the two shows next year will be different. Having her at Brezoi for our anniversary edition is very special.
And what about Joe Bonamassa‘s appearance?
Joe is an artist we’ve wanted to book for a long time. What better moment than our anniversary edition? It will be his first time not only in Brezoi but in Romania. Imagine how proud we are! Of course it also brings a lot of responsibility: he’s a major artist with a large production. It will take a lot of work, but we’ll make it happen. And what better occasion than our anniversary?
Jack Broadbent has also been announced for 2027. How is the lineup taking shape? Can you reveal any other names?
We’ve only just started announcing artists. We booked Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa because you have to secure artists like them well in advance. Otherwise, however much you want to make it happen, it’s difficult. Once the contracts were signed, why not announce them? And what better time than during the festival? It made a huge impact: thousands of tickets for next year have already sold. It reminds us of the enormous responsibility we have.
Yes, Jack Broadbent was the next artist we announced, and many more will follow in the coming weeks. A large part of the lineup will be revealed soon.
We’ve just signed a project called Blues Royalty, bringing together former musicians from B.B. King’s band with Kenny Neal and John Primer as headliners. I can announce that officially. There are many other major artists too. We’re talking to some big names and hope to make everything we’ve planned happen. But nothing else is certain yet: it involves complex scheduling and many other factors.
One thing is certain: as every year, our audience will discover excellent musicians. Some may be unfamiliar to Romanian audiences at first, but they’ll put on tremendous shows and become firm favorites. It’s happened before with artists we invited for the first time. This is a special year for Brezoi. At the beginning, Romanian audiences came for the festival and the big names, but they started discovering and embracing new artists too.
That’s what happened with Kaz Hawkins: few people knew her when she first came to Romania. Last winter we organized a Romanian tour with her, and every show sold out. That tells you a lot about the Brezoi community spread across the country. That’s what happens when you put in the work and do it well!
Surrounding that wonderful music is the best community you could wish for.
I read this comment: “I first came to Brezoi for the music, but I came back for the people.”
That’s exactly what I mean. People know they’ll hear excellent music, of course. But that’s not the main reason they return to Brezoi. They come back for the community. Music brings us together, and surrounding that wonderful music is the best community you could wish for, one you want to be part of. I’m not saying it happens only in Brezoi, but good music brings good people together.
Our community is spread across the country, so people don’t see one another every day or every week. They meet again each year in Brezoi. That’s what makes it so special: they come for the music, but also to see friends they haven’t met all year. The festival lasts a full week, and 1,500 people live together at the campsite for that week. It’s like a little village. Imagine the friendships that grow in a place like that. It’s so peaceful. I struggle to put it into words. I don’t want to boast too much…
Will the Romanian Blues Challenge take place during the festival again? On which day?
We announced that the festival would run for seven days in 2027 precisely so we could include the Romanian Blues Challenge. The competition will be on the first day, Monday, July 19. I want it to be an integral part of the festival.
We want to hold it every year. It’s particularly important to us: as members of the European Blues Union, we don’t just want to benefit from it. As Romanian organizers, we want to do our part by discovering new blues musicians and recognizing the best among them. Why not help introduce them to audiences across Europe too?
That’s one of the reasons the European Blues Union organizes the European Blues Challenge in different countries: to bring international artists together and give the wider blues community a chance to discover and appreciate them.
What would you wish for the festival in the year ahead?
Good weather! You can never take that for granted. If the weather is kind, everything should go well. I also want the spirit of the community to stay intact. Our goal isn’t to make the festival grow without limit just to draw bigger crowds.
I want the people in the community that has formed around the festival to stay close, to keep loving the event and feeling at home there. I want us to make the Open Air Blues Festival experience even better for our loyal audience. Each year, we want to improve the site and the events so that this week away is even more memorable for them.
I’ll keep introducing you to French musicians. Can we hope to see some of them in Brezoi?
Thank you for that, because we always need good music, wherever it comes from. Our role is to discover these excellent bands and introduce them to other audiences. That’s how it should work. At the beginning, people kept asking me, “Why make the festival so long? Financially, a three-day festival makes more sense.” Yes, that’s true, but we only live once. So let’s give ourselves a week of blues! Why not? Seven days to discover all kinds of music, hear acoustic concerts on the forest stage and catch jam sessions on the late-night stage. You can find a tremendous amount of great music and exceptional artists.
I can promise you now that at least one French band will be at the anniversary edition. That’s certain. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next year. I hope you’ll meet friends from France again when you return to our festival!
Cover photo: Denis Carpentier