Schedule

Annual trade fair, exhibition, and festival jazzahead! is one of the international jazz community’s most important events. Hosted in Bremen, Germany, jazzahead! brings together musicians, bookers, agents, organizers, jazz experts, and music enthusiasts at the world’s largest jazz event. In 2024, jazzahead! paid special attention to the jazz scene of the Netherlands and invited over forty jazz acts to perform over the course of three days. Among the duos presenting themselves at jazzahead! 2024 is Sinfonia de Carnaval, composed of two exceptionally adaptable Austrian musicians: Anna Lang (cello, piano) and Alois Eberl (trombone, accordion, vocals). Their project ‘Sweeping Dragon’ is “inspired by the nature all around us, and by places of fantasy beyond it” and blends jazz and pop with electronic sounds and a full range of classical playing techniques.

Annual trade fair, exhibition, and festival jazzahead! is one of the international jazz community's most important events. Hosted in Bremen, Germany, jazzahead! brings together musicians, bookers, agents, organizers, jazz experts, and music enthusiasts at the world’s largest jazz event. In 2022, jazzahead! paid special attention to Canada’s jazz scene and invited forty jazz acts from all over the world to perform over the course of three days. One of the ensembles appearing at jazzahead! 2022 is the Chico Pinheiro Quartet. São Paulo-born guitarist Chico Pinheiro started playing the guitar at the age of six. Today, he has a substantial profile as a guitarist, composer, and arranger. His recent album ‘City of Dreams’ has been nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards. He is accompanied by Hélio Alves (piano), Sam Minnaie (double bass), and drummer Alexandre Kautz.

Jazzed Out proves that a jazz session can take place anywhere. Unusual locations, such as garage buildings, multi-storey car parks, street corners, subway trains, and parks, in several of the world’s metropoles, provide the setting for brief jazz performances. The sheer rawness of the metropoles merge with the musical creations of various artists in search of the perfect ‘urban stage’. In this episode, Oslo serves as a backdrop for sets by pianists Tord Gustavsen and Bugge Wesseltoft, as well as Jaga Jazzist collective.

Since 1977, Estival is a summer jazz festival in Switzerland, Lugano. Estival offers a thrilling and particularly surprising line-up that explores the rich world of contemporary music whilst promoting the understanding of different cultures, tolerance, and co-existence. Jimmy Witherspoon and Rozaa Wortham, two incredible brilliant jazz musicians. Rozaa Wortham starts off the show with the Jimmy Witherspoon Quartet. Swinging and full of energy she performs ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing’. Jimmy Witherspoon, known for the song “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” ends the show with some astounding lean-back blues.

Having played in New York with jazz icons Dave Liebman, Eliot Zigmund, Ari Hoenig, and Chris Cheek, Catalan bass player Manel Fortià now returns to his roots to reinvent traditional Catalan repertoire. Manel Fortià teams up with Antonia Lizana (saxophones), Pere Martínez (vocals), Max Villavecchia (piano), and Raphael Pannier (drums) to form ‘Libérica’, reimagining Catalan music and Flamenco through the eyes of a New York jazz musician. Their 2021 album ‘Arrels’ explores Catalan hymns, including ‘El cant dels ocells’ and ‘Els tres tambors’, heard here during a live performance at Nova Jazz Cava in Barcelona.

Since 1994, World Music Expo (WOMEX) has been attracting musicians, agents, a great number of press agencies, as well as media companies from all over the world. Its main exposition event has been held in various locations throughout Europe, including Berlin, Brussels, Marseille, Stockholm, Seville, Cardiff, and Budapest. In 2018, WOMEX was held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. One of its showcase participants, Ethiopian diva Etenesh Wassie with her trio, merges contemporary energies from jazz to punk with an in-depth knowledge of the Ethiopian repertoire. The result is compelling, soulful, and truly unique.

Innovative contemporary jazz and improvised music, the search for modernity, mind blowing sounds, rock and pop… Indeed PARADOX Tilburg goes beyond jazz, crossing musical boundaries into the unknown soundscapes of electronic music. Indie artists, blues veterans and jazz superstars all pour their hearts and souls at the Paradox. From young, local talents to top national and international artists, PARADOX Tilburg is the most intimate jazz club in the Netherlands, with a devoted audience from all across Europe. In their TV show PARADOX LIVE you get a taste of the greatest concerts and interviews with artists from all around the world. This episode of PARADOX LIVE presents the amazing Dutch saxophone player Rolf Delfos.

Count Basie is one of the most important bandleaders of the swing era. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later. Basie's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and deeply influenced jazz. In this 1961 concert recording, Count Basie takes the stage in Charleroi.

Teus Nobel is a Dutch trumpet and flugelhorn player. As a little boy, he was inspired by ‘power’ trumpeters such as Maynard Ferguson and Bill Chase. While studying at the conservatory, he played both as jazz player and as a commercial session musician at musicals. After his time at the conservatory, he started playing in the Royal Netherlands Air Force Orchestra, playing march music influenced by pop and jazz. Today’s broadcast was recorded at the Amsterdam BIMhuis. Teus dedicates his compositions to his all-time heroes Jarmo Hoogendijk, Woody Shaw, Christian Scott, Roy Hargrove and Eric Vloeimans. This performance is based on his second album ‘Legacy’.

Under the Surface is an improvisational jazz band formed by drummer Joost Lijbaart, vocalist Sanne Rambags, and guitarist Bram Stadhouders. Sanne Rambags, the youngest artist of the trio, is one of the few vocalists of her generation who able to improvise effortlessly, be it by using her voice as an instrument blending with the sounds of the band, or by performing her own poetry. Joost Lijbaart, known from bands by Yuri Honing, is one of the top artists of the Dutch jazz scene. Guitarist Bram Stadhouders is one of the most renowned musicians of improvisational music in Europe. Together, the three Dutch musicians have developed their own “universal language” within the genre. Their performance at Bimhuis showcases their unique intergenerational chemistry and hypnotizing sound. Bimhuis Amsterdam provides a platform for pioneering national and international musicians by hosting over 300 concerts a year.

The Australian-born singer-songwriter Sia Kate Isobelle Furler, simply known as Sia, is one of the most unique artists in today's popular music scene. However, her path to stardom has been nothing but rocky. Only after numerous musical experimentations, where the singer tried to establish herself in her home country as well as United Kingdom, Sia finally blossomed in United States around the second decade of the 21st century. The very beginnings of her mainstream recognition was captured on 25 March 2009, where the artist performed live at Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia.

Bill Evans: Live in '64, '65 & '70 features five separate performances by one of the most revered pianists in music history. This collection covers an 11-year span, highlighting Evans’ ever-deepening artistry as he performs with four different all-star rhythm sections, including the stunning duo of bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Alan Dawson. This recording includes Evans’ renditions of the rarely performed “Sareen Jurer,” “Blue Serge”, and “Twelve Tone Tune Two.” Among the many surprises in this collection is a live performance of “My Melancholy Baby” with saxophonist Lee Konitz.

Rotterdam’s ‘ BIRD’ is a club, café and restaurant with a live music programme that's deeply rooted in jazz, and also branches out towards soul, funk, hip-hop and electronic music as well. Its name ‘BIRD’ refers to the nickname of the legendary New York jazz saxophonist, bebop co-founder Charlie Parker (1920-1955). BIRD serves Neapolitan pizzas, good wines, no-nonsense beers and an all-round metropolitan rawness. Since 2014, this urban jazz club and DJAZZ.tv have been collaborating for a series of music programmes: ‘BIRD.tv’, allowing you to experience the best BIRD concerts and interviews as from a first row seat! This episode shows you the four-piece jazz/hip hop ensemble BADBADNOTGOOD, whose collaborators include the likes of rapper ‘Tyler, The Creator’, the Haitian-Canadian electronic musician Kaytranada, the vocalist Kali Uchis, and the rapper Ghostface Killah. BADBADNOTGOOD is endlessly inventive: its four members have ultimately crafted their own, lasting mark on hip-hop and electronic beats.

The North Sea Jazz Festival is the largest indoor music festival in the world, known globally as the event where the past, present and future of jazz are featured within three days. Next to a firm base of jazz as the festival’s staple music genre, many others, such as blues, soul, funk, or hip hop, pass by. In 1980, American singer Betty Carter gave a powerful performance with her trio at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Our two-song snippet of the concert contains the tribute to Billie Holiday "Don't Weep for the Lady", and "Swing, Brother, Swing".

Explore the music of one of the most influential and innovative saxophonists in jazz history: John Coltrane! Immerse yourself in this collection of remarkable performances from the early 1960s that showcase Coltrane's unparalleled artistry and unique sound during a transformative period in the artist’s career. Recorded in various European cities, Coltrane is seen playing the songs “Autumn Leaves”, “Hackensack”, “My Favorite Things”, “I Want To Talk About You”, “Vigil”, and “Naima”. Tune in and experience why the music of John Coltrane has touched the lives of so many!

The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam is a world-renowned concert hall, known for its first-rate acoustics. It has attracted many famous performers over the years and is one of the Netherlands' most treasured musical institutions. On November 2, 1958, American jazz titan Duke Ellington and his Orchestra performed two concerts at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Among the many talents in the Orchestra were trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Quentin Jackson, saxophonist Johnny Hodges and violinist Ray Nance.

Annual trade fair, exhibition, and festival jazzahead! is one of the international jazz community’s most important events. Hosted in Bremen, Germany, jazzahead! brings together musicians, bookers, agents, organizers, jazz experts, and music enthusiasts at the world’s largest jazz event. In 2025, about forty international jazz acts performed over three days, with a special focus on the RE:CONNECT theme, celebrating the vibrant jazz scenes of returning partner countries Spain, France, and Switzerland. Among the bands presenting themselves at jazzahead! 2025 is the band of Kenyan master percussionist and vocalist Kasiva Mutua. Their performance blends traditional African music with modern styles like jazz, afro-pop, and reggae. The music celebrates the spirit of her community, tells the stories of her people, and empowers African women. The band features Jackline Kasiva (vocals, guitar, and percussion) and Michelle Adhiambo (percussion and vocals); Bonface Odera Ong'ang'a (keys and vocals); Michael Munene (bass and vocals); Johnson Makau (guitar); and Victor Kioko (drums).

Innovative contemporary jazz and improvised music, the search for modernity, mind blowing sounds, rock and pop… Indeed PARADOX Tilburg goes beyond jazz, crossing musical boundaries into the unknown soundscapes of electronic music. Indie artists, blues veterans and jazz superstars all pour their hearts and souls at the Paradox. From young, local talents to top national and international artists, PARADOX Tilburg is the most intimate jazz club in the Netherlands, with a devoted audience from all across Europe. In their TV show PARADOX LIVE you get a taste of the greatest concerts and interviews with artists from all around the world. This episode of PARADOX LIVE presents the Swiss jazz band VEIN accompanied by saxophone player Greg Osby.

In May 2014, the Conservatory of Amsterdam hosted a unique conference about one of the greatest jazz composers of the 20th century: Duke Ellington. Musicologists and musicians with a special bond with Ellington and his music spoke about his life and music. Among them were David Schiff, author of ‘The Ellington Century’, and Harvey Cohen, author of ‘Duke Ellington’s America’. Moreover, concerts were played by jazz pianist Matt Cooper, the Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Concert Big Band of the Conservatory of Amsterdam conducted by David Berger. The winner of the Boy Edgar Prize 2013, viola player Oene van Geel, performed his ‘All Ellington Project’.

Jazz phenomenon Trombone Shorty dishes out a mix of funk, jazz, hip-hop and soul at this concert at the French festival Jazz à Vienne. Playing with the energy of a rock star, Troy Andrews, a.k.a. ‘Trombone Shorty’, pays homage to jazz legends. With his hypnotic performance and boundless energy, Trombone Shorty puts up an unparalleled performance.

Since 1977, Estival is a summer jazz festival in Switzerland, Lugano. Estival offers a thrilling and particularly surprising line-up that explores the rich world of contemporary music whilst promoting the understanding of different cultures, tolerance, and co-existence. John Carl Hendricks is one of the instigators of "vocalese", an art form that aims to add lyrics to existing instrumental pieces and replace several instruments with singing. He flaunts this technique at Estival, where he "scat" while playing double bass. Hendricks is known for his mastery of scat, a form of vocal jazz that uses onomatopoeia rather than lyrics

The Dutch world-class jazz pianist Peter Beets has shared the stage with jazz greats like Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, “Toots” Thielemans, Elvin Jones, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Benny Golson and John Clayton. From birth, Beets was surrounded by music: he heard classical music from his mother, who is a music pedagogue, and he heard jazz from his father, who has a great fan of Oscar Peterson and Art Blakey. Although Beets’ parents originally did not associate the word “musician” with the word “career”, music is definitely in the family’s blood. At this concert at the Kurhaus in Scheveningen, the Netherlands, Peter Beets teams up with the world-famous guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. With a career spanning almost twenty-five years and including collaborating with dynamic peers like Brad Mehldau, Brian Blade, Mark Turner, Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, as well as esteemed jazz legends like Joe Henderson, Paul Motian and Gary Burton, Rosenwinkel’s indelible mark in music is the consummation of being steeped in the rich and deep traditions of jazz, springing off of the shoulders of such vital underpinnings to elevate his own art to new heights, evolving the language in a way no other guitarist has since his arrival. This collaboration between Beets and Rosenwinkel guarantees brilliant music.

The North Sea Jazz Festival is the largest indoor music festival in the world, known globally as the event where the past, present and future of jazz are featured within three days. Next to a firm base of jazz as the festival’s staple music genre, many others, such as blues, soul, funk, or hip hop, pass by. In 1989, legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal brought his trio to the North Sea Jazz Festival. Accompanied by James Cammack on bass and David Bowler on drums, Jamal showcased his excellence.

To celebrate the release of Django, the Parisian New Morning Club pays tribute to the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt. The program showcases the magic of Reinhardt’s compositions, as well as the virtuosity of one of his most famous heirs: Stochelo Rosenberg. With unbridled passion and enthusiasm, Rosenberg interprets the music that marked French musical heritage: gypsy jazz. Rosenberg cultivates an exceptional technique with a unique vibrato and sets an example for guitarists and other instrumentalists who aim to keep music alive. On stage at New Morning Club, Rosenberg is supported by Hono Winterstein (guitar), Mathias Levy (violin), Rocky Gresset (guitar), and Xavier Nikqi (double bass).

Louis Armstrong: Live in '59 is one of the only known complete Armstrong concerts from the 1950s to be captured on film. This 55-minute set, filmed in Belgium in 1959, features many of Satchmo’s greatest songs including ‘Mack The Knife’, ‘When It’s Sleepy Time Down South’ and ‘Stompin’ At The Savoy,’ backed by his stellar band the All-Stars, featuring Trummy Young, Peanuts Hucko, Billy Kyle, Danny Barcelona and Mort Herbert.

World-renowned American blues singer and guitarist Magic Slim performed an electrifying set at the French festival Jazz à Vienne 2012. With bandmates John McDonald (guitar & vocals), Andre Howard (bass), and Brian Jones (drums), the blues giant played a string of classic Chicago blues hits. Ever energetic, the veritable blues veteran put on a dynamic show for an enthusiastic audience in the atmospheric ancient Roman theatre of Vienne.

Award-winning saxophonist Michael Blicher, Hammond wizard Dan Hemmer and legendary drummer Steve Gadd joined forces in 2014 to celebrate their shared love for Hammond-organ soul jazz. The band, which tours extensively throughout the world, has released several albums. Their third album, which was released in November 2019, features U.K. vocalist Paul Carrack on the soulful ballad 'The First One To Know'.

This selection of unforgettable performances by some of the most iconic and influential male jazz and pop vocalists in history showcases these legends’ unique essence. Delight in the expressive beauty and emotional depth of Chet Baker's rendition of “Time After Time” and “You Don't Know What Love Is", recorded live in Brussels, Belgium in 1964 and in Rome, Italy in 1956 respectively. Revel in Frank Sinatra's iconic version of “I've Got You Under My Skin". Immerse yourself in Dizzy Gillespie's dynamic performance of “Let Me Outta Here”, recorded live in Denmark in 1970. Enjoy Tony Bennett's unforgettable performance of “It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)” at London’s majestic Royal Albert Hall in 1974. Let the haunting beauty of Nat King Cole's 1957 performance of “Autumn Leaves” and Louis Armstrong's performance of “Basin Street Blues” from 1959 delight you. Dean Martin’s smooth vocal stylings will enthrall you as he performs the jazz standard “Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams". Witness the electrifying energy of Sammy Davis Jr.'s performance of “Too Close For Comfort”. Join us for this unforgettable musical experience that you'll surely cherish!