Schedule

Since 1985, the Dutch city of Nijmegen has been welcoming the International Music Meeting Festival every Pentecost. Ranging from jazz and improvisational music to traditional music and unique crossovers, this adventurous festival is all about musical encounters and international collaborations. In 2019, Tel Aviv-born bass player, producer and composer Liran Donin appeared here. Donin has collaborated with high-profile, cutting-edge artists, bands and projects. With his distinctive powerhouse groove and virtuoso approach to both the electric and double bass, Liran pushes the bass well beyond its boundaries.

The term "jam-session" was coined in the 1920s when black and white musicians gathered in smoke-filled bars after their respective concerts to enjoy the kind of jazz they could not play in traditional sets. Bing Crosby was a regular at these sessions, and had fun marking the first and third beats of musical phrases by clapping hands, which the musicians call "jammin' the beat". Today, the Seine Sessions revive the happy years of "jam sessions", while the cream of jazz, blues, gipsy and funk Parisian scenes occurs on the boards of the legendary restaurant and jazz club Le Réservoir. Titled "Legendary Jazz", this episode hosted by Eddy King features unique performances by artists playing together for the first time, and interviews with Steve McCraven, Oona Guino, Rodolphe Lauretta, and many others.

Since 2005, the Morgenland Festival, held in Osnabrueck, has dedicated itself to the fascinating music culture of the Near and Middle East. From traditional and classical music to avant-garde, jazz, and rock, the festival program also features art, such as visual arts, dance, and theatre of interdisciplinary projects. Jivan Gasparyan Jr has always been inspired by the folk melodies of his native Armenia. His grandfather, also a musician, taught him the art of duduk, an instrument of Armenian origin.

Unlike many of his fellow jazz cats, vocalist Gregory Porter transcends the jazz bubble. After sustaining a shoulder injury, this former American football player turned to jazz singing. He was discovered in a Californian jazz club by pianist, saxophonist and composer Kamau Kenyatta. Porter lent his vocal skills to gospel choirs across the country and a string of successful musicals before turning his talent to his own compositions. His rise since then has been meteoric. Porter’s magnificent, burnished baritone can sink into a lyric with luxurious ease, the melody gently sculpted into new shapes at every turn, with the rhythm tugging subtly back and forth across the bar line. This live performance at the Olympia showcases this man's worth, and is a truly amazing experience!

On October 19, 2021, John Patitucci (bass), Marco Pignataro (sax and musical director), and Joe Lovano (sax) showcased inspirational new originals at GBH's Fraser Performance Studio in Boston, MA, accompanied by Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Nadia Washington (vocals), Chico Pinheiro (guitar), and Anastassiya Petrova (piano). This recording, titled 'Tällberg’s Jazz for the Planet', was made in support of the Tällberg Foundation’s message and aims to inspire positive climate action. Since 1981, the Tällberg Foundation has been trying to nurture new thinking, in part by looking at societal challenges through the lenses of artists.

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’.

Charles Mingus showcases an exceptional concert performed in April 1965 featuring his most celebrated lineup: Jaki Byard (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums), Johnny Coles (trumpet), Clifford Jordan (tenor sax) and the great Eric Dolphy (alto sax, flute and bass clarinet). Recorded within an eight-day span, less than three months before Dolphy's death, the three concerts showcase Mingus's visionary leadership and the band's incredible depth and diversity with unique performances and arrangements of classics including ‘So Long Eric’ and the groundbreaking ‘Meditations On Integration’.

The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. One of the bands taking part in this series is Bloco do Ó, a traditional street band associated with the Brazilian carnival. A "bloco" is a group of people who drive through the streets in trucks, playing music and providing fun to anyone who will listen. Immerse yourself in Bloco de Ó's world of cheerful melodies and spectacular costumes!

For 20 years, Sly Johnson, author, composer and performer of the Saïan Supa Crew, has been touring the French music scene with his soul, hip-hop and beat-box vocals. He leaves his machines in the studio for a tribute concert to one of the leading voices of the famous Motown label, Marvin Gaye. The singer was killed by his father, a pastor, the day before his 45th birthday. In 1971, Marvin Gaye released a major record in the history of soul music "What's Going On". Sly Johnson, accompanied by Nicholas Vella's keyboard, makes the hot music of this album groove, a monument of soul and rhythm'n'blues. A true message of love delivered by MarvinGaye, through the story of a Vietnam war veteran who returns home and sees only injustice, suffering and hatred. The abrasive groove of Sly Johnson and Nicholas Vella is a rich music at the crossroads of hip-hop, funk and jazz. Sly Johnson, a great regular of the stage, embarks with extreme generosity the audience in his musical universe, an irresistible performance.

American keyboard player and bandleader Herbie Hancock (1940) achieved success as an incisive, harmonically provocative jazz pianist in the 1960s, then went on to gain wide popularity as a leader of electric jazz-rock groups. One of these, Hancock’s band The Headhunters, ushered in a new era of jazz that appealed to a far wider audience, making jazz listeners out of rhythm and blues fans, and vice versa. In 1974, The Headhunters appeared on German television, playing Palm Grease, Sly, Butterfly, Spank-A-Lee, and Chameleon. Hancock (keys) is joined by Bennie Maupin (saxophones), Paul Jackson (electric bass), Mike Clark (drums) and Bill Summer (percussion).

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'.

The legendary hard-bop group Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers performed in Olympia Hall in Paris, France on March 16, 1963. Led by drummer Art Blakey, the Jazz Messengers consisted of Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Reggie Workman on double bass, and Cedar Walton on piano. Each of these players became jazz legends in their own right. The group performed Cedar Walton's arrangement of That Old Feeling (written by Sammy Fain), Wayne Shorter's arrangement of I Didn't Know What Time It Was (written by Richard Rodgers), and Caravan (written by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington).

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.

One vocalist from Paris and the other from Bern, and two contrasting personalities. Brought together by a chance encounter in 2014, the two singers were surprised to discover how much they had in common: they both do more than just sing well. Leïla Martial and Andreas Schaerer intend to explore and experiment, stretching their vocal boundaries. From the deepest abyss to the most exquisite tones the human voice can produce, they leave no stone unturned in their quest to express themselves, each in their own individual way and always with a generous dose of humour and zest.

Pierre Courbois has been one of Europe’s leading jazz musicians since the mid-sixties. This concert, recorded at the renowned Amsterdam jazz club Bimhuis, sees the drummer playing with his QWINTETT. On the occasion of his 75th birthday in 2015, Courbois hit the road for the Pierre Courbois 75 Years Anniversary Tour. The PC QWINTETT consists of several highly acclaimed Dutch jazz musicians with whom Courbois has worked before in his long and versatile career. Among them are pianist Nike Langenhuijsen, double bassist Egon Kracht, trumpeter Toon de Gouw, and trombonist Ilja Reijngoud. QWINTETT honours the Charles Mingus tradition of thematic and melodic ensemble jazz - but also with an unmistakable Courbois groove! Courbois, known for his own way of combining compositions with improvisations, melodically melts constructions with uneven breaks.

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.

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, Bakolo Music International, represents the pioneers of the golden age of Congolese rumba. The singer, guitarist and grand survivor Nzofu Moko Buele, known to all as Bikunda, is carrying on a torch first lit in 1948 by ‘Papa’ Wend Kolosoy, the ‘father of Congolese Rumba’ and composer of the first Rumba hit song, ‘Marie-Louise’.

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. McCoy Tyner’s first main exposure came with Benny Golson, being the first pianist in Golson’s and Art Farmer’s Jazztet. He’s also known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet. Tyner’s style is easily comparable to Coltrane’s maximalist style of saxophone. Though a member of Coltrane’s group, he was never overshadowed by the saxophonist, but complemented and even inspired Coltrane’s open-minded approach. McCoy Tyner is considered one of the most influential jazz pianists of the 20th century, an honour he earned both with Coltrane and in his years of performing following Coltrane’s death.

In this DJAZZ.tv Belgium Sessions performance, which was recorded at AED Studios in Lint, Belgium, we witness Europe’s finest jazz musicians at work. A wide variety of international jazz musicians give a creative, up-close and inside insight into their art of playing jazz music. Young talent and established jazz musicians play to their heart’s content: take for instance this unusual performance by Saxkartel. This band plays jazz and modern music with an uncommon approach: as a saxophone quartet, they perform chamber-like music without the accompaniment of a rhythm section. Their approach is similar to that of the classical string quartet, but their choice of repertoire clearly sets them apart: they play pure jazz!

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).

Legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés brought his band ‘Jazz Batá 2’ to the Malta Jazz Festival on July 19, 2019. The air was thick with anticipation as Valdés took to the stage, revisiting the small-group concept of his mythical 1972 Cuban album ‘Jazz Batá’. The batá repertoire – the deep classical music of West Africa – permeates Valdés’ piano solos throughout the concert. Valdés’s band consists of Dreiser Durruthy (Batas and vocals), Yaroldy Abreu (percussions and vocals), Abraham Mansfarroll (percussion), Ramón Vazquez Martirena-Bajo (bass guitar). They delivered a performance that reverberated through the historic island.

American soul jazz singer and organist Jackie Davis (1920-1999) contributed greatly to the popularity of the Hammond B3 organ in jazz, preceding even the great Jimmy Smith. Seen here during an intimate solo performance in Brussels in 1967, we get to enjoy Davis’ every musical twist and lyrical turn. His infectious enthusiasm and dynamic musicianship make his audience grow increasingly excited as he performs “I Got Rhythm”, “Satin Doll”, “Yesterday”, “Smack Dab In The Middle”, and “It Ain’t Necessarily So”. Davis’ spellbinding vocals invite his audience on a musical journey. Get ready to let yourself be carried away by Jackie Davis, recorded live in Brussels!

Aki Rissanen's interest in jazz came after he started taking classical piano lessons. His deep interest in improvised music placed him among top jazz pianist in his home country - Finland. While composing and performing his own music, Rissanen has also collaborated with Verneri Pohjola and Dave Liebman, and today his name appears among the top European jazz musicians. Live from 'Jazzclub Unterfahrt' in Munich, Germany, together with Antti Lotjonen on bass and Teppo Makynen on drums, Rissanen showcases the best of Scandinavian jazz and its DNA - the Nordic Tone.

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 1987, prominent guitarist George Benson brought his band to kick off day three of the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Joining him to play songs from their joint album "Collaborations" was Grammy award–winning acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh.

Raul Midón appeared at 2017’s Sing Jazz Festival in Singapore with double bassist Romeir Mendez and drummer Billy Williams. Blind since birth, Raul Midón is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter from New Mexico. With a vocal range as dynamic as his guitar playing and a remarkable talent for trumpet mimicry, Midón’s performances transcend musical boundaries, effortlessly blending rock, jazz, folk, and Latin pop into his unique sound. He has worked with numerous legends, including Bill Withers, Herbie Hancock, Sting, and Dianne Reeves, and his album ‘Bad Ass and Blind’ was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2018. No wonder the Sing Jazz audience were ecstatic!