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. Disrupted by COVID-19, the festival’s 2020 edition had to adapt to new challenges. It now presents this exclusive concert by pianist Ramón Valle and guitarist Reinier Baas, filmed at Concertgebouw De Vereeniging in Nijmegen.

Pianist Kenny Barron’s June 27, 2019 appearance at the Alfa Jazz Festival in Ukraine’s Lviv was a celebration of sublime jazz virtuosity. The revered elder statesmen of jazz piano brought his regular working trio of Kiyoshi Kitagawa (bass) and Jonathan Blake (drums), augmented by stellar jazzman Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone) and young lion Riley Mulherkar (trumpet). Their seamless blend of classic bebop and modern explorations spoke of a deep, emotive connection to each note, captivating the Ukrainian audience with lyrical improvisations during this unforgettable concert.

This selection of unforgettable performances by some of the most iconic and influential jazz guitarists in history showcases these legends’ unique essence. Revel in Wes Montgomery’s virtuosity as he performs the captivating “Nica's Dream” in Holland in 1965, and delight in the expressive beauty of his rendition of “Here's That Rainy Day”, recorded in London in that same year. Experience the timeless appeal of Joe Pass's “You Stepped Out of a Dream” and “You Turned The Tables on Me”, recorded live in Hanover in 1975. The interplay between Jim Hall and Atilla Zoller borders on the impossible as they perform “Extensions” in Hanover in 1973. Enjoy Jim Hall's lyrical solo performance of “I'm Getting Sentimental Over You” from 1964. Witness Sonny Sharrock’s avant-garde fusion of jazz and rock in an exhilarating performance of “Peanut", recorded live in France in 1970. Sharrock is joined by flutist Herbie Mann in a soulful performance of “Memphis Underground” from 1969. Immerse yourself in the magic of jazz guitar!

Watch the performance of Jamie Cullum live at Jazz à Vienne, in 2017.

A two-part documentary, moderated by Dee Dee Bridgewater. Part 1: From Blues to Bossa On the search for the roots and origins of Jazz, we journey into the European and African music traditions and discover the cultural heritages of Jazz from Rio to New Orleans.

Moondog, a gaunt, mysterious and extravagantly-garbed blind street musician was celebrated among New Yorkers for two decades before gaining acclaim in Europe as an avant-garde composer conducting orchestras before royalty. Artists such as Charlie Parker, Leonard Bernstein, Steve Reich and Philip Glass have called him one of the great musical visionaries of our century. Day in and day out, the man whose real name is Louis T. Hardin, was as taciturn and unchanging a landmark of the midtown Manhattan streetscape as the George M. Cohan statue in Duffy Square. No matter the weather, he invariably dressed in a homemade robe, sandals, a flowing cape, and a horned Viking helmet - the tangible expression of what he referred to as his “Nordic philosophy”. For this show, he teams up with renowned saxophone ensemble London Saxophonic for an eccentric performance.

Stemming from Brazil's São Paulo, Bixiga 70 is an exciting brass and percussion-based instrumental dance ensemble that combines jazz, funk, and Afro-Brazilian music, incorporating elements from dub, reggae, electronics, cumbia, carimbo, Ethio-jazz, and samba. The name Bixiga 70 is taken from a vibrant neighbourhood in downtown São Paulo. Organic, ritualistic, and sometimes even primal, the band’s music appeals to those who seek out mental and physical freedom.

As a 25-year-old saxophonist, Maceo Parker played in the band of James Brown, but he is also known for his collaborations with George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy Collins' Rubber Band. Maceo has proven his star quality by creating a special chemistry between all the different styles of American black music. As a pioneer in the ‘groove’, he blends funky jazz with roots and blues with gospel. The result? Overheated concert halls, with enthusiastic audiences that completely surrender themselves to the music's boundless energy.

In just a few years, young trumpet player Christian Scott has become synonymous with a new jazz generation. He shakes up the conventions of jazz by taking the genre to new horizons and reaching a wider audience. No doubt, at 33 years old, Christian Scott is already forging his own path. After each record release, he seems even more determined to challenge the rules of jazz with his own avant-garde style. At his 2018 show at La Coopérative de Mai, Christian Scott celebrates 100 years of jazz with the program “The Centennial Trilogy.” Expect a unique performance in an intimate theatre setting, shot in native 4K!

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.

In 2019, the vibrant city of Sofia, Bulgaria, hosted the International A to JazZ Festival. Among the featured acts was the trailblazing jazz trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. This genre-defying artist captivated the audience with his eclectic “stretch music”; an approach that incorporates hip-hop and reaches back through the American canon into African percussion and its rich melodic content. Trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah’s quintet, which includes drummer Corey Fonville, percussionist Weedie Braimah, pianist Lawrence Fields, and bass guitarist Max Mucha, delivered a performance that defied boundaries and expectations.

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.

Two top-tier Belgian musicians – guitarist Philip Catherine and bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse – accompany American jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker during this 1985 performance at the beautiful Brussels Jazz Club, located on the Grand-Place, the Belgian capital’s central square. The trio plays Charlie Mariano’s “Crystal Bells”, the title track of their acclaimed 1983 album. Other songs played during this legendary concert include “Down” and “How Deep is the Ocean”.

Modern jazz with a twist, based on a group effort rather than on personal virtuosity: meet Misc! Composer and pianist Jérôme Beaulieu, double bassist Philippe Leduc and drummer William Côté met during their college years at the Université de Montréal. Their Trio Jérôme Beaulieu quickly made a name for itself, winning the Montreal contest Jazz en Rafale and the Grand Prix du Festi-Jazz in Rimouski within the same year. Since their 2012 debut album L'homme sur la lune was nominated for the Opus Prize for Jazz Album of the Year, the trio has been praised for its musical experiments and its contemporary jazz repertoire. The trio’s music boasts wide-ranging musical influences: from acoustic music enhanced with electronic rhythms and textures, to a palette of diverse textures accented with samples, eccentric percussion, effects and prepared instruments. With unabated musical enthusiasm yet under the new name Misc, the trio launched its self-titled third album in 2016.

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 Panorama de Coro. This ensemble combines jazz and traditional Brazilian music. The resulting music has a festive, almost street-like atmosphere. Panorama de Coro consists of Roberta Valente (pandeiro and percussion), Alexandre Ribeiro (clarinet), Gian Correa (7-string guitar), Henrique Araujo (cavaquinho), João Poleto (flute and tenor saxophone) and Yves Finzetto (pandeiro and percussion).

In 1963, the small Belgian town of Comblain-la-Tour hosted an exciting line-up of both new and older jazz groups. Opening things up is the British trombonist Charlie Galbraith’s All Star Jazz Band, performing classic Dixieland jazz. Next up is German singer Knut Kiesewetter, who, with backing from the Prague Dixieland Band, sings the blues. Perhaps the highlight of this event is the coupling of American alto saxophonist Bud Shank with Dutch pianist Pim Jacobs’ trio, who play standards and bossa nova. Bringing things to a close are French clarinetist Marc Laferrière and his New Orleans Stompers with more classic Dixieland.

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, decorated American saxophonist and composer Michael Brecker and his band played at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Accompanied by bassist Jeff Andrews, drummer Adam Nussbaum, pianist Joey Calderazzo, and guitarist Mike Stern, Brecker displayed his virtuosity in spades.

Jazzfest Bonn is an annual festival of modern and creative jazz music. Every May it presents local and international jazz musicians in concert halls all over the German city. Among the artists of the 2017 edition is Bandit 65, a trio of breathtaking virtuosity, great power, boundless breadth, and astounding beauty. Together with Tim Motzer on guitar and electronics, and Gintas Janusonis on drums and percussion, guitarist and band leader Kurt Rosenwinkel explores the intersection of guitars, rhythm, electronics, soundscapes, free improvisation, and telepathic interplay.

In the second half of June 1965, during a prolonged European concert tour, American trumpeter Buck Clayton (1911–1991) played a residency at the Chikito, a club in Bern, Switzerland. With a local rhythm section of French pianist Henry Chaix, Swiss double bassist Théo Siegrist, and Swiss drummer Pierre Bouru, this stalwart of the Count Basie Orchestra gave a sparkling performance that was documented for posterity by Radio Télévision Suisse in the program ‘Variétés’. Opening with the George Gershwin favorite ‘’S Wonderful’, the program continues with two swing-era classics: ‘I Can't Get Started’ and ‘Honeysuckle Rose’. Revel at how easily Clayton finishes ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ on a high concert F! A spirited romp through Juan Tizol’s composition ‘Perdido’ closes this recording. The success of this booking ensured Clayton received repeated warm receptions in Bern in the following decades.

Despite his advanced age, the legendary jazz pianist Earl Hines was at the top of his game when he performed in the Belgian town of Spa in 1977. With a band consisting of Rudy Rutherford (reeds), Jimmy Leary (bass), and Eddie Graham (drums), Hines livens up the room with his interpretations of “I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me” and “The Man I Love.” Marva Josie joins the group for soulful renditions of “A Sunday Kind of Love” and the well-known classic “Kansas City” before the set comes to a close with “Caravan,” which features a lengthy drum solo by Graham.

On July 20, 2018, double bassist Christian McBride presented his band ‘New Jawn’ at the Malta Jazz Festival. A five-time Grammy winner, McBride is one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. Hailing from Philadelphia, this music luminary combines jazz, R&B, pop/rock, hip hop/neo-soul, and classical. Gracing the Malta Jazz stage with him are Nasheet Waits (drums), Marcus Strickland (tenor sax), and Josh Evans (trumpet).

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! In today’s episode, our guest is Snarky Puppys pianist: Bill Laurence!