Schedule

'Münchner Klaviersommer' was an annual concerts series that took place from 1981 to 1998 in Munich, Germany. Although the festival's name suggests a strong focus on piano music, it featured countless famous musicians from jazz and classical music – not just pianists. The concerts were usually held in July at The Gasteig, home of the Munich Philharmonic. In 1987, American pianist Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea was one of the artists appearing here. Together with Frank Gambale on guitar, Eric Marienthal on saxophone, John Patitucci on bass and Dave Weckl on drums, Corea performed jazz fusion with his Elektric Band - a jazz subgenre inspired by the rock music and electronic instruments of the day. The band was nominated for two Grammy Awards.

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. On July 13, 1979, talented Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander was joined by Reggie Johnson (bass), Frank Gant (drums), Bobby Thomas (hand drum), and Othello Molineaux (steel drum) at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Alexander's Caribbean influences and natural flair for the piano shine through in this brilliant performance.

American soul and jazz organist Rhoda Scott spent most of her career in France, where she earned recognition far greater than that accorded to her in the United States. There was never any doubt about what instrument she would play as a child. "It's really the most beautiful instrument in the world,” she once stated in an interview. “The first thing I did was take my shoes off and work the pedals.” This performance at the French Festival Jazz à Vienne is extra special. Not only because of the beautiful location, but also because she shares the stage with American gospel and blues singer La Velle. Together they give an intimate and beautiful show in the antique theatre of Vienne.

This film portrays Michel Petrucciani 's very unique outlook on life, his vitality, boisterous humor and marked comedian talent which triumphes over all physical restrictions. It also shows Michel Petrucciani performing, composing, selecting his very own piano, at a recording session with Stephane Grapelli, Roy Haynes and Georges Mraz, .... and much more.

Every year since 1970, the German city of Burghausen has been hosting one of the largest jazz festivals in the world. During Burghausen International Jazz Week, Burghausen becomes a 'Bavarian jazz mecca': guests from all over the world join the Burghausers to enjoy the most wonderful jazz performances as the colorful hustle and bustle of spectators and musicians shake up the city. One of the bands performing here in 2019 is the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, which consists of eight sons of jazz trumpeter and one-time Sun Ra Arkestra member Phil Cohran. He trained his children to play their horns and instilled in them a profound sense of the deeply spiritual roots of the music. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble's music ranges from hypnotizing grooves to jazzy funk.

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, Ladama, is a quintet of women multi-instrumentalists from Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and the United States who not only perform as a touring band, but also strive to engage youth in their respective communities in the process of musicmaking, composition and audio production through collaboration and performance workshops. Ladama is a positive force in times urgently in need of tolerance and communication.

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.

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.

Since 2005, the Morgenland Festival of 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. Recorded at the Morgenland Festival, the “Songs Without Frontiers” collection brings together exceptional collaborations between a variety of musicians from around the globe, interspersed with interviews that present the genesis of these works.

The world-renowned North Sea Jazz Festival features a wide variety of genres, including traditional New Orleans jazz, swing, bop, free jazz, fusion, avant-garde and electronic jazz, blues, gospel, funk, soul, R&B, hip hop, world beat and Latin. The festival was founded by entrepreneur and jazz fan Paul Acket, who sold his highly successful pop magazine publishing house to organize and fund the first edition of the festival in 1976. This broadcast from the North Sea Jazz Archives presents the great Wayne Shorter Quartet. Shorter’s maxim is to reinvent his music during each concert. He means to give his music a radical originality.

'Münchner Klaviersommer' was an annual concerts series that took place from 1981 to 1998 in Munich, Germany. Although the festival's name suggests a strong focus on piano music, it featured countless famous musicians from jazz and classical music – not just pianists. The concerts were usually held in July at The Gasteig, home of the Munich Philharmonic. In 1990, American flautist Herbert Jay Solomon, better known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was one of the artists appearing here. Together with Marc Cohen on piano, Romero Lubambo on guitar, Paul Socolow on bass, and both Ricky Sebastian and Cyro Baptista on percussion, Herbie Mann performs his infectious take on Brazilian-inspired music in this concert titled 'Jasil Brazz'.

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.

Guitarist Mike Stern and violin player Didier Lockwood sharing a stage: that promises a good show! After playing for years with Blood, Sweat & Tears, Mike Stern landed a gig with drummer Billy Cobham and then broke through with Miles Davis’ comeback band in the 1980s. Didier Lockwood played in jazz fusion band Magma during the 1970s and is known for his use of electric amplification and experimentation. Together they perform a unique duo concert at the beautiful antique theatre in Vienne, France.

Five promising musicians get together in Rotterdam jazz club BIRD’s artists-in-residence project “The Nest”. Over the course of seven sessions, these talents exchange ideas, work on their projects, and play music together. Following this period, during which record producer Jameszoo and music manager Jochem Tromp offer their coaching experience, BIRD and North Sea Jazz Festival’s fringe festival DownTown organize a tryout performance. In this short documentary, the artists share their impressions from the project. They introduce themselves, reveal why they joined The Nest and formulate what they hope to learn from the experience. Naturally, we get a glimpse of the songs they wrote during the sessions, as performed during the tryout show. Featuring Lisette Ma Neza (slam poet), Peter Somuah (trumpet), Michelle Samba (drums), Huy Le (bass), and Brenn Luiten (piano).

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!

Dutch free jazz, jazz rock, and electronic music pioneer Pierre Courbois threw a belated 80th birthday bash at Amsterdam’s renowned BIMhuis in January 2022. Courbois, a celebrated drummer and percussionist, also masters the tabla, conga, bass guitar, and vibraphone, and is a prolific writer with over 100 compositions to his credit. Proving that any age is just a number, Courbois (*1940) teams up with Jesse Schilderink (*1995, tenor and baritone saxophone) and Wiro Mahieu (*1964, bass) in his new band 3GEN3. Billed 3GEN3 PLUS for this festive occasion, this exciting new ensemble is augmented by pianist Jasper van ‘t Hof. Known for his virtuosity and his innovative contributions to European jazz, Van ‘t Hof (*1947) has been hailed as Europe’s finest jazz pianist. He is the recipient of the Buma Boy Edgar Award 2018. Let 3GEN3 PLUS surprise you with their fresh, innovative music in this sparkling concert recording from January 2022!

American jazz saxophonist and two-time Grammy nominee Bill Evans plays at the legendary Parisian nightclub New Morning with Wolfgang Haffner (drums), Gary Grainger (bass) and Simon Oslender (keys), collectively known as The Spykillers. Naturally, a Bill Evans concert would not be complete without the song ‘Jean Pierre’, a French nursery song Evans recorded during his tenure with Miles Davis’s band in the 1980s. Evans shares his recollections of how Miles Davis came to play this song. Enjoy this 2019 recording of Bill Evans & The Spykillers at New Morning in Paris!

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 2023, jazzahead! paid special attention to Germany’s jazz scene and invited thirty jazz acts from all over the world to perform over the course of three days. Among the artists presenting themselves at jazzahead! 2023 is Brazilian virtuoso pianist Amaro Freitas, whose free-style jazz performance is sure to perplex and captivate audiences the world over. His journey from local fame in Brazil’s North-East Recife to gaining a major international profile has been rapid. Freitas's third album “Sankofa” (2021) is a spiritual quest into the forgotten stories, ancient philosophies and inspirational figures of Black Brazil, and is his most stunning and sincere work to date.

Legendary jazz pianist Horace Silver's groundbreaking fusion of hard bop, blues, soulful grooves and Cape Verdean influences have left an indelible mark on the world of jazz. At the renowned Umbria Jazz Festival in the picturesque region of Umbria, Italy, Silver is accompanied by a great band of future all-stars: Bob Berg on tenor sax, Tom Harrell on trumpet, Steve Beskrone on bass and Eddie Gladden on drums. During this performance from July 20, 1976, Silver’s quintet stretches out on four Silver originals: “Adjustment”, “Barbara”, “In Pursuit of the 27th Man”, and “Song For My Father”. Tune in and let Horace Silver’s irresistible music mesmerize you!

The vibrant island of Malta was in for a night of light and cheerful music when Brazilian music legend João Bosco took the stage on July 21, 2018. The self-taught guitarist made his music debut in the 1970s alongside Elis Regina and Aldir Blanc. In 2018, with guitarist Ricardo Silveira, bassist João Baptista and drummer Kiko Freitas, Bosco introduces us to his trademark melting pot of bossa nova, samba and MPB, sparingly influenced by contemporary jazz. Following his phenomenal successes in his native Brazil, the enthusiasm of the Maltese crowd underlines that João Bosco is now gradually achieving his long-overdue recognition elsewhere.

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!