Schedule

In 1971, the camera crew of the Western series Gunsmoke travelled from Hollywood to the Pacific Northwest to capture blues greats Muddy Waters, Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton and George “Harmonica” Smith during their tour. This documentary shows some of their best performances at the University of Oregon followed by footage and interviews on the road.

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. Among the bands appearing at jazzahead! 2022 is the Kathrine Windfeld Big Band from Denmark. In pianist, composer and arranger Kathrine Windfeld’s breathtaking compositions, sophisticated harmonic passages meet driving grooves and poetic ballads. Her 15-piece band effortlessly combines playful precision and enthusiastic power. The trumpeters are André Bak, Rolf Thofte Løkke, and Magnus Oseth; the trombonists are Göran Abelli, Tobias Stavngaard, and Anders Larson. The alto saxophonists are Hannes Bennich and Magnus Thuelund; the tenor saxophonists are Roald Elm and Ida Karlsson; the baritone saxophonist is Aske Drasbæk. The rhythm section consists of Viktor Sandström (guitar), Johannes Vaht (double bass), Henrik Holst Hansen (drums), and Kathrine Windfeld (piano).

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 vocalist Xênia França. Performing with her Brazilian band, their sound is beautifully laced with progressive jazz and ambient elements. França, a fashion model and a reference for black female empowerment, has been touted as “the most exciting new female singer-songwriter to come out of Brazil in decades”. Her 2018 debut album “Xênia” was nominated for two Latin Grammys, and the follow-up "Em Nome da Estrela" (2020) met with equally great critical acclaim.

The MotorMusic Studios in Mechelen, Belgium, attract many great musicians to the city. A wide variety of visiting international jazz musicians share their art of making jazz music with us in the DJAZZ series ‘Belgium Sessions’. In these sessions, some of Europe’s finest musicians perform their own, original music. New York is Jazz Heaven: small wonder that many young Belgian musicians cross the ocean to try their musical luck in the ‘Big Apple’. One of these journeymen brings the fruits of his successful New York experiences to this MotorMusic Session: tenor saxophone player Steven Delannoye and his New York Trio join forces with saxophonist Frank Vaganée. The intense and intriguing dialogue between the two saxophones recalls the golden jazz age of the 1950s, but adds a freshness of approach that is defined by their respective experiences. The horns are underpinned by the powerful NYC-based rhythm section of drummer Jesse Simpson and bassist Desmond White, who contribute a vibrant energy that propels the saxophonists to lofty heights.

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.

Manu Katché is one of France's most famous jazz drummers, who originally studied piano at the Conservatory in Paris before he switched to percussion. He presented his tenth album, “The scOpe”, which incorporates elements of jazz, rock, and world music, at the 2020 edition of Festival Jazz au Sommet in France. Katché is joined on stage by Jérôme Regard on bass, Alfio Origlio on piano, Walter Ricci on vocals, and Patrick Manouguian on guitar.

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.

Every year, the Jazz en Baie festival takes place in the beautiful bay of Mont Saint-Michel Today’s broadcast shows a special gathering between two grandmasters of French jazz: pianist Jacky Terrasson and trumpeter Stéphane Belmondo. The two team up for an amazing concert in which jazz is combined with soul and a touch of chanson française. The Franco-American pianist Terrasson delights in travelling the world, collaboration with others and leading his own trio, quartet, or quintet. With his long-time friend, Stéphane Belmondo, Terrasson has produced wonderful CDs and beautiful concerts. One then finds the trumpeter on the pianist’s album ‘Gouache’; on another, the pianist guests on Belmondo’s ‘Ever After’. At the Jazz en Baie festival, the duo plays its amazing piano and trumpet music. Highly recommended!

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.

The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) was composed of Milt 'Bags' Jackson on vibraphone, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Milt Jackson and John Lewis were pioneer bebop musicians who had played together in Dizzy Gillespie's 1948 big band. They pursued separate careers before adding Heath and Lewis to form the Modern Jazz Quartet in the 1950s. Noted for its delicate percussion sonorities, innovative jazz forms, and high performance standards, the MJQ was an immensely popular jazz and “third stream” ensemble until its final concerts in the early 1990s.

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 1981, American singer and Grammy Award winner Al Jarreau gave an unforgettable performance for the audience of the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, the Netherlands.

In 1956, Duke Ellington and his Orchestra performed a legendary set at the third annual Newport Jazz Festival. It was tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves’ outstanding 27-chorus solo on “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” that revitalized Ellington’s career. The success generated during that performance carried him for the rest of his life. By 1973, festivals carrying the Newport name were organized all over the world. Less than a year before his death, Ellington and his Orchestra, with Gonsalves still in the fold, appeared in Brussels to deliver a timeless performance before a highly appreciative crowd.

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!

Brazilian artist Gilberto Gil returns to Jazz à Vienne in France with a new round of singing that is inspired by his latest album ‘Fé na Festa’: a mixture of celebration, tradition and even some rock now and then. Gilberto Gil, worldwide known for as musician and the Brazilian minister of Culture, was one of the pioneers of the cultural movement ‘tropicalismo’. This movement, with a strong character of social protest, combines elements of traditional Brazilian culture with modern art forms. Gilberto Gil's new sound clearly has its roots in Brazilian culture, yet it is always inspired by jazz.

'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.

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!

In this DJAZZ 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 the trio Massot/Florizoone/Horbaczewski. This adventurous threesome pushes the boundaries of jazz, folk and classical music. There is a certain commonality between the instruments they play: accordion, tuba and cello share a richness of sound, as well as a broad register and a photogenic appearance. When improvising, the trio produces the weirdest and wackiest, but also most moving sounds.

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 this episode, our guest is an old-timer from African music: the saxophonist and composer Orlando Julius (*1943). Doubtlessly, he is royalty among Nigerian musicians. In his music, Julius combines highlife, jazz, soul, and R&B in ground-breaking ways.

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 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. The Morgenland Chamber Orchestra has been an integral part of the Morgenland Festival since 2009. This ensemble of musicians from Germany and various guest countries performs as part of the festival's opening concert. This episode includes performances sometimes energetic, sometimes soft and soothing.

‘Jazz à Vienne’ is one of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. Ever since 1981 it has attracted leading jazz artists, with many of them playing return engagements. Unsurprisingly, the festival's 2013 edition did not fall short of expectations: the lineup was filled with the biggest names in music. Among them was the wonderful Richard Bona. He conquered the world with his bass and voice a long time ago. Joined on stage by Mike Rodrigues on trumpet, Luisito and Robert Quinteros on percussions, Ozzy Melendez on trombone, and Osmandy Paredes on piano, Bona once again shows why audiences around the world fall for his music.

In the late 1940s, jazz saxophonist Charlie 'Bird' Parker expressed his wish to record with a classical string section rather than his usual jazz quintet. This desire was fulfilled in 1949 and 1950 when he recorded two albums with oboe, harp, string section and a jazz rhythm section, released as 'Charlie Parker with Strings'. Fast forward 70 years, when saxophonists Olivier Bogé, Géraldine Laurent, Pierrick Pédron, Thomas de Pourquery, and Jaleel Shaw follow in the jazz legend's footsteps, revisiting the repertoire of those original albums in this 2019 concert at The Philharmonie de Paris. Bastien Stil conducts Christophe Dal Sasso's new orchestral arrangements in this genre-blending concert, which opens with Dal Sasso’s very own Overture pour cinq saxophones et orchestra.

Martin Fabricius is a Danish vibraphonist and composer of film music who studied with the legendary vibes master Gary Burton. Ever since Fabricius' first album in 2008, he has performed his own music all over the world, attracting a growing audience of listeners both familiar and new to jazz. Fabricius is also a sought after guest soloist and sideman and has played with legendary trumpet player Tomasz Stańko and bassist Steve Swallow.

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.