Schedule

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. The Mel Lewis Orchestra was arguably the most influential big band since the swing era. They were an unusual band, creating new styles, succeeding in an era when big bands were unpopular and remaining integrated during racially tense periods.

Playing together for the first time, this concert features the "young lions" of the late 1990s, the cream of contemporary jazz musicians. As a team of individualists, they mix contemporary and traditional jazz in a whole new way, playing well-known standards as well as their own compositions. With Tim Hagans on trumpet, Greg Osby on alto sax, Javon Jackson on tenor sax, Kevin Hays on piano, Esslet Esslet on double bass, and Bill Stewart on drums, this is an amazing line up. Over the years, they have each established themselves as forward-thinking and inventive band leaders, composers, and studio musicians, astonishing audiences around the world with their creativity and technical versatility.

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 participating bands, Invisible World, is based at the jazz crossroads where East European and Mediterranean influences merge and caper off in new directions. Led by Czech bassist Tomáš Liška, a prolific idea man of many projects, joined by Turkish violinist Efe Turumtay, Serbian accordionist Nikola Zarić and Moravian drummer Kamil Slezák.

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.

Bootsy Collins, famed for playing with George Clinton and his very own Rubber Band, is used to playing syncopated, hard and relentlessly rhythmic music. With this unique style Bootsy was a major influence on the development of funk. Now in his 60s, the bassist seems animated by a new energy that reflects his new work on the album ‘Tha Funk Capitol of the World’. With this album, Bootsy Collins pays tribute to the artists with whom he worked during his frantic career: from James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic to Fatboy Slim. During this concert, recorded at the festival Jazz à Vienne, Bootsy maintains that same energy, giving a spectacular show.

Jazz in Duketown is the largest free outdoor jazz festival in the Netherlands. It's a real gathering for jazz addicts, inviting internationally renowned artists. Israeli-American double bassist Omer Avital plays radiantly energetic, resounding jazz with oriental influences. At Jazz in Duketown 2019, Avital forms a quintet with saxophonists Asaf Yuria and Alexander Levin, drummer Ofri Nehemya, and pianist Eden Ladin. They present singular repertoire from Avital's album 'Qantar'.

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.

British pianist George Shearing enjoyed an international reputation as an instrumentalist, arranger, and composer. Equally at home on the classical concert stage as in jazz clubs, he was recognized for his inventive, orchestrated jazz. In this live recording from the Munich Philharmonie, Shearing played in a duo format with Canadian double bassist Neil Swainson. The repertoire consisted of a selection of compositions by Shearing himself, among them ‘Lullaby Of Birdland’, which is a standard in jazz repertoire.

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.

Lugano Estival Jazz is an annual open-air music festival that takes place over five days at the picturesque city of Lugano, Switzerland. Since 1979, this musical Mecca has been a must-attend event for all jazz and world music fans worldwide. On July 3, 1986, American pianist and composer Keith Jarrett is joined by bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette at Estival Jazz Lugano. Known as the Standards Trio, they put on an enthralling performance that shows these master musicians at their best.

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 the first row! This episode is a fantastic registration of the after party of the North Sea Jazz Festival: Boogieball. This mega jam session is a great coming together of, amongst others, Anthony Hamilton, Anderson Paak, Christian Scott, Cory Henry and Kneebody!

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.

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 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, smooth jazz saxophonist and crowd-favorite Kenny G serenaded those attending the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. After beginning his career in the Love Unlimited Orchestra, he now brings his own band for this hypnotic performance.

Estival Jazz Lugano is an annual, open-air music festival that takes place over five days in the picturesque city of Lugano, Switzerland. Since 1979, this musical Mecca has been a must-attend event for all jazz and world music fans worldwide. In 1985, American vocal virtuoso Bobby McFerrin took the stage solo at Estival Jazz Lugano. The one-man musical force stunned the audience with his unique vocal percussion as he delved into the crowd for this quirky and charming act.

This film is a souvenir of an extraordinary concert. It reveals the true personality of Liz Mc Comb: more than a great gospel singer, she is a lover who dreams of sharing her generosity with us. Liz Mc Comb sings, among others, 'I'm Just a Poor Wayfaring Stranger' for all the immigrants in the world, followed by her famous 'Time Is Now'.

'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'.

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. Jack DeJohnette, an important figure in jazz fusion, was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2007. His style combines elements of jazz, free jazz, world music and R & B, and his versatility makes him a regarded and in-demand drummer. Discover his unique style as part of this breathtaking performance delivered at Estival.

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 1979, legendary Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson gave a stunning performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. With talented double bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen accompanying him, Peterson demonstrated his piano skills with aplomb.

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!

Although its music might sound like the soundtrack of any 1970s American car chase movie, the band Sven Hammond Soul is from the Netherlands. This steaming soul machine is headed by Sven Figee, who prefers to attack rather than play his Hammond organ. In April 2012, the band was augmented with vocalist Jenny Lane. Today’s recordings were made at a steaming live performance at Utrecht’s Tivoli in 2012.

Jazz first gained a foothold on Latvian soil in the 1920s. A century onward, this documentary traces the first two decades of jazz in Latvia in this portrait of Jack Michalicky, the first known Latvian jazz pianist. Michalicky was a musician from head to toe – a gifted violinist, he truly felt at home at the piano. Slender and lithe, the imaginative pianist’s fingers flew across the keys like a true miracle. Seemingly indefatigable, Michalicky would play improvised solos during breaks in the band's sets, if the patrons wished. This brief yet insightful documentary, which places this remarkable musician in the context of post-WWI jazz in Europe, was produced by Latvian Mareks Ameriks.

Jazz in Duketown is the largest free outdoor jazz festival in the Netherlands. It's a real gathering for jazz addicts, inviting internationally renowned bands. In 2019, one of them is the Amsterdam-based Dutch instrumental collective Jungle by Night. The band plays a mix of various styles, inspired by funk, jazz, dub, rock, and others. The ensemble made its debut in 2010 and has played at numerous festivals. Their December 2010 performance with former backing musicians of Afrobeat founder Fela Kuti in Paris saw them hailed as "the future of Afrobeat".