Schedule

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.

George Shearing, blind since birth, is one of the world's greatest jazz pianists. Filmed on both sides of the Atlantic, this tribute to Shearing showcases the music which took the jazz world by storm. Specially-shot performances and archive clips feature music spanning the six decades of his remarkable career and classics such as ‘September in the Rain’, ‘Lullaby of Birdland’, ‘Greensleeves’, ‘Donna Lee’ and ‘Freedom Jazz Dance’ are included, as well as many other recent compositions.

Count Basie is one of the most important bandleaders of the swing era. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later. Basie's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and deeply influenced jazz. In this 1961 concert recording, Count Basie takes the stage in Charleroi.

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 was 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.

The Flying Pickets are a British vocal group that was formed in 1982, transferring the art of a cappella to the pop music scene. These five gentlemen scored a number one hit in 1983 in the UK Singles Chart with their version of 'Only You'. Performing live in Stuttgart, vocalists Hereward Kaye, Gary Howard, Michael Henry, Nick Godfrey and Ricky Payne have many surprises in store for their appreciative audience.

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.

Hailing from a long tradition of Malian kora players, Ballake Sissoko has worked with renowned musicians such as Toumani Diabaté and Taj Mahal. He met the French born Vincent Ségal by chance, and the two began jamming together, uncertain of what kind of music might result. As a former member of the French National Orchestra, Ségal's Western classical training does not prevent him from exploring a wide variety of extended techniques, rendering his cello a flexible partner to Sissoko's kora. A childhood spent in the Pigalle district of Paris surrounded by immigrant communities exposed Ségal to African music from an early age. As such, he possesses a natural sensitivity to Sissoko's West-African style. The concert shows a brilliant interplay between the two musicians and combines the several worlds of jazz, Malian and classical music.

American trumpet player and occasional singer Chet Baker (1929-1988) was one of the most popular exponents of bebop and cool jazz. At the age of 10, Baker was introduced to music in a school orchestra, after which he discovered bebop in the army in 1946. After serving six months in prison in 1953 for drug possession, Baker formed his own quartet with West Coast jazz great, pianist Russ Freeman. His lifelong drug addiction forced him to concertize and record incessantly. Always popular in Europe, Chet Baker (trumpet, vocals) joined Jacques Pelzer (alto saxophone, flute), Luigi Trussardi (bass), Franco Manzecchi (drums), and René Urtreger (piano) for a set in Brussels, Belgium, on May 2, 1964. They performed Bye Bye Blackbird, Isn't It Romantic, Airegin, Time After Time and So What. On September 3, 1979, Baker appeared at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival in Norway. He was joined by Wolfgang Lackerschmid (vibraphone), Michel Graillier (piano), and Jean Louis Rassenfosse (bass) for performances of Blue Train, Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise, Five Years Ago, and Love For Sale.

In 1978, John Lurie formed The Lounge Lizards jazz ensemble with his brother Evan; the pair played music together for 20 years. However, in this New Year's Eve performance, Lurie (saxophone) plays a legendary show with drummer Larry Wright. Lurie is a musician, actor, painter, and the driving force behind the Strange & Beautiful music label. In the documentary John Lurie: A Solo Lounge Lizard, John talks about love, life, and gives insight on modern day hipster attitudes.

Relive the magic of one of the most beloved crooners in music history in his prime: Tony Bennett! Recorded live in London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 2, 1974, this enchanting performance showcases Bennett's remarkable vocal prowess and charisma to full effect. Bennett is accompanied by his musical director Torrie Zito and an orchestra of British musicians that includes Kenny Clare (drums), Don Lusher (trombone), and Kenny Baker (trumpet). Tune in for Bennett’s captivating take on songs “The Good Things in Life”, “My Favorite Things”, “My Love”, “I’ve Got Five Dollars”, “It Don’t Mean a Thing”, and “Maybe This Time” in this magical concert recording.