Schedule

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.

30 minutes of... Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos and Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música conducted by Dirk Brossé. Casa da Música is a performance hall located in Porto, in northern Portugal. Brossé, born in Ghent, Belgium in 1960, is a versatile composer and a respected conductor on the international music scene. Pianist Jason Moran and cellist J.A. Pereira de Sousa accompany both sets.

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. The talented American singer Michelle David performs pop and gospel music that feeds the heart and soothes the soul. Having grown up with the church, she started singing at the age of four. A year later she joined her first band, The Mission of Love. In 1980 she enrolled at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City, known from the film 'Fame'. During this time, she appeared as an extra in the legendary comedy film 'Ghostbusters'. Musicals and tours with the bands of Diana Ross and Michael Bolton followed.

Formed in 1952 from the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie's big band, the Modern Jazz Quartet took its inspiration from classical chamber music as well as jazz's blues roots. The group enjoyed a decades-long career with multiple critically acclaimed albums, cementing their place in the history of the genre. Following concerts in Rotterdam and Amsterdam the days before, the Modern Jazz Quartet performed at Singer Concertzaal in Laren for Dutch TV on March 31, 1969. Composed of Milt Jackson on vibraphone, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Connie Kay on drums, the foursome plays with elegance and style.

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 1980, American soul legend Ray Charles brought the Raelettes and the Ray Charles Orchestra to the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. With the full force of these two groups behind him, Charles showed why throughout his storied career he has been viewed as one of the most recognizable voices in music.

As one of the best Hammond B3 organ players, Jimmy McGriff (1936-2008) is often lost among great soul-jazz organists from his hometown of Philadelphia. Of the major soul-jazz pioneers, he was the bluesiest and often insisted that he was more of a blues musician than a jazz artist. Regardless, he remained eclectic enough to blur the lines of genres. His sound - deep, down-to-earth grooves drenched in blues and gospel feeling - made him popular with R&B audiences. This 1965 performance is part of the Comblain-la-Tour Jazz Festival.

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 saxophone heavyweights Peter King and Steve Grossman. These experienced musicians’ trip to the bay amounts to much more than a social call. The quintet, which is rounded out by bass player Duylinh N'Guyen, drummer Stéphane Huchard and pianist Alain Jean-Marie, delivers an amazing show. Although the two saxophonists have an average age of 70, these jazz titans will convince you you’re watching young musicians on stage – albeit with 70 years of experience.

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 artists performing here in 2019 is Al Di Meola. This pioneering guitarist blends world music, rock and jazz. His ongoing fascination for complex rhythmic syncopation, combined with provocative lyrical melodies and sophisticated harmony, has been at the heart of his music throughout a celebrated career. The Grammy Award-winner has achieved international fame both as a solo artist and due to his collaborations with the world's biggest artists.

Bassist Kyle Eastwood (1968) is an explorer, equally at ease with jazz melodies as with pop songs. In the late 1970s, his father Clint took him to see his first jazz concert - a Count Basie performance. Eastwood Jr. was in awe of the drummer and wanted to play an instrument himself. It so happened he wasn’t so much interested in jazz, preferring rhythm and blues, Motown and Stax records, funk groups, and North African and Indian music. Eastwood became a brilliant bassist and the composer of highly original soundtracks. His 2015 album "Time Pieces" is a collaboration with brilliant British musicians, such as trumpeter Quentin Collins and saxophonist Brandon Allen. In this broadcast, Eastwood and his fellow musicians revisit the hard bop legacy of Blue Note Records. Eastwood and his band perform original music, as well as songs made famous by Horace Silver and Herbie Hancock. Their contemporary take on Charles Mingus’ “Boogie Stop Shuffle” is not to be missed!

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.

‘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.

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.

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!

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.

Jazz phenomenon Trombone Shorty dishes out a mix of funk, jazz, hip-hop and soul at this concert at the French festival Jazz à Vienne. Playing with the energy of a rock star, Troy Andrews, a.k.a. ‘Trombone Shorty’, pays homage to jazz legends. With his hypnotic performance and boundless energy, Trombone Shorty puts up an unparalleled performance.

Since his first appearance at Jazz in Ramatuelle in 2010, saxophonist Émile Parisien has made his mark among the most talented musicians of his generation. On the soprano saxophone, his favorite instrument, he invented a unique lyrical style. As part of his participation in the 2016 edition of Jazz à Ramatuelle, Parisien invited two European jazz legends to join his ensemble: the German pianist Joachim Kühn (*1944) and the legendary multi-instrumentalist Michel Portal (*1935). Over 80 years old, the latter is an incomparable saxophonist, clarinetist and bandoneonist, a musical adventurer who skilfully combines jazz, classical music and film music. Guitarist Manu Codjia, bassist Simon Tailleu and drummer Mario Costa complete the sextet conducted by Parisien, who delivers a memorable performance at Jazz in Ramatuelle.

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!

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 a compilation with music of George Benson & Kenny G.