Schedule

Since 2005, the Morgenland Festival, held in 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. Jivan Gasparyan Jr has always been inspired by the folk melodies of his native Armenia. His grandfather, also a musician, taught him the art of duduk, an instrument of Armenian origin.

Aki Rissanen's interest in jazz came after he started taking classical piano lessons. His deep interest in improvised music placed him among top jazz pianist in his home country - Finland. While composing and performing his own music, Rissanen has also collaborated with Verneri Pohjola and Dave Liebman, and today his name appears among the top European jazz musicians. Live from 'Jazzclub Unterfahrt' in Munich, Germany, together with Antti Lotjonen on bass and Teppo Makynen on drums, Rissanen showcases the best of Scandinavian jazz and its DNA - the Nordic Tone.

Charles Mingus showcases an exceptional concert performed in April 1965 featuring his most celebrated lineup: Jaki Byard (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums), Johnny Coles (trumpet), Clifford Jordan (tenor sax) and the great Eric Dolphy (alto sax, flute and bass clarinet). Recorded within an eight-day span, less than three months before Dolphy's death, the three concerts showcase Mingus's visionary leadership and the band's incredible depth and diversity with unique performances and arrangements of classics including ‘So Long Eric’ and the groundbreaking ‘Meditations On Integration’.

'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 1997, American pianist Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea was one of the artists appearing here. He performed a set with longtime duet partner, vibraphonist Gary Burton. This concert was a reunion of sorts for the two, who had not appeared as a duo for many years, and the first of many more joint performances to come. Today, both musicians have more than earned their jazz legend status.

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 Crusaders, an American jazz fusion group that was popular in the '70s employed a two-manned front-line horn section. The group’s sound was rooted in hard bop, with an emphasis on R&B and soul. Their performance at Estival is beyond soulful and an amazing show to watch.

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!

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, prominent guitarist George Benson brought his band to kick off day three of the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Joining him to play songs from their joint album "Collaborations" was Grammy award–winning acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh.

Regarded as the greatest instrumental soloist of all-time, Stanley Gayetzky, famously known as Stan Getz emerged as one of the most significant musical forces in the world of jazz post World War II. With his distinctively warm and lyrical tone, Getz is fondly dubbed as ‘The Sound’ because of his singularity and musical innovations. His commitment to music is evident from his long body of work that includes over 300 pieces of musical compositions. Ranked among America’s top tenor saxophone players, Getz was a gifted saxophonist who could play just about anything on it, a quality that put him on top of the polls. He is accredited for playing some of the best jazz with some of the best jazzmen in the country. However, his personal life was a rollercoaster ride — tumultuous and loused up by abjection, alcohol, addiction and furious flare-ups. This program shows his last public performance, recorded at Munich Philharmonic Hall, Germany on July 18, 1990. Stan Getz (tenor sax) is accompanied by Kenny Barron (piano), Eddie Del Barrio and Frank Zottoli (synthesizers), Alex Blake (bass) and Terri Lyne Carrington (drums).

In 1988, Dee Dee Bridgewater was one of the first great jazz singers to perform at the Jazz Festival in Ramatuelle. In 2016, the story seems to repeat itself as her daughter China Moses took the stage at Ramatuelle. Over the years, China Moses has become a mature performer with a unique style: rocky voice, sharp sense of swing, and intense/energetic stage presence. After signing compilations dedicated to Dinah Washington and blues, Moses released in 2016 an album of his own compositions, entitled "Whatever". Get ready for a most entertaining performance combining jazz, soul, and hip-hop.

Teus Nobel is a Dutch trumpet and flugelhorn player. As a little boy, he was inspired by ‘power’ trumpeters such as Maynard Ferguson and Bill Chase. While studying at the conservatory, he played both as jazz player and as a commercial session musician at musicals. After his time at the conservatory, he started playing in the Royal Netherlands Air Force Orchestra, playing march music influenced by pop and jazz. Today’s broadcast was recorded at the Amsterdam BIMhuis. Teus dedicates his compositions to his all-time heroes Jarmo Hoogendijk, Woody Shaw, Christian Scott, Roy Hargrove and Eric Vloeimans. This performance is based on his second album ‘Legacy’.

In 2013 it is 25 years ago that singer and trumpet player Chet Baker mysteriously died, caused by a fall from the window of his hotel room in Amsterdam. His music is more popular than ever. This concert is performed by Fay Claassen, who became internationally known through her album ‘Two Portraits of Chet Baker’. In the U.S. this album was the ‘Best Vocal Album of the Year’. In this concert Fay Claassen brings a tribute to Baker with the most beautiful songs and improvisations.

Amsterdam, February 6th, 2018 - The short documentary Rebirth in The Amsterdam Red Light District illustrates how brutal Richard Lems' life as an addict was and his struggle to unshackle himself from the shame. Filled with fierce, freighting, and sad moments, Richard relives his stabbing, stay in jail, drug test, and drug use. Richard expresses himself verbally but mainly relives the moments through drumming, which renders the documentary an intense and unique experience. Addiction doctor and musician Gerard Alderliefste: “If he dares to bottom out, he will see it was the drugs and not himself. Music can bring those emotions to the surface”.

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. Jimmy Witherspoon and Rozaa Wortham, two incredible brilliant jazz musicians. Rozaa Wortham starts off the show with the Jimmy Witherspoon Quartet. Swinging and full of energy she performs ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing’. Jimmy Witherspoon, known for the song “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” ends the show with some astounding lean-back blues.

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. Miriam Makeba, also named Mama Africa, was a South African singer, actress, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and civil-rights activist. Her career flourished in the US, where she released several albums. Makeba was among the first African musicians to receive worldwide recognition. She brought African music to a Western audience, and popularized the world music and Afropop genres. Her performances at Estival Lugano is beyond incredible. Her voice, the power and the soul summarizes her musicality in 40 minutes, together with her band and extremely talented backing-vocals.

Big hits, booty dancing, stage dives, fan freestyles and of course, controversy, A$AP Rocky's debut Down Under tour had it all! At his sold-out Sydney show, hip hop's hottest star and 5000 rowdy fans got wild for the night at the Hordern Pavilion and we captured it all exclusively.

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.

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. One of them is Dutch singer, pianist, composer and bandleader Ruben Hein. Widely praised for his warm and characteristic voice and his offbeat piano playing, Ruben Hein is the artistic director and conductor of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NJJO). At Jazz in Duketown he performs a jazzy set, accompanied by his 18 finest proteges.

Double bassist Avishai Cohen’s trio with Noam David (drums) and Omri Mor (pianist) joined forces with the international Symphony Orchestra ‘INSO-Lviv’, conducted by Christian Schumann. On June 24, 2017 they brought Avishai Cohen’s signature blend of influences from Eastern Europe, American jazz and the Middle East to the Alfa Jazz Festival in Lviv, Ukraine. Cohen, who also supplies vocalizations in the Judeo-Spanish dialect Ladino, came to prominence internationally in the 1990s when jazz great Chick Corea offered him a place in his trio and a recording deal. Thirty years later, Cohen has become a house-hold name himself, leaving his Ukrainian audience enthralled and connected through the universal language of music.