Program Stingray Djazz

'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 1994, legendary swing band leader and vibraphonist Lionel Hampton performed his own arrangements of jazz standards with Junior Mance on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass and Bobby Durham on drums. They were joined by the St. Petersburg State Orchestra conducted by Alexander Tschernuschenko, to create an exciting big band sound on rousing performances of ‘In the Mood’ and ‘Air Mail Special’. The program ends with Hampton singing Louis Armstrong's latter-day hit ‘What a Wonderful World’.

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.

Jazz à Vienne is one of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. Ever since 1981, it has attracted a mix of jazz legends and exciting newcomers, with many of them playing return engagements. Each year welcomes outstanding international stars to the historical Le Théâtre Antique to impress and inspire their audiences. In 2018, French pianist Gauthier Toux performed with his trio of bassist Kenneth Dahl Knudsen and drummer Maxence Sibille at Jazz à Vienne. Having just released his third album Whatever The Colours You See, Toux amazes with his contemporary take on jazz.

Vocalist Jazzmeia Horn’s 2019 Malta Jazz Festival appearance was a celebration of jazz’s future, infused with the soul of its past. Featuring Keith Brown (piano), Rashaan Carter (bass), Irwin Hall (flute and saxophone), and Anwar Marshall (drums), the young singer’s performance was a reminder of jazz’s enduring power to speak to the heart. Situated at the Valletta waterfront outside Our Lady of Liesse Church, Horn’s concert was a truly spellbinding experience.

“God Bless The Child”, “Foolin’ Myself”, and “I Loves You, Porgy”: timeless songs that were made classics by the inimitable Billie Holiday. ‘Lady Day’, as her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young nicknamed her, was a highly original jazz and pop singer. In a career that spanned most of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, she displayed an uncanny ability to convey emotion through her voice. Her vocals, which were strongly inspired by instrumental jazz, are admired for their deeply personal and intimate sound. This compilation features recordings from the 1950s of Billie Holiday singing a string of her greatest successes. Enjoy this unique footage of one of jazz’s all-time greats!

The final concert of the Münchner Klaviersommer 1992 was by Wynton Marsalis and his septet. The 31-years-young star trumpeter performed one of his own jazz suites to the sold-out Philharmonie, under the title of ‘In This House, On This Morning’. The concert covers every jazz style, in composition and improvisation, and in both small and grand forms. Marsalis’s Septet was made up of Wess Anderson (alto saxophone), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Reginald Veal (bass), Herlin Riley (drums), Todd Williams (tenor saxophone), and Eric Reed (piano).

In this 1970 performance at Maison de la Radio in Paris, France, American blues legend John Lee Hooker (voice and guitar) is joined by the masterful Carey Bell (harmonica), Joe Harper (bass), Lester Dorsie (drums), and Jimmy Dawkins (electric guitar). From the first to the very last minute of the concert, Hooker illustrates why he, 45 years later, was to be ranked 35th on Rolling Stone’s 2015 list of 100 Greatest Guitarists: this bluesman is truly in a class of his own.

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 has 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 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 1982, American saxophonist Gerry Mulligan gave an unforgettable performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Mulligan was one of the leading arrangers of the cool jazz era, who worked with Miles Davis, Stan Kenton and Claude Thornhill in the 1950s and 1960s. Mulligan’s early pianoless 1950s quartet with trumpeter Chet Baker is still regarded as one of the finest groups in cool jazz. Born in New York in 1927, Mulligan spent his life composing, arranging and playing jazz until his death on January 20, 1996.

Seun Anikulapo Kuti possesses the grace, energy and fury of his father, the legendary artist Fela Kuti. With the musicians of Fela Kuti’s legendary band Egypt 80, Seaun Kuti brings the most original incarnation of Afrobeat to life. Digging deep into different African traditions, Seun has brought his own touch to the music by reflecting the difficulties and cultures of the continent. Three-quarters of Egypt 80's current line-up is composed of musicians who didn’t only play with Fela Kuti, but often were arrested and harassed alongside the founder of the Afrobeat.

Jazz à Vienne is one of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. Ever since 1981, it has attracted a mix of jazz legends and exciting newcomers, with many of them playing return engagements. Each year welcomes outstanding international stars to the historical Le Théâtre Antique to impress and inspire their audiences. In 2017, Cuban pianist and vocalist Roberto Fonseca performed at Jazz à Vienne. Blending jazz, Afro-Cuban soul, hip-hop, and electro, Fonseca embraces both the past and future in this stimulating concert that will expose you to some exciting new sounds.

The idiosyncratic pianist and composer Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) is one of the all-time greats of jazz. His music went largely misunderstood for the first 15 years of his career, after which he was rightly hailed as a genius, and received credit as a founding father of bebop. Several concerts from his 1966 European tour were recorded for television, featuring his quartet of Charles Rouse (tenor saxophone), Lawrence Gales (bass) and Benjamin Riley (drums). His quartet performed Epistrophy, 'Round Midnight, and Lulu's Back in Town in Warsaw for Polish television on April 4, 1966. On April 17, the same quartet performed a short set in Copenhagen for Danish television, featuring Lulu's Back in Town, Don't Blame Me, and Epistrophy.

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 the great Wayne Shorter Quartet. Shorter’s maxim is to reinvent his music during each concert. He means to give his music a radical originality.

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".

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).

Estival Jazz Lugano 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, 1985, pianist and space-faring jazz icon Sun Ra and his Arkestra crash-landed at Estival Jazz Lugano. Featuring saxophonists Marshall Allen, John Gilmore and Danny Ray Thompson, clarinetist Eloe Omoe, flautist James Jackson, trombonist Tyrone Hill and a cavalcade of other costumed talents, Sun Ra puts on a truly out-of-this-world concert.

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 1982, the Superstar Quintet, which consists of the otherworldly American trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonist Joe Henderson, drummer Tony Williams, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Kenny Baron performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. The star-studded fivesome put on a concert of cosmic proportions.

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, American trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. The lauded musician and member of the Marsalis jazz dynasty puts on an amazing show supported by pianist Marcus Roberts, bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Jeff Watts.

This vintage program, ‘Jazz Marmalade’, shows expatriate American musicians plying their trade in two Parisian jazz clubs in 1962. First, American stride pianist Joe Turner (often confused with blues shouter ‘Big’ Joe Turner) opens this atmospheric broadcast with a swinging piano-bass duet recorded at the Mars Club. Joe Turner (1907–1990) would remain in Paris for the rest of his life. From the American-owned Mars Club just off the Champs-Élysées, a hangout for showbiz people and expatriate Americans in Paris, the program cuts to the Blue Note. There, a Paris-based American quartet that includes drummer Kenny Clarke, organ player Lou Bennett, and tenor saxophonist Don Byas performs ‘Salut Les Copines’. Returning to the Mars Club, the American jazz trio of house pianist Art Simmons (1926–2018) performs a jaunty take on ‘C-Jam Blues’. Rounding off the program at the Blue Note, the quartet of drummer Kenny Clarke, organist Lou Bennett, and tenor saxophonist Don Byas returns for a swinging ‘April in Paris’. These recordings offer an invaluable glimpse into expatriate American jazz-making in Paris in the early 1960s.

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, bassist Bootsy Collins, guitarist Flávio Silva, and drummer/vocalist Sheila E.

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. John Carl Hendricks is one of the instigators of "vocalese", an art form that aims to add lyrics to existing instrumental pieces and replace several instruments with singing. He flaunts this technique at Estival, where he "scat" while playing double bass. Hendricks is known for his mastery of scat, a form of vocal jazz that uses onomatopoeia rather than lyrics

This film portrays Michel Petrucciani 's very unique outlook on life, his vitality, boisterous humor and marked comedian talent which triumphes over all physical restrictions. It also shows Michel Petrucciani performing, composing, selecting his very own piano, at a recording session with Stephane Grapelli, Roy Haynes and Georges Mraz, .... and much more.

Woody Herman: Live in '64 features a blistering one-hour concert from 1964 showcasing one of the very hottest line-ups of the "Swinging Herd," including trumpeter Bill Chase, trombonist Phil Wilson, and the amazing saxophonist Sal Nistico on the front line, as well as drummer Jake Hanna, bassist Chuck Andrus, and pianist-arranger Nat Pierce in the rhythm section. The band roars throughout the entire show which includes standards such as "Lonesome Old Town", "After You’ve Gone", and new originals including Charles Mingus’s "Better Git It In Your Soul."

When renowned jazz pianists of the old and new school meet at a "Solo Piano Summit," audiences are treated to many an interesting musical surprise. The "Solo Piano Summit" brings together a handful of top pianists with different musical backgrounds: Jacky Terrasson, Junior Mance, Geoff Keezer, Bill Charlap and Alex Wilson. Besides solo performances the all-stars used the occasion for spontaneous interplay, improvisation and a fantastic finale - in short for the pleasure of virtuoso jazz piano playing.

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, American singer Ella Fitzgerald gave an unforgettable performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Fitzgerald, who was noted for her purity of tone, phrasing, "horn-like" improvisational ability and tremendous work ethic, had recorded a live album with the Count Basie Orchestra at the Montreux Jazz Festival the night before. On the program are a number of songs she rarely performed, such as Make Me Rainbows, Some Other Spring, Dindi, and Theme from Love Boat.

On July 20, 2018, double bassist Christian McBride presented his band ‘New Jawn’ at the Malta Jazz Festival. A five-time Grammy winner, McBride is one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. Hailing from Philadelphia, this music luminary combines jazz, R&B, pop/rock, hip hop/neo-soul, and classical. Gracing the Malta Jazz stage with him are Nasheet Waits (drums), Marcus Strickland (tenor sax), and Josh Evans (trumpet).

Instead of children’s songs, the sound of jazz standards was always present. They practiced intricate drum rhythms instead of Bach etudes: Simon Oslender and Jérôme Cardynaals have jazz running through their veins! Under the name ‘Twogether’ both youngsters celebrate a very unique and soulful style of funky blues-jazz. They create a sound that leaves even renowned jazz artists speechless. The two, exceptionally talented boys met in a youth big band, and before long they became a musical team. Immediately after that, they won the first prize in the Prinses Christina Jazz Concours in Amsterdam, which got the whole thing started. In this concert, they perform with wonderful artists such as the Dutch saxophonist Benjamin Herman and the American vocalist Madeline Bell.

To celebrate the release of Django, the Parisian New Morning Club pays tribute to the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt. The program showcases the magic of Reinhardt’s compositions, as well as the virtuosity of one of his most famous heirs: Stochelo Rosenberg. With unbridled passion and enthusiasm, Rosenberg interprets the music that marked French musical heritage: gypsy jazz. Rosenberg cultivates an exceptional technique with a unique vibrato and sets an example for guitarists and other instrumentalists who aim to keep music alive. On stage at New Morning Club, Rosenberg is supported by Hono Winterstein (guitar), Mathias Levy (violin), Rocky Gresset (guitar), and Xavier Nikqi (double bass).

'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.

‘Jazz a 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 2012 edition did not fall short of expectations: the lineup was filled with the biggest names in music. Among them was vocalist Gregory Porter transcends the jazz bubble. His magnificent, burnished baritone can sink into a lyric with luxurious ease, the melody gently sculpted into new shapes at every turn, with the rhythm tugging subtly back and forth across the bar line.

Biréli Lagrène is a French jazz guitarist born on September 4, 1966 in a family of gypsy tradition. His brother and his father introduced him from an early age to the repertoire of Django Reinhardt, whose influence is still felt in the style of Lagrène. In this performance, Lagrène pays homage to Django Reinhardt with his son, Babik Reinhardt.

Two top-tier Belgian musicians – guitarist Philip Catherine and bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse – accompany American jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker during this 1985 performance at the beautiful Brussels Jazz Club, located on the Grand-Place, the Belgian capital’s central square. The trio plays Charlie Mariano’s “Crystal Bells”, the title track of their acclaimed 1983 album. Other songs played during this legendary concert include “Down” and “How Deep is the Ocean”.

Pierre Courbois has been one of Europe’s leading jazz musicians since the mid-sixties. This concert, recorded at the renowned Amsterdam jazz club Bimhuis, sees the drummer playing with his QWINTETT. On the occasion of his 75th birthday in 2015, Courbois hit the road for the Pierre Courbois 75 Years Anniversary Tour. The PC QWINTETT consists of several highly acclaimed Dutch jazz musicians with whom Courbois has worked before in his long and versatile career. Among them are pianist Nike Langenhuijsen, double bassist Egon Kracht, trumpeter Toon de Gouw, and trombonist Ilja Reijngoud. QWINTETT honours the Charles Mingus tradition of thematic and melodic ensemble jazz - but also with an unmistakable Courbois groove! Courbois, known for his own way of combining compositions with improvisations, melodically melts constructions with uneven breaks.

Legendary African-American folk singer Odetta (1930-2008) sang her spirituals with immeasurable sorrow and anguish. Her spiritual music expresses the horrific impact of slavery on millions of African people stolen from their homeland. For Odetta, folk music—be it spirituals, blues or field songs—was a vehicle for expressing the racism and injustice experienced by black people dating back to the days of slavery. This 1964 episode of Face au Public shows the melancholy of the era.

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'.

Legendary free jazz pianist Burton Greene rose to fame in New York City's free jazz scene of the 1960s. Exploring various spontaneous improvisational styles, Greene performs live at Cafe OTO in London, UK.

These portraits of artists, concerts and festivals give a good impression of the jazz world. Both famous and less famous jazz artists will give a new insight in their life. DJAZZ asked them why they wrote that special song, what was the first record they bought and what is his or her most precious musical memory. The festival portraits are beautiful reports filmed at the most special jazz festivals and concerts. They revive the memory of the festival, the music and the experience.

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.

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.

In 1959, Jacques Loussier hit upon the idea that was to make his international reputation, by combining his interest in jazz with his love of J.S. Bach. Only a pianist with such an exceptional classical technique and deft improvisatory skill could have nurtured such a vision. He founded the Play Bach Trio, which used Bach's compositions as the basis for jazz improvisation. The trio immediately caught the public imagination. In their live appearances, tours and concerts, plus a succession of recordings built on the cornerstone of four albums made between 1960 and 1963, Loussier's group achieved the breakthrough to popular commercial success enjoyed by only a select few jazz musicians. In fifteen years, the trio sold over six million albums! On July 28th 2004, the day of Bach's 254th anniversary of death, the Jacques Loussier Trio perform a special concert at the famous St. Thomas Church of Leipzig - the city where Bach composed many of his most famous works.

Bill Evans: Live in '64, '65 & '70 features five separate performances by one of the most revered pianists in music history. This collection covers an 11-year span, highlighting Evans’ ever-deepening artistry as he performs with four different all-star rhythm sections, including the stunning duo of bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Alan Dawson. This recording includes Evans’ renditions of the rarely performed “Sareen Jurer,” “Blue Serge”, and “Twelve Tone Tune Two.” Among the many surprises in this collection is a live performance of “My Melancholy Baby” with saxophonist Lee Konitz.

Jazz à Vienne is one of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. Ever since 1981, it has attracted a mix of jazz legends and exciting newcomers, with many of them playing return engagements. Each year welcomes outstanding international stars to the historical Le Théâtre Antique to impress and inspire their audiences. In 2017, French pianist Amaury Faye performed with his trio at Jazz à Vienne. With Louis Navarro on bass and Théo Lanau on drums – the same line-up that appeared on his award-winning debut ‘Clearway’ – Faye demonstrates why he is considered a rising star.

Jazzed Out proves that a jazz session can take place anywhere. Unusual locations, such as garage buildings, multi-storey car parks, street corners, subway trains, and parks, in several of the world’s metropoles, provide the setting for brief jazz performances. The sheer rawness of the metropoles merge with the musical creations of various artists in search of the perfect ‘urban stage’. In this episode, Oslo serves as a backdrop for sets by pianists Tord Gustavsen and Bugge Wesseltoft, as well as Jaga Jazzist collective.

Embark on a remarkable journey through the world of jazz piano as we showcase some of the most iconic and influential pianists in history. This collection of extraordinary performances captures the unique essence and brilliance of legendary pianists Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and others. Revel in Oscar Peterson’s virtuosity as his trio plays “C-Jam Blues” in Holbaek, Denmark, on May 2, 1964. Let the sublime artistry of Art Tatum captivate you as he interprets Antonín Dvořák's “Humoresque” in 1953. Discover Thelonious Monk’s enigmatic genius as his quartet performs his iconic composition “Round About Midnight” in Poland on April 4, 1966. Experience the timeless appeal of the Dave Brubeck Quartet's odd-metered “Take Five", recorded live in Brussels, Belgium, on October 10, 1964. Delight in the lyrical beauty of Bud Powell's solo performance of “Sweet and Lovely” at the Antibes Jazz Festival of July 13, 1960. Witness the fusion of jazz and funk in Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters' exhilarating studio performance of “Sly” in Bremen, Germany, recorded on November 6, 1974. Lastly, enjoy the soulful grooves of Horace Silver's “Song for my Father” performed by his quintet at the Umbria Jazz Festival of July 20, 1976. Tune in and let these legendary jazz pianists transport you on unforgettable musical adventures!

Jazzfest Bonn is an annual festival of modern and creative jazz music. Every May it presents local and international jazz musicians in concert halls all over the German city. Among the artists of the 2017 edition is Bandit 65, a trio of breathtaking virtuosity, great power, boundless breadth, and astounding beauty. Together with Tim Motzer on guitar and electronics, and Gintas Janusonis on drums and percussion, guitarist and band leader Kurt Rosenwinkel explores the intersection of guitars, rhythm, electronics, soundscapes, free improvisation, and telepathic interplay.

Pianist Kenny Barron’s June 27, 2019 appearance at the Alfa Jazz Festival in Ukraine’s Lviv was a celebration of sublime jazz virtuosity. The revered elder statesmen of jazz piano brought his regular working trio of Kiyoshi Kitagawa (bass) and Jonathan Blake (drums), augmented by stellar jazzman Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone) and young lion Riley Mulherkar (trumpet). Their seamless blend of classic bebop and modern explorations spoke of a deep, emotive connection to each note, captivating the Ukrainian audience with lyrical improvisations during this unforgettable concert.

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. This concert of Freddie Hubbard and the Satchmo Legacy in 1987, highlights the bebop legend's classic style and silky tone. Hubbard is an American jazz trumpeter whose unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives for modern jazz and bebop. He was also a well-known part of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and is primarily known for playing bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early '60s onwards.

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.

Award-winning saxophonist Michael Blicher, Hammond wizard Dan Hemmer and legendary drummer Steve Gadd joined forces in 2014 to celebrate their shared love for Hammond-organ soul jazz. The band, which tours extensively throughout the world, has released several albums. Their third album, which was released in November 2019, features U.K. vocalist Paul Carrack on the soulful ballad 'The First One To Know'.

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 big band leader and pianist Count Basie brought his famous big band to the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague to perform two sets. Basie, whose minimalist pianism and blues-oriented swing style had cemented his popularity as early as the 1930s, was in the midst of a European tour and had recorded his live album 'On the Road' the previous night in Montreux, Switzerland. Here is the second of two sets recorded at the festival in 1979.

By the time this set was recorded at Brussels Jazz Club in the summer of 1980, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard had already built an impressive resume. During the 1960s he became a leading voice in the hard bop movement while not shying away from avant-garde sessions with the likes of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. In the 1970s, Hubbard expanded his palette by recording in more diverse settings that included electric instruments and orchestral arrangements. On this club date, Hubbard showcases all of the experience he had accumulated up to this point. The working group consists includes David Schnitter on tenor saxophone, Billy Childs on keyboards, Larry Klein on bass, and Sinclair Lott on drums. Watch as the quintet deftly switches between acoustic and electric instruments and Hubbard entertains the crowd with his onstage antics.

The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed and curated in São Paulo by director and presenter Dani Gurgel and producer and engineer Thiago Rabello, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. Drawing from her Brazilian roots, upcoming vocalist Fran Nóbrega is poring today’s underground scene to bring us the latest trends in forró and popular Brazilian music. Her album “A flor e o Tempo” has won her a strong cult following, and her performances exude positive energy: get ready to dance to Nóbrega’s exciting set!

Self-taught musician Les McCann became the international jazz superstar he is today after the release of his album “Swiss Movement” which he recorded in 1968 with the late Eddie Harris. Yet there is much more to this musician than that one record. McCann moves comfortably from one jazz style to the next, demonstrating impressive chops in all areas, from bop to fusion, and from vocals to the keys of the electric piano, clavinet, or synthesizer. His mix of church and swing music captures the spirit of the time perfectly, even when an illness prevented him from playing with more than one finger at a time in the early 1990s. In today’s broadcast, McCann takes gospel back to New Orleans, where he played this set in 1983. McCann’s vocals shine in the soulful performances of several of his hits, including “Just Like Magic”, backed by his wonderful “Magic Band” of saxophonist Bobby Bryant Jr., bassist Curtis Robertson Jr., and drummer Tony St. James.

To close its 2019 edition, Jazz à la Villette pays tribute to the queen of soul Aretha Franklin, who died in the summer of 2018. The musical direction of the evening has been entrusted to Antibalas, an Afrobeat group from Brooklyn attached to the Daptones label, accompanied for the occasion by several guest singers: Bettye LaVette, José James, Alice Russell, Nona Hendryx & Zara McFarlane.

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.

'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.