Program Stingray Djazz

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.

'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 1988, vocalist Bobby McFerrin appeared at the festival. Known for his incredible vocal technique and unique approach to singing, McFerrin performed an unforgettable solo concert.

This might come unexpected, but the Brussels Jazz Orchestra (BJO) is not the kind of jazz orchestra that sticks to standards. They prefer to achieve the highest level by composing original music, creating unique arrangements, and playing inventively as well as passionately. In fact, it really is jazz with a dynamic orchestral sound, with a classic strength in which each musician is also a brilliant soloist. Call it an ‘orchestrated passion for jazz’ that incites BJO to create world-class music. Founded in 1993 by Frank Vaganée, Serge Plume and Marc Godfroid, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra is recognised and has been subsidised by the Flemish Government since. Brussels Jazz Orchestra is orchestra in residence at Flagey in Brussels. During this project the BJO performs with David Linx. The Belgian jazz singer will resort to any idiom, any language, any time signature. Occasionally he seems to dispense with bar lines altogether, or he will go beyond lyrics, as he abandons his own words for some free-wheeling scat.

You can’t help but be carried away by the powerful voice Marion Williams, who, with backing from Tommy Brown (piano), Joe Washington (organ), Billy Tuliver (drums), and singers Barbara White and Ann Bolden, sings gospel songs and spirituals as if she has lived them a thousand times over. The repertoire includes such familiar tunes as “Peace in the Valley,” “We Shall Overcome,” and “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore.”

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 Laurent de Wilde performed his tribute to jazz icon Thelonious Monk at Jazz à Vienne. Alongside bassist Jérôme Regard and drummer Donald Kontomanou, De Wilde gives a respectful and engaging homage built upon 20 years of study.

The Brussels Jazz Club was filled to the brim with both musicians and audience members when the Maynard Ferguson Big Band performed there during their Winter Tour of 1980. From the first notes of the cover of Weather Report’s “Birdland” that opens the performance to the final notes of “Gonna Fly Now” that closes it, Ferguson gives his young sidemen ample time to shine. The mutual admiration shared by the leader and his sidemen makes this performance a delight to watch.

The veritable tombak virtuosos of Trio Chemirani, consisting of Chemirani Senior and Juniors, enrapture the Festival de Saintes. The tombak is a Persian percussion instrument, but its rhythms are universal. The Trio Chemirani’s music is accessible to all and will certainly resound with each listener. The members of the trio, Djamchid Chemirani (born in Teheran in 1942) and his two sons and pupils Keyvan and Bijan, are living in France. Their concert performances bring them all over the world, as they explore the endless potential of their Persian percussion instruments. The trio finds also inspiration in Mediterranean modal music and jazz. These three musicians, who might well be thought of as poets, are in search of a common language that connects several cultures.

New Cool Collective is one of the foremost Dutch jazz ensembles. Pioneering new blends of music styles since 1993, NCC has performed in various formations, from small combos to larger ensembles and even big bands! The ensemble’s high energy is cut out for the dance floors, as dance, Latin, salsa, afrobeat and boogaloo all meet in a jazzy mix. NCC includes saxophonist Benjamin Herman, guitarist Rory Ronde, drummer Joost Kroon, percussionists Frank van Dok and Jos de Haas, pianist Willem Friede, bassist Leslie Lopez, and trumpeter David Rockefeller.

Dexter Gordon: Live in '63 & '64 features three concerts filmed in Holland, Switzerland, and Belgium that highlight the bebop legend's classic style and silky tone. These shows feature legendary side musicians such as Art Taylor (drums) and Kenny Drew (piano), and jazz classics “Blues Walk”, “A Night In Tunisia”, “Body And Soul”, and others. One of the most influential saxophonists in jazz history, Dexter Gordon is captured in sharp form and style in this 70-minute tour de force.

The Kurhaus in Scheveningen is a grand hotel in the Netherlands renowned for attracting both royal and musical nobility. Doubling as a concert hall, it has been host to several heavy hitters, such as the Rolling Stones and Ike and Tina Turner. On August 2, 1983, American vibraphonist Lionel Hampton performed at the Kurhaus in Scheveningen. Accompanied by his big band, which included talents such as saxophonist Arnett Cobb, the "King of Vibes" gave an invigorating performance with both mallets and voice.

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.

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, English trip-hop group Morcheeba performed at Jazz à Vienne. Led by vocalist Skye Edwards, the group languorously perform several songs from their 2018 album ‘Blaze Away’. Tinged with soul and lounge music, this is a great concert to relax to.

Innovative contemporary jazz and improvised music, the search for modernity, mind blowing sounds, rock and pop… Indeed PARADOX Tilburg goes beyond jazz, crossing musical boundaries into the unknown soundscapes of electronic music. Indie artists, blues veterans and jazz superstars all pour their hearts and souls at the Paradox. From young, local talents to top national and international artists, PARADOX Tilburg is the most intimate jazz club in the Netherlands, with a devoted audience from all across Europe. In their TV show PARADOX LIVE you get a taste of the greatest concerts and interviews with artists from all around the world. This episode of PARADOX LIVE presents the Swiss jazz band VEIN accompanied by saxophone player Greg Osby.

Patáx was heavily influenced by seminal fusion bands like Weather Report and Return to Forever. Don’t mistake this Spanish powerhouse for a carbon copy of either, however, as Patáx presents an accomplished mix of styles, including soul, jazz, funk and hip-hop. The group is led by the passionate Spanish-American percussionist Jorge Perez, who draws his musical influence from both sides of the Atlantic. The tight interplay between Perez and his bandmates as well as the audience’s enthusiasm at Teatro Calderón in Madrid make it a night to remember. This is the first of two parts.

'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.

Thalma de Freitas is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and actress from Rio de Janeiro. Daughter of the renowned pianist Laércio de Freitas, her work is a masterful fusion of MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), jazz, and Afro-Brazilian influences. In 2019, her album ‘Sorte!’ was nominated for a Grammy Award. For this intimate performance, she is joined by guitarist Helô Ferreira. How do contemporary artists reinterpret tradition and create new forms of expression within MPB? Da Pá Virada Sessions' MPB Series investigates this question. Hosted by Dani Gurgel, this episode features a live performance and thought-provoking conversation with Thalma de Freitas, exploring her unique fusion of styles and inviting audiences to discover the richness of modern Brazilian music. Continue your journey into the rich world of contemporary Brazilian popular music on Stingray DJAZZ.

This uptempo, funky performance proves that B.B. King, one of the Masters of the Blues Guitar has still got it. The band features some of today's best blues musicians playing all of B.B. King's classic songs.

In the 1960s, composer Michel Magne transformed the Château d'Hérouville, an 18th-century country house north of Paris and former home of lovers George Sand and Frédéric Chopin, into the first residential recording studio. In addition to its excellent facilities, the complex featured a swimming pool and a beautiful garden, allowing artists to stay for weeks or months at a time. From David Bowie and Iggy Pop to Pink Floyd and Chet Baker, countless stars recorded unforgettable music here until the studio closed in the 1980s. Three decades later, Château d'Hérouville has reopened its doors. This program follows American singer-songwriter Melody Gardot as she visits the legendary studio. After an accident in 2003 left her hypersensitive to light and sound, Gardot discovered the healing power of music. At Hérouville, she gives an interview and plays a breathtaking live set. Her performance opens with a beautiful version of ‘Baby I’m a Fool’ and includes ‘If The Stars Were Mine’ and ‘Les Étoiles,’ before concluding with the Chet Baker hit ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is.’ Melody Gardot (piano, guitar, vocals) is accompanied by Charles Staab (drums), Sam Minaie (double bass), Mitchell Long (guitar), Sylvain Gontard (trumpet), Ludovic Beier (accordion), Artyom Manoukyan (cello), and Guillaume Latour, Alexandra Kondo, and Benjamin Ducasse (violin).

Rotterdam’s BIRD is a club, café, and restaurant with a live music program that's deeply rooted in jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, and electronic. Its name BIRD refers to the nickname of legendary New York jazz saxophonist, bebop co-founder Charlie Parker. BIRD serves Neapolitan pizzas, fine 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 programs: BIRD.tv, allowing you to experience the best BIRD concerts and interviews as from a first-row seat! Discover an irresistible live act; STUFF is full of unflagging energy. The Belgian band was founded in 2012 when drummer Lander Gyselinck was asked to play live music between DJ sets at a local bar. He gathered a bunch of friends, who also were musicians. The band could be considered an avant-garde jazz band who play a mix of funk, hip-hop, and electro. Andrew Claes (saxophone), Dries Laheye (bass guitar), Lander Gyselinck (drums), Mixmonster Menno (samples), and Joris Caluwaerts (keyboards) share an exceptional connection in music. They take over every stage and melt the hearts of music lovers.

The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, 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. One of the bands taking part in this series is Os Capoeira. This ensemble practices the traditional Brazilian martial art from Bahia it is named after, combining elements of dance, acrobatics, and percussive music. Moreover, Os Capoeira runs a cultural center in São Paulo. Let yourself be inspired by Os Capoeira's unique take on Brazilian culture!

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 July 1996, renowned American saxophonist Wayne Shorter and his quintet performed at Estival Jazz Lugano. Together with pianist Jim Beard, guitarist David Gilmore, bassist Alphonso Johnson, and drummer Rodney van Holmes, Shorter shows he is still at his best.

Sarah Vaughan: Live in '58 & 64 features the ‘Divine One’ in her prime, wrapping her sultry voice around jazz standards such as ‘Lover Man’, ‘Misty’ and ‘I Got Rhythm’ and soaring on popular showtunes such as ‘Over The Rainbow’ and ‘Maria’. One of the greatest voices of the 20th Century, her renditions of songs by Harold Arlen, Leonard Bernstein, Johnny Burke, the Gershwins and Stephen Sondheim are pure diva magic. These three performances demonstrate why Sarah Vaughan is invariably mentioned in the same breath as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

In May 2014, the Conservatory of Amsterdam hosted a unique conference about one of the greatest jazz composers of the 20th century: Duke Ellington. Musicologists and musicians with a special bond with Ellington and his music spoke about his life and music. Among them were David Schiff, author of ‘The Ellington Century’, and Harvey Cohen, author of ‘Duke Ellington’s America’. Moreover, concerts were played by jazz pianist Matt Cooper, the Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Concert Big Band of the Conservatory of Amsterdam conducted by David Berger. The winner of the Boy Edgar Prize 2013, viola player Oene van Geel, performed his ‘All Ellington Project’.

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.

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).

We Pause and chat with local and international artists to get an in-depth look at their lives and music, they Play some amazing music in these, one-of-a-kind, live sessions! 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.

This broadcast shows a rare appearance at the 1996 Germeringer Jazztage by the legendary flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía and his sextet. Some may question the inclusion of a flamenco guitarist within a jazz festival. However, the similarities between flamenco and blues have been well documented: both are the outlet for a poor, disenfranchised minority, with a primitive strength, boundless capabilities for improvisation and a requirement for breathtaking virtuosity - all qualities shown by Paco de Lucía in this performance. Moreover, he has long been experimenting with jazz forms (evident even from his inclusion of bass, drums, and saxophone in his sextet), while still retaining the essence of the flamenco tradition. In his own words: “What I have tried to do is have a hand holding onto tradition and the other scratching, digging in other places trying to find new things I can bring into flamenco”.

Cuban singer, guitarist and percussionist Joel Hierrezuelo is known as the vocalist of the band Ricoson. He played percussion in the band Temperamento with Roberto Fonseca, Javier Zalba, and Ruy Lopez Nousa, and has worked with artists such as Alfredo Rodriguez and Los Acerekó, Omara Portuondo, Fatoumata Diawara, and Mayra Andrade. In this broadcast, Joel Hierrezuelo performs with Pierre de Bethmann (piano), Felipe Cabrera (double bass), and Lukmil Pérez (drums) at Studio de l’Ermitage in Paris on September 9, 2020. This performance also features Sylvain Barou on flute, Nicolas Folmer on trumpet, and Sandro Zerafa on guitar. On the program is repertoire from Hierrezuelo's 2020 album 'Así de Simple', which is the second release of this jazz and world music crossover ensemble.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 1982, American trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis and his quintet performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Accompanied by brother/saxophonist Branford Marsalis, drummer Jeff Watts, bassist Phil Bauer and pianist Kenny Kirkland, 20-year-old Wynton Marsalis shows his pedigree as a former member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

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, Tunisian composer Dhafer Youssef alternated between his hypnotic voice and masterful oud playing at Jazz à Vienne. His stunning abilities have to be heard to be believed. He is joined by bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Aaron Parks.

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).

Da Pá Virada sessions bring the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, 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. One of the bands taking part in this series is the Ricardo Herz Trio, which consists of Ricardo Herz on violin, Michi Ruzitschka on nylon string guitar, and Pedro Ito on percussions. Band leader Ricardo Herz is a classically-trained musician, who also studied jazz at the prestigious Berklee College of Music.

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 May 28, 1967, American singer and actor Sammy Davis Jr. appeared at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam for a live, nationwide TV broadcast. Supported by his band conducted by George Rhodes, Davis Jr. combined his singing talent and infectious sense of humor as he covered songs from a variety of genres.

'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 1986, jazz-fusion band “Weather Update” was one of the bands appearing here. This short-lived band was formed by Austrian keyboardist Joe Zawinul in 1986, following the breakup of his famous “Weather Report” band. Again led by Zawinul, Weather Update consisted of Victor Bailey on bass, Peter Erskine and Robert Thomas Jr. on percussion instruments, and Steve Khan on guitar.

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. In 2019, one of them is Copenhagen-based Norwegian saxophonist Marius Neset, who is known internationally for his collaborations with People Are Machines, Kaktusch, JazzKamikaze, and Django Bates' projects StoRMChaser and Human Chain. Neset completed his Master's degree at the Copenhagen Rhythmic Music Conservatory in 2008.

Wes Montgomery: Live in '65 shines a light on one of the most unique and influential guitarists in music history. These beautifully filmed programs from the spring of 1965 feature Wes, in intimate studio settings, leading three different lineups through some of his best-known tunes, including “Four On Six”, “Jingles”, and “West Coast Blues”. This rare footage, featuring rehearsals, between-song banter, and closeup camera angles, illuminates Wes's extraordinary musical vocabulary and unconventional picking technique.

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.

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 Betty Carter, Anita O'Day & Sathima Bea Benjamin.

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 first of two sets recorded at the festival in 1979.

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.

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 showcase participants, Ladama, is a quintet of women multi-instrumentalists from Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and the United States who not only perform as a touring band, but also strive to engage youth in their respective communities in the process of musicmaking, composition and audio production through collaboration and performance workshops. Ladama is a positive force in times urgently in need of tolerance and communication.

In just a few years, young trumpet player Christian Scott has become synonymous with a new jazz generation. He shakes up the conventions of jazz by taking the genre to new horizons and reaching a wider audience. No doubt, at 33 years old, Christian Scott is already forging his own path. After each record release, he seems even more determined to challenge the rules of jazz with his own avant-garde style. At his 2018 show at La Coopérative de Mai, Christian Scott celebrates 100 years of jazz with the program “The Centennial Trilogy.” Expect a unique performance in an intimate theatre setting, shot in native 4K!

This recording brings a great performance by Larry Graham & Graham Central Station from Bataclan in Paris. Numerous ‘funkateers’ came together to cheer the bass player and funk hero. In the sixties, Graham was mainly known for his work with Sly and the Family Stone, the popular and influential psychedelic soul and funk band. As founder and front man of Graham Central Station he has also enjoyed a successful solo career. It is often said that Graham pioneered the art of slap-pop playing on the electric bass, which has become a staple of modern funk. During this Paris performance, Graham shows he is one of the heroes of funk!

Emblematic trumpeter of the second wave of "neo-boppers" that appeared at the end of the 80s in the wake of Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove has established himself as one of the most talented and unpredictable of the lot. While performing alongside Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins and Diana Krall, the Texan (born in Waco in 1969) turned leader has distilled some twenty sonic manifestos, going from orthodox and inventive jazz to funk or the hottest Afrobeat.

The audience at the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada was in for a treat on July 3, 1982, as a true musical innovator hit the stage: Jaco Pastorius, who transformed the electric bass into a formidable solo instrument. Combining intricate harmonics, fluid melodies, and unparalleled technical skill, Pastorius left a lasting impact on the music world. In this concert, he is accompanied by Peter Erskine (drums), Don Alias (percussion), Othello Molineaux (steel drums), Bob Mintzer (tenor sax and bass clarinet), and Randy Brecker (trumpet and electronics). They perform “Chicken”, “Donna Lee”, “Mr. Phone Bone”, and “Fannie Mae”. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to experience Jaco Pastorius’s electrifying performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival 1982!

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.

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.