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 them behind him, Charles showed why he has been viewed as one of the most recognizable voices in music.
In 1958, American jazz titan Duke Ellington and his Orchestra performed 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.
This episode of BIRD is a fantastic registration of Bassekou Kouyaté, one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa, and he has collaborated with many musicians in and outside of Mali.
Legendary jazz pianist Horace Silver's groundbreaking fusion of hard bop, blues, soulful grooves and Cape Verdean influences have left an indelible mark on the world of jazz.
Thalma de Freitas is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and actress from Rio de Janeiro. Her work is a masterful fusion of MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), jazz, and Afro-Brazilian influences.
Larry Graham & Graham Central Station perform at Bataclan in Paris, where numerous ‘funkateers’ cheer the famed bass player. Funk hero Graham, one-time pioneer of the art of slap-pop playing on the electric bass, shows what he's made of!
In 1982, the Superstar Quintet, which consists of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonist Joe Henderson, drummer Tony Williams, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Kenny Baron gave a performance of cosmic proportions at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague.
Pianist Grégory Privat's 2020 work "Soley" inhabits a hybrid universe in which voice, piano and synthesizer, Caribbean and electronic music, and the classical and jazz trio traditions coexist and mingle.
‘The legend of the groove’ is a series of documentaries about musicians who, between the late 1950s and now, have radically influenced the music of today's hip hop, soul, and rhythm 'n' blues greats, like Prince, Erykah Badu, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
In 1982, the Superstar Quintet, which consists of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonist Joe Henderson, drummer Tony Williams, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Kenny Baron gave a performance of cosmic proportions at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague.
In 1985, pianist and space-faring jazz icon Sun Ra and his Arkestra crash-landed at the Estival Jazz Lugano. Featuring a massive cast of costumed talents, Sun Ra puts on a truly out-of-this-world concert.
In 1987, jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis brought his band to the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. This broadcast presents a selection of that performance, displaying the magical and mesmerising energy coming from the legendary saxophone virtuoso.
Wes Montgomery: Live in '65 shines a light on one of the most unique and influential guitarists in music history. This rare footage illuminates Wes's extraordinary musical vocabulary and unconventional picking technique.
In 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.
Among the bands presenting themselves at jazzahead! 2024 is Sultan Stevenson’s trio. Pianist Stevenson, a Londoner with Caribbean roots, graduated from Conservatory in 2023. He is a rapidly rising talent in the London jazz circuit, whose debut album 'Faithful One' won him the Parliamentary Jazz Award for the best newcomer. Described by The Telegraph as “an incipient master”, Sultan Stevenson (piano) appears at jazzahead! 2024 with Jacob Gryn (bass) and Joel Waters (drums).
Brazilian artist Gilberto Gil returns to Jazz à Vienne with music inspired by his latest album ‘Fé na Festa’: a mixture of celebration, tradition and even some rock. Although his new sound has its roots in Brazilian culture, it is always inspired by jazz.
Four legendary pianists united by the shared sense of making art: Mulgrew Miller, Benny Green, Kenny Barron, Eric Reed. Flawless piano technique, amazing musicianship and swing - the performance for true jazz lovers.
Pianist Kenny Barron’s June 27, 2019 appearance at the Alfa Jazz Festival in Ukraine’s Lviv was a celebration of sublime jazz virtuosity.
On July 20, 2018, double bassist Christian McBride presented his band ‘New Jawn’ at the Malta Jazz Festival. Hailing from Philadelphia, this music luminary combines jazz, R&B, pop/rock, hip hop/neo-soul, and classical.
For 20 years, Sly Johnson, author, composer and performer of the Saïan Supa Crew, has been touring the French music scene with his soul, hip-hop and beat-box vocals.
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.
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.
In 1987, American trumpeter Randy Brecker and saxophonist Bennie Wallace brought their band of pianist Elian Elias, drummer Peter Erskine and bassist Marc Johnson to the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. Together they put on a stellar duo performance.
Watch the Pernambucian multi-instrumentalist and cult legend, Ze Pitoco lead his Forró do Zé Pitoco ensemble on Da Pá Virada Sessions in a tightly-knit, spirit-lifting set in which the music of Brazil’s Northeast meets jazz!
Jack DeJohnette, an important figure in jazz fusion, was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2007. Discover his unique style as part of this breathtaking performance delivered at Estival.
Gregory Porter’s 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.
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.
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.
In today’s episode of BIRD, Shayna Steele presents swinging acoustic Samba to storming guitar funk, everything fits like a mould. Presented with a generous portion of charm and impressive dynamic.
