JAZZUARY, Brussels sets the stage for jazz in January!
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1 month, 3 festivals, 46 concerts, 8 concert venues
Dec 16 2019
The capital of Europe will ring in the new year with the sound of jazz. From 8 to 25 January, no fewer than three jazz festivals will be featured in Brussels' cultural life: the Brussels Jazz Festival, the River Jazz Festival and Djangofolllies. These three unmissable events, each with their own distinct identity, will showcase both new talents from the Belgian jazz scene and international stars.
Brussels Jazz Festival, the annual event for jazz lovers
Flagey offers 11 festival days during which they combine, as usual, established international stars and discoveries from the local jazz scene. The talented Brussels-based drummer Antoine Pierre serves as the artist in residence and will present three projects, including two new creations. Also other drummers will be showcased at this 6th edition with, among others, Lander Gyselinck (St6cks), Tom Skinner (Wildflower), Makaya McCraven and Anton Eger on the programme. The spotlight will also be on two labels: the Belgians from W.E.R.F Records (Commander Spoon, Boyan Z, MDCIII, etc.) and the Americans from International Anthem (Jeff Parker, Jamie Branch, etc.). The icing on the cake will be the Belgian Mélanie De Biasio, who will open the festivities with two exceptional concerts to support her new artist's studio in Charleroi.
The River Jazz Festival, three stages to broaden the horizons
The poster for the 6th edition alternates between new albums (Macha Gharibian Trio, Or Bareket Quartet, Quentin Dujardin and Didier Laloy, Bai Kamara Jr.), explosive duets (David Linx & Michel Hatzigeorgiou, Igor Géhénot & Amaury Faye), wild ensembles (Rêve d'Eléphant Orchestra, Géraud Portal plays Mingus), prestigious guests (Sal La Rocca Quartet feat. Stéphane Belmondo) and tradition and roots (Alexandre Cavalière Quintet, Simin Tander).
The programme also features a children's concert by Manuel Hermia, an exhibition of engravings by Jean-Claude Salémi and a lecture by JP Schroeder on guitarist Philip Catherine. The highlight of the festival is the River Jazz Night, which closes the event on the 25th. This year, it will be orchestrated by the talented Belgian drummer Stéphane Galland (Aka Moon...).
Djangofolllies, the Belgian festival dedicated to gypsy jazz
This event unites top musicians for sparkling musical encounters between generations, while honouring the legacy of Django Reinhardt. Tradition meets innovation. The Jazzy Strings group, an amazing collaboration between three fathers and three sons (Schmitt, Cavalière, Debarre), will open the festivities in Brussels, which take place for the first time at the AB. The programme for this 6th edition also includes the Kamao Quartet accompanied by famous Belgian Tcha Limberger, "the king of gypsy music" (The Times), the quintet of the brilliant violinist Alexandre Cavalière, the Dan Gharibian trio, and, lastly, the new quartet of Fapy Lafertin.