The 38th edition of Copenhagen Jazz Festival starts Friday, July 1. With more than 1300 concerts spread throughout 120 venues in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, the city manifests yet again that it can live up to its reputation as a diverse and progressive jazz city.
The festival continues to exhibit top international names, and at the same time, manages to reflect the vivid Copenhagen jazz scene that unfolds the genre and offers improvisation, modern jazz, swing and countless offshoots of jazz as an art form. In other words, live experiences for all: geeks and jazz newbies; children, youth and older generations; purists, party people and avant-garde experts. Copenhagen Jazz Festival is open to everyone.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival sets new record with 120 venues and more than 1300 concerts across the historic jazz capital.
International headliners and Danish luminaries
The top of this year’s program is crammed with stars of international fame, hosted primarily at DR Koncerthuset. Among the many big acts are musical legends such as Burt Bacharach, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gregory Porter, Richard Bona, Pat Metheny and Charles Lloyd. Tickets are selling rapidly for these events with both Porter and Metheny already sold out. Gregory Porter is one the brightest new stars on the scene for soulful vocal jazz, while heavyweights such as Burt Bacharach, Pat Metheny and Charles Lloyd have put their distinctive marks on the history of jazz as we know it. Other international headliners include Branford Marsalis Quartet feat. Kurt Elling, Sun Ra Arkestra, Brian Blade, Melanie De Biasio, Lizz Wright, Take 6 and more.
The city’s all year-round jazz clubs and organizers accounts for a large part of the of Danish-International highlights, which this year is headlined by Gino Vannelli, Gary Peacock, Larry Willis, Egberto Gismonti, Lizz Wright, Natacha Atlas, Bixiga 70, Ed Motta and more.
Danish special projects include tributes to both Svend Asmussen, Miles Davis and the late bass legend Hugo Rasmussen, each having shaped both Danish and international jazz for decades. A very special night is also in the works, Danish guitarist Jakob Bro and trumpet player and composer Palle Mikkelborg teaming up for an exclusive performance ahead of their upcoming collaboration for the record label ECM. Another collaboration, here between drummers Alex Riel and Stefan Pasborg, presents their common ‘Universe’, where they have invited “the Miles Davis of Poland”, trumpet player Tomasz Stanko, to join in.
Other Danish highlights include Marilyn Mazur, Sinne Eeg, Mette Rasmussen, Girls in Airports, GinmanBlachmanDahl and many others – many of them are included in the usual festival themes Jazz by the Sea, Something Else, The Sound of New Orleans and 21st Century Jazz, that is a helpful way to navigate the musical profile of this massive festival.
Underground ‘highlights’ and Open Air-events
Scratching the surface of this year’s program reveals a sprawling layer of alternative concerts. Here we find people such as German pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, Jesper Zeuthen, Horse Orchestra, an experimental meeting between East and West in the form of Hanoi°Berlin feat. Lotte Anker, Copenhagen Trashzzfestival, SVIN, Doom Orchestra and a wealth of other exciting artists.
Free concerts are plentiful as always, taking place at Open Air-venues such as Kongens Have, Vandkunsten, Sankt Hans Torv, The Tivoli Gardens and Balders Plads. The five days of free Jazz for Kids at Lindevangsparken are still a part of Copenhagen Jazz Festival, as well as a scene with progressive Danish music at Niels Hemmingsens Gade hosting acts such as Maria Faust, Yes Deer, Bad Astma and more. Last but not least, the concert series 21st Century Jazz returns to The Royal Playhouse / Skuespilhuset’s Foyer with Danish experimentalists such as Jeppe Zeeberg, Henrik Pultz Melbye, Bisse and more.
Buy tickets and see the full program at www.jazz.dk
This year’s art poster is created by Halfdan Pisket – pisket.dk
About Copenhagen Jazz Festival
Since 1979 Copenhagen Jazz Festival has been taking over Copenhagen as one of Europe’s largest and most important international music events based on eminent artistic quality and a sharp focus on new departures in both Danish and International jazz. Lasting 10 days, the festival envelops the Danish capital, offering a sumptuous musical feast to a total of 250,000 visitors who join us year after year. Enjoying live jazz in the city’s gardens, squares and streets, in its famous clubs, concert halls and cafés, and at open-air night venues – all in the very heart of historical Copenhagen.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2016 takes place July 1-10 (10 days – 120 venues – 1300 concerts)
