The party starts in grandeur as the legendary US saxophonist David Murray will open the festival on January 9th with his new quartet. Murray has performed with jazz icons such as McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones and will present his latest album Francesca.
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On January 10th, saxophonist and emerging Belgian talent Simon Comté will perform a lunchtime concert with his quartet, followed by French singer and bassist Amy Gadiaga, who will immerse Studio 1 in a warm soul atmosphere. On the same day, Bram De Looze presents his first performance at the festival, as the jazz pianist surrounds himself with American greats Thomas Morgan, Joey Baron and Hank Roberts. Their intuitive interplay and De Looze’s creative handling of composition promise an exceptional concert.
On January 11th, Jake Long and his band will entertain Brussels with an evening full of energy. Flock, a British supergroup led by Sarathy Korwar, will perform on the same evening. The night concludes with a performance by Belgian drummer Lander Gyselinck's party band KVR, with Niels Broos as keyboardist and Dries Laheye on bass.
January 12th starts off gently with The Rising Moon and before the concert, a lunch will be offered. The afternoon will spotlight Bram De Looze, who will perform a special duo concert with the South Korean artist DoYeon Kim, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center. The evening wraps up with a screening of Soundtrack to a Coup d'État, a film by Belgian director Johan Grimonprez.
Amy Gadiaga. Credit: Benedikt Frank
After a day of rest, the festival will resume on January 14th with the focus on young Belgian talent, jazz students and professional musicians.
The Toots Thielemans Jazz Award will be presented to the most promising jazz student of the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, with whom the festival is collaborating. This year, the prestigious award goes to pianist YuTing Lee, who will perform with an impressive ensemble to wrap up the evening.
On January 15th, London-based saxophonist Camilla George takes to the stage, followed by the highly acclaimed Immanuel Wilkins Quartet. The evening closes with Bodies, a young Brussels-based band known for their fresh and dynamic sound.
On January 16th, Bram De Looze returns to the stage with his regular trio Vice Versa, featuring US drummer Eric McPherson and German bassist Felix Henkelhausen. That same evening, the Craig Taborn Quartet, accompanied by the Brussels Philharmonic, will perform a world premiere under the banner of Jazz Meets Symphonic.
Toots Thielemans Award - Yu-Ting Li. Credit:Roberto Rado
January 17th will see a diverse mix of performances, starting with Ukrainian harpist Alina Bzhezhinska paying tribute to Pharaoh Sanders, together with saxophonist Tony Kofi. They will be followed by Belgian group De Beren Gieren, who will present their latest album. In the evening, free-jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements will take the stage, followed by cool grooves from the Khalab Live Band.
The festival concludes on January 18th, curated by the London-based label Jazz re:freshed. At the invitation of the Brussels Jazz Festival, the evening is dedicated entirely to young British talent. For this double bill, they have chosen the warm, rich sounds of innovative pianist Ashley Henry who will present his new album Who We Are, where he masterfully blends jazz, hip-hop, and soul.
Plus a unique band specially assembled for the festival, the Jazz re:freshed Family Jam, led by keyboardist DoomCannon, bringing together an exceptional group of rising talents for a one-time performance. The lineup includes Benji Appiah on drums, Isobella Burnham on bass, and saxophonists Kaidi Akinnibi and Jazz re:freshed's newest signing Allexa Nava. Each artist is performing in their own right on this very special night to remember.
"With this anniversary edition, we are not only celebrating ten years of Brussels Jazz Festival, but also the continuous evolution of jazz in all its forms," said Maarten Van Rousselt, Brussels Jazz Festival Programme Manager.
"Our mission is to provide a platform for both established names and up-and-coming talent, and this year we have put together a special programme that showcases the bandwidth and diversity of jazz music," he added.
