May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins Passes Away at 95
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
A photo collage promoting artists slated to perform at this year’s jazzahead! showcase concerts.
(Photo: Courtesy jazzahead.de)Full details of the showcase concerts for the 19th edition of jazzahead!, the world’s largest annual jazz industry gathering, have been released. The combination trade fair, industry conference and artistic showcase will be held April 24–26 at the Congress Centrum in Bremen, Germany.
Each year, the showcase features artists from a partner country. This year, however, jazzahead! for the first time has engaged a partner region, including the three former partner countries of Spain (2012), France (2015) and Switzerland (2016) in an effort to spotlight ongoing developments in European jazz scenes and forge new personal connections. (jazzahead! refers to this first-time arrangement as a “RECONNECT” edition.)
While the showcase begins in earnest on Thursday, April 24, it will host a grand opening gala and concert on Wednesday evening (April 23) with a performance that brings together the three countries that constitute the new partner region. Swiss guitarist Louis Matute will lead his Large Ensemble, featuring Spanish trumpeter Yelfris Valdés, with French singer Célia Kameni serving as guest vocalist.
While Spain, France and Switzerland are the primary emphasis of this year’s showcase, they are far from its only participants. In addition to the RECONNECT showcase, the program also features individual expositions for Europe, Africa and Overseas, and the host country of Germany. All told, the showcase will feature 40 jazz artists from 23 countries across five continents.
In addition, jazzahead! on April 25 will present its annual CLUBNIGHT feature. About three dozen venues — clubs, bars, theaters, museums and other locations in Bremen’s city center — will present live jazz and jazz-adjacent music in an all-night extravaganza. (The full schedule will be released soon.)
Tickets are available for the trade show, the showcase, CLUBNIGHT and packages featuring all three. For more information on jazzahead!, CLICK HERE. DB
Onstage, Rollins would move about restlessly, thrusting his tenor sax in the air as he blew.
May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
To the world, James Blood Ulmer was a legend, a visionary and a musical force whose sound was distinctive and unique. To his family, he was their teacher, their storyteller and a source of strength.
Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
Dave King (left) and Reid Anderson offer insights into why The Bad Plus’ chemistry was cool, the accomplishments many and its longevity so fruitful.
May 12, 2026 11:42 AM
The scene still sticks with me. I had heard the oddball name of this new group being dropped around town, and…
How best to mark Miles Davis’ centennial? By allowing the stories to flow, and cross-discussions to happen.
May 26, 2026 10:40 AM
Editor’s Note: The iconic trumpeter, composer and bandleader Miles Davis would have turned 100 today (May 26, 2026).…
Ava Preston, a 12-time DownBeat Student Music Award winner, is currently pursuing her master’s degree in jazz voice at Juilliard.
May 12, 2026 10:00 AM
Ava Preston, from Cleveland, Ohio, was named the winner of the ninth annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition on…
