All this care began with the choice of guests. The curator was trombonist and producer Joabe Reis, who took care to bring together different styles. He himself was one of the protagonists on Saturday evening with the Dejavu Session. Alongside 10 musicians, he got the crowd dancing with a fusion of jazz, funk, and samba-jazz. It was impossible to stand still with the energy and pulse transmitted through instrumental versions of famous songs by Gilberto Gil and João Donato to Roy Hargroove, with improvisations by some of the most acclaimed Brazilian musicians. It is no coincidence that this jam has been acclaimed wherever it goes. It transforms the traditional and elevates the modern.

“This mix of American funk with Brazilian music and so many other styles such as jazz, added to improvisation, gives us this freedom,” says Joabe. “From the moment we open a solo chorus, everything becomes jazz, so Dejavu is exactly that. It’s also very interesting because during the solos, sometimes I combine them: look, you’re going to solo. There will be a drum solo, a guitar solo, a solo, I don’t know, on the trombone… but sometimes not, sometimes the song starts and whoever feels it goes solo first. I think Dejavu’s energy is a cool vibe because of that too, so I think everyone is there willing to throw themselves into it and see what happens.”

Almost 24 hours earlier, Regional Ginga Ligeira opened the proceedings on a cold Friday night with the lament and tranquil swing of choro, one of the most authentic styles of Brazilian popular music (MPB), accompanied by guitar, mandolin, cavaquinho, flute, and tambourine. Starting in this way reinforces the commitment to promoting national musicality. The emphasis on this direction was made by Thiago Espírito Santo and Grupo. The bassist, son of another genius, Arismar Espírito Santo, who has accompanied big names, including Hermeto Pascoal, used his guitar to make it sound like an accordion and, from time to time, during flutist Morgana’s solo, picked up a triangle

It is satisfying to watch Thiago play because he transmits his passion to those who watch him. Whether they were sitting on deck chairs in front of the stage or standing in the square, drinking bottle after bottle of wine, they felt the same enthusiasm as the musician. It is as if Espírito Santo is playing with something very pleasurable. She captivates, as does the quartet that accompanies her, being a singer who, instead of vocalizing lyrics, makes her voice another instrument.

Loaded with influences from baião, frevo, and forró, the concert named “Folha de Corda” (String Leaf), Thiago praises northeastern Brazil. “The idea was to see what it would be like if the guitar had the power to be an accordion,” he says. “I put myself in the place of an accordionist playing in a forró trio, but it had to be the guitar playing the role of the accordion.” In his view, it is this rhythmic plurality that differentiates Brazilian jazz from world jazz, especially traditional jazz.

“Jazz is considered a universal language. It ceased to be a rhythm and became a language of expression, where you can put your creativity on top of a theme,” he points out. “So, there’s the melody, the harmony, and from there on, we create together. “Brazil is very rich, but the thing is the language, the exchange. It’s a music of exchange, a music that brings people together. Where dialogue is worth the notes and rhythms. The difference lies in the richness of our culture. Brazil has this craziness, where in the South you have milonga, chamamé, vanerão. Then you come up, and you find the samba of São Paulo, which is different from the samba of Rio. The flavor of Minas Gerais, the beauty of harmony and composition of Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Beto Guedes… and in the Northeast, each place has its own characteristic identity.”

SENSITIVITY, GROOVE, AND RESISTANCE

The previous night (Friday) created anticipation for what was to come on Saturday. With the sun shining over the mountains, warming everyone’s heads, the Orleans Jazz Street Band brought a little of the joy of New Orleans to the center of Santo Antônio Do Pinhal, parading through the streets, squares, and avenues to cheer up and get people dancing to the sound of ragtime and swing, whether they were walking or waiting for lunch in restaurants. The atmosphere was festive, almost like carnival. The movement in the streets paused briefly in the early afternoon, at exactly 2:30 p.m., for the impressive performance by Sintia Piccin Sexteto.

Wielding her saxophone, and sometimes her flute, Sintia performed songs from the EP “Freedom of Mind” and some unreleased tracks that will be part of a future project. Alongside Richard Fermino, Nichollas Maia, Jackson Silva, Igor Bollos, and Fernando Amaro, she captured the eyes and ears of the audience. Her calm and smiling manner makes it seem simple and easy to master the keys. But the ease is only for those who see it. Piccin has a theory that it is necessary to do something complex while making it look easy. This is also how she influences other girls and women who are already involved in or intend to pursue improvised music.

“For a long time, I kept thinking: gee, people don’t really like improvisation, do they? Because it gets boring and the soloist just stands there playing,” she observes. “Then we started playing on the street and people started calling instrumental music groups to play. It became a regular thing.  It was a Sunday kind of thing, getting a bunch of people together, and we would do endless solos, and everyone would listen and clap, and young people enjoy instrumental music, so that gave me a start to try to get my work out there too, you know, because I thought jazz was in the theater or in a bar with those old guys, something more elitist, something more for the upper middle class. And that’s not what we want, we just want to play, you know?”

The experience at Jazz na Serra confirmed how much people are interested in the 5-minute walks between Boulevard Araucária and Praça do Artesão, and vice versa. At the latter, Salomão Soares and Vanessa Moreno enchanted the audience. The sensitivity of the singer’s soft, high-pitched, and striking voice was further emphasized by the light sound of the skilled pianist. The duo performed songs from the album “Outros Ventos,” which features vocal and piano reinterpretations of classics by Gilberto Gil, Roupa Nova, Baden Powell, João Bosco, and Aldir Blanc. When she sang “O Bêbado e a Equilibrista” (by Bosco and Blanc), Vanessa moved the audience with the delicacy of her interpretation—she herself was also moved. It gave those with greater sensitivity goosebumps, due to its close interpretation of the original by Elis Regina and its representation of resistance against one of the darkest periods in Brazilian history, the Military Dictatorship (1964-1985). This ghost returned to haunt us years ago through coup attempts against the state. Thus, the passion with which Soares and Morena shared it shows how relevant the composition still is and represents, in a way, resistance. They gave a reflective and inspirational performance. It’s one of those that you need to put on your priority list.

After wiping the tears from their eyes, those present moved their bodies to the sound of (the aforementioned) Dejavu Sessions, but not before stopping to admire the orange sunset embellishing the mountain sky. Almost 30 minutes after they finished, Hamilton de Holanda, accompanied by Salomão Soares and Thiago Rabello, kept the temperature high, despite the cold wind. He had already made some people happy during the sound check. That moment was just an appetizer for the main course he prepared for everyone to enjoy with the sound of the mandolin, which seems to speak through Hamilton’s fingers. The type of sound he makes is considered choro by some and jazz by others. However, he does not like labels because he is able to perform in different places, including the Jazz at Lincoln Center complex in New York (USA), where he recorded “Hamilton de Holanda Trio, Live in NY.” When I ask him if he considers himself a jazz musician, his answer comes with the same intensity as the question.

“Look, I can answer you in a few ways… so it’s hard to answer yes or no, because jazz is in my music, for sure, but I’m from choro, I was born in choro, since I was a child. The first 200-300 songs of my life were by Pixinguinha, Jacob Almeida, and Ernesto Nazareth, but at the same time there’s Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti, Baden (Powell), Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque, Djavan,” he says. “So, it’s something that, I even came yesterday on the way saying: ‘man, our music is hard to classify, because if you say it’s jazz, jazz musicians will say it’s something else. And on the other hand, my choro friends think I’m a jazz musician. Jazz is very broad, you can’t just define it and say: only this is jazz. It has its foundations, obviously, but it has a family tree that branches out in many directions.”

The countless possibilities of this art form, mentioned by Hamilton, were reflected in the final act of the second day of the festival, with Ellen Oléria showing off all her groove and swing. But she also moved the audience with the power of her voice and songs that portrayed the struggle and resistance of the black community in Brazil. With her charisma, she captivated the audience and made the night even more refreshing, fascinating, and inspiring.

BUILDING A LEGACY

Far from the circuit of major festivals, Jazz na Serra proved to be a giant success. Due to its success, including the boost to the local economy, Pedro Pimenta (the creator) confirms that the 2026 edition is guaranteed. “It’s almost inevitable that it will happen again, and we’ve already started thinking about ways to do that. The idea is not to hold a festival that could take place anywhere, just putting the Jazz na Serra brand on it, but it could be done in São Paulo”, he says. “The idea is to keep it here. Occupy the city center and privilege the businesses that are here.” Curator Joabe Reis also says he is fulfilled and already has names in mind for the next edition. “I’m happy with the positive feedback, because it’s very difficult to be a curator at a music festival. As an instrumentalist, I’ve worked and been alongside so many names in music that I love and would like to have here on these stages. But we have to curate in a way that also fits with the script we want to write here at this festival.”

To end on the same mood as the beginning and the middle, the sun came out again on Sunday morning to activate the vitamin D of those who chose to “bathe” in the sun’s rays. In the shade, drummer Edu Ribeiro, pianist Fabio Torres, and bassist Paulo Paulelli brightened up the start of the day with a diverse and cheerful sound, ranging from samba-jazz to choro, passing through other elements of Brazilian music. Formed in 2001, Trio Corrente is one of the most inventive contemporary groups, winning a Grammy Award in 2014 for best Latin jazz album for “Song For Maura,” which also won a Latin Grammy, shared with pianist Chick Corea.

Joabe’s assertive selection demonstrated his knowledge and care in choosing each of the participants in Jazz na Serra. It is a legacy that is beginning to be written, and one that will also place Santo Antônio Do Pinhal on the world stage of great musical events, especially jazz. The exploration of different jazz styles also opened up possibilities for those who are not so familiar with the genre and believe, especially in Brazil, that this is a type of music appreciated by intellectuals. At the closing, the Americana Jazz Big Band recalled the golden age of the great swing bands with classic movie soundtracks and compositions by geniuses such as Quincy Jones and Gordon Goodwin. The power of Raquel Odara’s voice stood out. In both performances, she mesmerized with her vocal power. It ended the way it should: with refinement and excellence.

El arranque fue contundente con The Wooten Brothers, que ofrecieron un espectáculo donde el groove marcó el eje de rotación de toda la noche. Victor Wooten volvió a confirmar que no es solo un virtuoso, sino un arquitecto del ritmo: polirritmias imposibles en el bajo, slap microscópicamente preciso y una elasticidad temporal que desafiaba la intuición. Regi “The teacher”, Joseph y Roy “Futureman” Wooten completaron un engranaje rítmico arrollador, capaz de levantar pasajes de funk sincopado, momentos de pura electricidad y una teatralidad casi performativa. El cuarteto hiló además un recorrido casi a modo de popurrí por sus hits y por temas que han marcado su propia evolución musical, un guiño directo tanto a los seguidores veteranos como a quienes se acercaban por primera vez a su universo sonoro.

Esa potencia llegó, sin embargo, acompañada de un componente visual casi acrobático que, aunque eficaz para encender al público, desplazó por momentos la atención del corazón musical de la propuesta. El grupo brilló especialmente cuando redujo ese despliegue escénico y dejó que la fusión hablara por sí sola, revelando una creatividad tan sólida como contagiosa. Una apertura vibrante y enérgica, marcada por un virtuosismo exuberante que, en sus mejores momentos, encontró su verdadero centro.

Sin perder inercia, volvimos al día siguiente al Fernán Gómez para uno de los conciertos más refinados del festival: Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Hamilton de Holanda. Frente al exceso anterior, este dúo propuso un espacio de escucha mutua y delicadeza arquitectónica. Rubalcaba ofreció un piano de madurez expresiva, donde cada pedal, cluster y resolución armónica parecía una decisión editorial. Hamilton de Holanda respondió con un bandolín de articulación diamantina y una narrativa melódica en permanente combustión. La conversación improvisada entre ambos, silencios con peso, pausas que hablaban, contrapuntos tan naturales como inevitables, construyó un recital de enorme profundidad y precisión emocional. Hubo imprevisibilidad, conversación, música que se desplegaba como un organismo vivo. Fue uno de esos conciertos en los que uno deja de pensar en “piano” o “bandolín” y empieza simplemente a escuchar y disfrutar.

El tránsito hacia la intimidad continuó de manera orgánica con Julian Lage en formato de guitarra sola. Lage convirtió la sala en un laboratorio acústico donde todo giró alrededor de la pulsación, los voicings abiertos y un control casi escultórico del timbre. Alternó composiciones propias con standards rediseñados desde una claridad quirúrgica, levantando atmósferas tridimensionales sin recurrir a artificios. La propuesta, de una pureza casi meditativa, derivó también en un tono sostenido y homogéneo que, pese a su innegable refinamiento, dejó por momentos la sensación de un discurso demasiado contenido. Un concierto silencioso en lo gestual, monumental en lo musical, aunque no siempre capaz de mantener la tensión narrativa y la atención del respetable.

El festival siguió desplazándose hacia territorios de la voz con Jazzmeia Horn, que transformó la tarde en una celebración. Su presencia escénica, su swing muscular y su dominio del storytelling vocal hicieron que cada una de sus composiciones se convirtiera en un microrrelato emocional. Su scat, natural, rítmicamente fértil, impredecible, fluyó sostenido por la solidez de Vásquez Viñas, Saleem y Morello, una sección rítmica que respiraba con ella. Horn ofreció una clase magistral de control diafragmático y de articulación, recordándonos que la tradición no es un museo, sino un territorio vivo y reinventable.

El 9 de noviembre, llegó uno de los regresos más esperados: Avishai Cohen regresó tras un tiempo sin actuar en la ciudad. Lo hizo en la Sala Fernán Gómez al frente de su quinteto, formado por jóvenes músicos israelíes vinculados en su mayoría a la escena neoyorquina. Destacó especialmente el pianista Itay Simhovich, de apenas veintiún años y recién incorporado al proyecto, junto a Yuval Drabkin en los saxos tenor y soprano, el trombonista Yonatan Voltzok y el baterista Eviatar Slivnik. El quinteto presentó un repertorio centrado en Brightlight (2024), complementado con nuevas composiciones y piezas ya conocidas por los seguidores del contrabajista.

Los solos de Drabkin sobresalieron por su técnica, sonido y musicalidad, mientras que la compenetración entre Slivnik, Simhovich y Cohen configuró una base rítmica sólida y cohesionada, fruto de su trabajo conjunto como trío. Fiel a su costumbre, Cohen volvió a apostar por jóvenes talentos sin renunciar a su lenguaje característico, marcado por un rigor estructural y un virtuosismo siempre supeditado a la música. Tras hora y media de concierto, el público ofreció una cálida ovación que Cohen respondió interpretando “Remembering”, pieza cargada de lirismo y melancolía.

El festival avanzó hacia un territorio más eruptivo con Hiromi & Sonicwonder, una de las noches más desbordantes de energía de toda la programación. Hiromi desplegó su habitual artillería: estructuras cambiantes, ritmos hiperquinéticos, un piano que funciona como orquesta y un magnetismo escénico que roza lo atlético. Adam O’Farrill ofreció un contrapeso perfecto con una trompeta musculosa, mientras Hadrien Feraud y Gene Coye sostuvieron una sección rítmica de elasticidad prodigiosa. La suite Out There fue un viaje expansivo; “Pendulum”, interpretada por Hiromi en solitario, dejó la sala suspendida en un silencio casi reverencial.

Tras semejante despliegue energético, el ciclo encontró un punto de reposo reflexivo con Leo & Leo, un proyecto distinto en estética y pulsación. Leonor Watling cantó con ese cuidado equilibrio entre transparencia, contención y cercanía emocional que define su estilo, mientras Leo Sidran acompañó con sensibilidad narrativa, más desde la intención que desde la exhibición. El resultado fue un recital pulcro y cálido, sin grandes sobresaltos, pensado más para el abrazo que para el vértigo. En una edición tan convulsa y exploratoria, su propuesta de belleza suave funcionó como un necesario gesto de pausa y honestidad.

La atención volvió a girar hacia la escena ibérica con el Cuarteto Edición Especial de Baldo Martínez, que reafirmó la condición del contrabajista gallego como una de las voces más personales y valientes de la música improvisada europea. Con Román Filiú, Chema Saiz y Pier Bruera generó un laboratorio sonoro en plena combustión: improvisación colectiva, timbres en fricción y raíces folclóricas reelaboradas desde una modernidad orgánica y nada complaciente.

En una línea igualmente experimental, Marco Mezquida presentó su diálogo entre piano e inteligencia artificial. El concierto osciló entre la fascinación tímbrica y las limitaciones expresivas de la IA, que respondía con intención, pero sin ninguna flexibilidad ni aportación propia. Mezquida, sin embargo, ofreció uno de los discursos más libres y texturales del festival, reivindicando la improvisación como terreno donde la máquina, por ahora, sigue siendo invitada y no protagonista. Un experimento valiente, más valioso por las preguntas que por las respuestas.

El Fernán Gómez se transformó nuevamente para acoger el sonido legendario del Sky Quartet de Charles Lloyd, que demostró que la veteranía no está reñida con una frescura casi juvenil. Lloyd navegó entre el free más etéreo y el blues más terrenal, sin dejar ninguna nota por el tintero. Sostenido por un trío de lujo: Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier y el joven Kweku Sumbry, que sustituyó con solvencia a Brian Blade, el cuarteto construyó el mejor de los ambientes para que Charles, el público y los propios músicos pudieran disfrutar, una noche más, de la belleza de la música en directo.

El festival continuó con un bloque especialmente fértil de proyectos españoles. El primero fue Daniel Juárez, que presentó Reflexividad junto a Naíma Acuña, Darío Guibert e Íñigo Ruiz de Gordejuela. Su concierto en la sala Villanos sirvió como presentación de su excelente trabajo, Reflexividad, el cual interpretaron al completo, esta vez con la riqueza y la frescura propias del directo. Mención especial para Álvaro del Valle, quien grabó íntegramente el concierto y realizó una mezcla minuciosa (aquí una muestra) que permite ahora disfrutar de este cuarteto en vivo con una calidad excepcional. Una semana más tarde, Astrid Canales. Su puesta en escena, su desparpajo, el ambiente familiar y la profesionalidad de los músicos de su banda nos condujeron al gozo colectivo. En esta ocasión, la compositora multidisciplinar presentaba también su último disco, publicado bajo el nombre de Ego.

En el apartado más encendido del ciclo de clubs, el saxofonista Javier Rojo, junto a Joan Colom, Ander García y Marc Pinyol, ofreció dos pases intensos, cargados de evocación y libertad. Ese mismo día, en el Pavón, Stacey Kent conquistó al público con su dulzura habitual, combinando standards, composiciones propias y un repertorio brasileño interpretado con afecto y elegancia.

El cierre de nuestra ruta llegó con Tigran Hamasyan, que ofreció un concierto casi ritual. Su piano, trenzado con melodías folclóricas armenias y polirritmias vertiginosas, generó un estado de trance cuidadosamente estructurado. Junto a Yessai Karapetian, Marc Karapetian y Arman Mnatsakanyan formó un triángulo rítmico formidable. The Bird of a Thousand Voices, inspirado en un cuento armenio ancestral, sonó como un viaje interior rotundo, confirmando a Tigran como una de las voces más visionarias del jazz actual.

Más allá del brillo individual de los conciertos, esta edición de JazzMadrid y Villanos del Jazz volvió a poner sobre la mesa algunos de los debates fundamentales del jazz contemporáneo: la convivencia entre tradición y ruptura, la integración (o resistencia) frente a lo tecnológico, y el papel del jazz en el ecosistema cultural de una gran ciudad. La programación, amplia, variada, a veces incluso desbordante, evidenció un rasgo que cada vez define más al festival: su voluntad de abarcar el jazz como un territorio expandido, sin compartimentos estancos, donde el swing coexiste con el free, la electrónica con el folclore y la canción con la improvisación abierta.

El diálogo intergeneracional también resultó especialmente revelador. Desde la sabiduría fresca de Charles Lloyd hasta la exuberancia de Hiromi, pasando por la precisión minimalista de Lage o la poesía camerística de Rubalcaba y Hamilton de Holanda, quedó claro que el jazz actual se articula no tanto en función de edades o corrientes, sino de discursos estéticos personales. Y en ese sentido, la escena española vivió un año particularmente fértil: Juárez, Canales, Rojo o Baldo Martínez ofrecieron proyectos donde la identidad local no se presenta como ancla, sino como punto de partida para una creación abierta y contemporánea.

La presencia de propuestas híbridas, como el experimento de Mezquida con inteligencia artificial o la melancolía elegante de Leo & Leo, reforzó otra idea clave: que el festival no se limita a exhibir virtuosismo, sino que funciona como un laboratorio donde se ensaya qué puede ser el jazz hoy. No todas las propuestas alcanzan la misma profundidad; algunas resultan más estéticas que transformadoras. Pero ese riesgo forma parte del pulso real de un festival vivo, que apuesta por la diversidad como motor y no como escaparate.

Por último, la respuesta del público, salas llenas en su mayor parte, atención sostenida, mezcla generacional, reveló algo que no siempre se subraya con suficiente claridad: Madrid está consolidando un ecosistema jazzístico propio, con identidad y continuidad, donde festivales, clubes, instituciones y músicos locales generan un tejido cada vez más sólido. Esa es quizá la mejor noticia de todas.

En suma, esta edición no solo ofreció grandes conciertos; ofreció preguntas, fricciones, descubrimientos y confirmaciones. Recordó que el jazz, cuando se programa con ambición y perspectiva, no es un género: es un diálogo permanente entre tradición, riesgo, escucha y tiempo. Y Madrid, por fortuna, parece decidida a mantenerlo vivo.

This year, Serbia’s oldest jazz festival was ceremoniously opened in the Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment Hall with an outstanding artistic program by the RTS Big Band, under the artistic direction of Stjepko Gut. In honor of the 100th anniversary of Bora Roković’s birth, we remembered the work of one of our most significant composers, arrangers, and pianists. The program also paid tribute to the renowned Yugoslav All Stars Band, making the evening a rich and authentic celebration of domestic jazz heritage, much to the delight of the audience.

In the international program, American artists stood out, as their presence at the festival always represents a genuine cultural event: the legendary Wadada Leo Smith, a doyen of the global avant-garde scene, and the brilliant pianist Sylvie Courvoisier delivered a deeply spiritual concert, whose power and meditative quality reminded us why jazz remains an art of freedom and expression. James Brandon Lewis, one of the most acclaimed saxophonists of the new generation, presented contemporary jazz in its most exciting form, powerful, sincere, inspired by classical roots, yet entirely original and modern.

European artists, from the celebrated French bassist Henri Texier with his trio and the emotive ensemble Eternal Love led by the renowned Italian saxophonist Roberto Ottaviano, to the masterful duo of French maestros Louis Sclavis and Benjamin Moussay, demonstrated the richness of old continent jazz tradition and the breadth of expression that defines Europe’s most important jazz stages. They were joined by new names, the Marta Sánchez Trio from Spain, the Ricardo Toscano Trio from Portugal, the Israeli band Shalosh, and British pianist Alexander Hawkins, whose energy, improvisational courage, and authenticity show how vibrant and diverse European jazz is today.

The Serbian scene, as every year, showcased vitality and creative strength through performances by Bosque Sound Community, led by Miloš Bosnić, and the Rastko Obradović Quartet (with special guest Jasper Høiby from Denmark).

The festival concluded in the best possible way, spontaneously and energetically, with an exciting jam session led by pianist Vlada Maričić, featuring both domestic and international musicians, including James Brandon Lewis and Ricardo Toscano with their bands, further delighting the audience.

The Belgrade Jazz Festival once again recorded exceptional attendance, full concert halls, and an atmosphere of community. Particularly encouraging was the diversity of the audience, seasoned jazz lovers sharing the space with young people discovering this music for the first time, confirming that the festival successfully builds bridges between generations and that jazz has a future in Belgrade.

Over more than four decades, the Belgrade Jazz Festival has grown into a cultural symbol of Belgrade, an event that upholds artistic integrity, promotes domestic creators, and connects the city with global music centers. Thanks to its high artistic standards and appreciation of authentic achievements, the festival has become an event that not only brings together top-tier artists but also inspires audiences, develops the local scene, and preserves jazz as a living, contemporary language. This year’s 41st edition once again demonstrated that Belgrade not only follows global trends but creates them, on its own authentic road of jazz.

Arrancamos el festival el 13 de noviembre con Mark Turner Quintet que presentó, en el Centro Cultura Vila Flor (CCVF), Reflections on: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, un proyecto de composiciones propias donde la narración y la música avanzan en planos paralelos. Turner leyó fragmentos de la novela de James Weldon Johnson mientras el quinteto, compuesto por luminarias como Jason Palmer, David Virelles, Matt Brewer y Nasheet Waits, articuló una suite de diez movimientos que funcionó como una exploración sonora de los temas del libro. La palabra narrada no fue solo un complemento, sino la estructura sobre la que la música se despliega con intención narrativa. El concierto avanzó como una historia compartida, donde identidad, memoria y música formaron un mismo cuerpo sonoro. En lo técnico, la propuesta se sostiene en una escritura rigurosa con una interacción controlada. Mark Turner trabaja líneas extensas, de una claridad casi arquitectónica, que se apoyan en la armonía abierta del piano de raíces afrocubanas de David Virelles. Sus repeticiones rítmicas funcionan como pequeños mantras que reorganizan el espacio del quinteto. Jason Palmer desarrolla sus intervenciones desde una lógica melódica limpia, sin exhibicionismo. Matt Brewer al contrabajo sostiene el peso del diseño armónico con una estabilidad permanente, y Nasheet Waits a la batería maneja la tensión con un pulso que crece por capas, a veces desde la insinuación y otras desde el ataque directo. El resultado es un lenguaje contemporáneo, técnicamente complejo, expuesto con claridad. Es quizá el trabajo donde Turner integra con más coherencia su pensamiento musical y su lectura del legado afroamericano.

Set list: Mevement 1. Anonymous/ Movement 2. Juxtaposition/ Movement 3. Pulmonary Edema/ Movement 4. New YorK/ Movement 5. Europe/ Movement 6. The Texanic. The Soldier/ Movement 7. Mother, Sisteru Lover/ Movement 8. Pragmatism/ Movement 9. Identity Politics/ Movement 10. Closure

El trío Taborn/Reid/Smith protagonizó la propuesta más alejada de la ortodoxia jazzística dentro del festival. Craig Taborn, al piano y electrónica, junto a la violonchelista Tomeka Reid y el baterista y percusionista Ches Smith, conforman tres figuras de la vanguardia creativa estadounidense que se mueven dentro del circuito de la música improvisada y el jazz contemporáneo.

Craig Taborn es un pianista e improvisador que trabaja desde la composición espontánea y desde la exploración experimental del piano, construyendo improvisaciones complejas desde una visión única. Tomeka Reid, compositora e improvisadora nacida en California, formada en la música clásica e integrada en la tradición de la diáspora africana, vinculada al minimalismo contemporáneo destaca por su amplitud sonora y el uso de técnicas poco convencionales de manipulación del violonchelo. Ches Smith es un baterista, percusionista y compositor radicado en Nueva York, es un músico destacado en la intersección del jazz con las tendencias experimentales, la música noise y el metal, contribuyendo con una versatilidad experimental.

El trío presentó un proyecto electroacústico que prioriza el enfoque del conjunto sobre el solista construyendo el sonido desde la improvisación estructural, con un abordaje de la música desde la exploración del sonido y no desde la forma, entrelazando y alternando roles melódicos y rítmicos. El sonido se articuló desde las texturas: capas espaciales, tensiones suspendidas, electrónica que expandió el espectro tímbrico y polirritmias que se abrieron en múltiples direcciones. Música sorprendente y excitante, elaborada, compleja y en constante desarrollo, desde el minimalismo de cámara contemporáneo hasta irrupciones de energía pura.

Set list:  Dream Archive/ Junk Magic/ Enchant/: Craig Taborn.  Mumbo Jumbo: Paul Motian/ When Kabuya Dances: Geri Allen/ Loue in Kone Outer Saace:  Sun Ra.

Asistimos a un set libre presentado por Sonoscopia, un colectivo con sede en Oporto dedicado desde 2011 al arte sonoro, la investigación y la música experimental. El concierto, centrado en música improvisada y la creación contemporánea, estuvo a cargo del trío Kvelvane – Østvang – Vermeulen, formación de saxofón, batería y contrabajo. Sin partitura alguna, los tres se lanzaron a la improvisación pura, una avalancha de ideas, cascadas de notas que avanzan hasta unirse en una música desenfrenada de energía feroz compartida. Tres músicos que se desplazan con total libertad por diversas corrientes estéticas de la creación musical actual. Se trata de un proyecto todavía en fase temprana de consolidación dentro del panorama de la improvisación y del jazz.

La saxofonista noruega Heidi Kvelvane, presentada por Jan Granlie para Salt Peanuts en #IWD2025 (#womentotheforce 2025) dentro de EJM, aportó un enfoque fresco surgido de la escena de improvisación contemporánea de su país. Destacó por un tono incisivo, vibrante y exploratorio, fruto de su trabajo dentro de la escena nacional noruega y de sus colaboraciones con la Bergen Big Band. Tollef Østvang, baterista, improvisador y compositor noruego formado en el conservatorio de Paris y de Ámsterdam, figura clave en Trondheim, desplegó un toque enérgico, contundente y creativo, moldeado por el jazz y la creación instantánea. Nils Vermeulen, contrabajista, investigador acústico y constructor de instrumentos, aportó un enfoque expansivo alimentado por su experiencia en el free jazz, la improvisación y la música contemporánea. Es música en el aquí y ahora.

Set list: Ondulado/ Lastillo/ Caramulotemporánea

Después de su debut discográfico con el sello español Fresh Sound Records, que recoge la primera grabación de estudio del saxofonista y compositor británico afincado en Nueva York, Alex Hitchcock con All Good Things en 2018, se sitúa en el festival de Guimarães al frente de Alex Hitchcock Quintet. Formado por Alex Hitchcock, al saxofón tenor, Dave Adewumi en la trompeta, Will Barry al piano, Ben Tiberio, al contrabajo, y la franco-brasileña Ananda Brandão en la batería. Un grupo integrado por músicos de UK y EE. UU. residentes en Nueva York, un quinteto solvente de new talents con camino de éxitos recorridos y por recorrer. Además, fueron los responsables de liderar durante tres noches la jam nocturna del festival en el Café Concerto del CCVF.

Alex Hitchcock compositor y director de orquesta nacido en Londres, es considerado una figura emergente en la escena del jazz británico estudiante de la Royal Academy of Music de Londres, presentan un set de melodías potentes e improvisaciones exquisitas, con texturas y fraseo sobrio, elegante, sutil y armonioso, desarrolla acordes y armonías que evolucionan hacia una asimilación natural de influencias clásicas y contemporáneas, siempre con un claro sentido de sofisticación armónica. Los solos resultan especialmente notables, con las líneas de tenor de Hitchcock como eje central.

Will Barry proporciona lirismo, sutileza y refinamiento. En la batería, Ananda Brandão desplegó un enfoque proactivo y contemporáneo, de diálogo con las líneas de Hitchcock y Adewumi. La combinación equilibrada de personalidades musicales confirma que esta unidad es de un potencial notable.

Set list: Eo / Triumph / Wishlove / Bright White Light / Pull of the Line / Rio

La 34.ª edición del Guimarães Jazz concluye con el regreso del compositor y pianista Danilo Pérez, que vuelve a este escenario donde actuó en 2006 como integrante del Cuarteto Footprints de Wayne Shorter, en uno de los conciertos más recordados de la historia del festival. En esta ocasión, Pérez se presentó junto a la Bohuslän Big Band, la orquesta sueca fundada en 1950 y formada por dieciséis músicos estables.

El set fue una retrospectiva de su obra, caracterizada por la integración del jazz con músicas folclóricas latinoamericanas y africanas. Una visión de global-jazz pasando por múltiples territorios, desde Panamá, al bolero, hasta pasajes abiertos de free jazz. La música operó como vehículo de conexión, como un ejercicio de diplomacia cultural que apuesta por la colectividad y la circulación de ideas.

La propuesta fue también un viaje hacia las raíces personales y culturales del pianista. Danilo Pérez se sitúa como embajador cultural de Panamá. La música, en palabras de Danilo Pérez es concebida como una forma de terapia capaz de generar un espacio de esperanza de vida. Entre los momentos destacados, estuvo una pieza de Danilo Pérez Beloved/ One for Toni Morrison dedicada a Toni Morrison. Pegasus de Ale Moller, Across The Crystal Sea de Claus Ogerman y otras piezas compuestas por Danilo como, Suite for Americas, Galactic Panamá, Sunburn & Mosquito. El concierto culminó con un cierre a piano solo, una versión de Round Midnight que selló la noche.

Seat list: Pegasus de Ale Moller/ Suite for the Americas, Across the Crystal Sea de Claus Ogerman/ Sunburn&Mosquito, Beloved / One for Toni Morrison, Galactic Panamá, Expeditions, 2 Movement, Irremediablemente Solo, Lumen de Danilo Pérez /Round Midnight

Bohuslän Big Band: Oakim Rolandsson  saxofón alto, instrumentos de viento madera/ Orfeus Wärdig Tsoukalas  saxofón alto, instrumentos de viento madera, saxofón tenor/ Linus Lindblom, instrumentos de viento madera/ Mikael Karlsson,  saxofón tenor, instrumentos de viento madera/ Alberto Pinton,  saxofón barítono, instrumentos de viento madera/ Lennart Grahn  trompeta, fliscorno/ Samuel Olsson  trompeta, fliscorno/ Staffan Svensson, trompeta, fliscorno/ Jan Eliasson , trompeta, fliscorno/ Niclas Rydh,  trombón / Christer Olofsson,  trombón / Hanne Småvik,  trombón / Gustav Wiklund,  trombón bajo/ Olli Rantala,  contrabajo/ Lisbeth Diers, percusión/ Göran Kroon, batería/ Danilo Pérez  (feat.) piano.

Within this context, the first major impact came from Dee Dee Bridgewater and her program “We Exist,” an artistic gesture that is also a political statement. Bridgewater shaped the repertoire with a presence that transcends the category of “great vocalist”: she acted as an active witness to a legacy that reaches back to Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln, yet is being urgently rewritten today. Her voice remains a vessel of memory and resistance, capable of sustaining a discourse that embraces both historical pain and communal strength. At her side, Carmen Staff anchored the piano with an admirable balance of leadership and sensitivity; Rosa Brunello brought a double bass full of intention, firm and attentive to space; and Julie Saury, on drums, contributed an elegant, sober, almost narrative pulse that rounded out a profoundly meaningful ensemble. The exclusively female lineup was not merely an aesthetic choice—it was a declaration of independence in a circuit still burdened by patriarchal inertia. At the BASF auditorium, filled to every seat I could see, the concert resonated like a conversation between generations: the critical tradition of jazz updated without nostalgia, delivered with an ethical clarity that one can only appreciate.

With The Young Mothers the following day, the terrain changed completely. There, structure revealed itself within apparent devastation. What may seem chaotic is crafted with meticulous design: tensions that accumulate, explosions that morph into new forms, energy that transforms rather than dissipates. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten—whom I had the chance to interview—leads the sextet with an almost physical intuition, sustaining a project integrating free jazz, hip-hop, noise, hardcore, and groove as if all belonged to the same ancestral code. Jawwaad Taylor opened poetic fissures within the turbulence; Horne pushed the guitar into abrasive zones; Rosaly and González generated a rhythmic topography that was unpredictable yet rigorous. In the Betriebswerk, that former railway workshop with its raw industrial aesthetic, the music took on an almost ritualistic power. It was a concert for listeners willing to lower their defenses: those who did found a fierce coherence within the excess.

On Sunday, November 2, in a morning slot, I attended the first of two performances by Shai Maestro — a concert that offered respite, yes, but never intellectual rest. Maestro plays with a disarming sincerity: every phrase seems to search for an inner truth rather than a technical solution. His trajectory — from classical piano to the revelation of Jarrett, from competitions to his refusal to enter Berklee, from studying with Avishai Cohen to his consolidation with ECM — is evident in the way he breathes music, how he lets ideas articulate themselves with an almost organic naturalness.

Jorge Roeder provided a warm, rounded double bass sound, full of intention; Ofri Nehemya offered drumming of extraordinary sensitivity, attentive to even the slightest detail; and Agdy Lehavi added layers of synthesizer that expanded the quartet’s emotional universe without displacing its acoustic core. In a world where music is cleaned, edited, and quantized until it loses its soul, hearing Shai Maestro is a reminder that the human — the imperfect, the uncertain, the revealing — remains the true substance of jazz.

That same day, in the late afternoon and evening, I attended a concert that was entirely new to me. Kruder & Dorfmeister activated memories of an era when electronic music became an emotional and urban language. Their return with K&D Sessions Live is not merely nostalgia but a reaffirmation of an aesthetic that shaped the sensibility of the 1990s. Their blend of downbeat, dub, trip-hop, and nu-jazz remains elegant, atmospheric, crafted with timbral precision. It is not the kind of risk I personally seek in a festival concert, but the influence and magnetism they exert on their audience — their audience — is undeniable; the crowd lived the night as a generational rite, giving themselves over to an aesthetic that appeals not to euphoria but to immersion. There were moments of diffuse, almost cinematic beauty.

Three days at Enjoy Jazz were enough to confirm that the festival is not just a brilliant program: it is a cultural ecosystem where music is lived as thought and as action. I am deeply grateful for the invitation and the care received, especially thanks to the impeccable work of Michael Braun. At a time when culture needs arguments, support, and vision, Enjoy Jazz shows that coordination, commitment, and collective effort can turn a territory into a true laboratory of sensitivity. Where music is listened to in order to understand the world, society becomes a little more lucid.

The festival I can see opened with Anima, the Dresden-based quintet that crafted a sonic landscape seemingly born from the earth itself. Joel Ferrando (trumpet), Arthur Clees (vibraphone), Lorenz Glöckner (guitar), Kevin Knödler (bass), and Samuel Dietze (drums) built a delicate, almost ritualistic balance where silence mattered as much as sound. Their music, reminiscent of ECM’s lyricism, carried the rawness of youth and the sincerity of discovery, transforming introspection into a collective act. The way the quintet wove tension and release, landscape and inner space, made it clear that silence, too, can be music.

The energy shifted later with Àbáse, led by Szabolcs Bognár (keyboards & production). With Fanni Zahár (flute), Ori Jacobson (saxophone), Giacomo Tagliavia (bass), Ziggy Zeitgeist (drums), and additional percussion, their set fused jazz, Afrobeat, Brazilian rhythms, and electronic textures. Each passage pulsed with hypnotic movement—a lesson in how music can be ritual and dance at once. Their message felt almost philosophical: spirituality can groove.

Then came Jazzanova ft. Wayne Snow, veterans of Berlin’s nu-jazz scene, unfolding a universe where soul, electronics, and house interlaced. Christoph Adams (piano, vocals), Wayne Snow (vocals), Christoph Bernewitz (guitar), Stefan Ulrich (trombone, electronics), Sebastian Borkowski (sax, flute), Florian Menzel (trumpet), Paul Kleber (bass), and SJan Burkamp (drums) offered elegance without solemnity. Wayne Snow led the session to near-mystical territory with his airy, sensual voice, while the collective deconstructed jazz with the reverence of a cubist painter dismantling reality without destroying it.

And then came Embryo, the moment that left an indelible mark. Led by Marja Burchard (vibraphone, organ, synth, vocals, santur), daughter of the band’s founder, alongside Johannes Schleiermacher (sax, flute, synth), Maasl Maier (bass), and Jakob Thun (drums), the group embarked on a hypnotic journey through psychedelia, free jazz, and world music. Embryo doesn’t sound nostalgic—it sounds alive, a dialogue between generations where every musical phrase feels both ancient and futuristic. Each improvisation, each interlude, pulses with risk and precision. The band blends cultures and eras effortlessly, reminding us that jazz can be cosmopolitan, experimental, and deeply human all at once. It’s not just something you hear—it’s something you feel, as if the music expanded the Z-Bau’s very walls.

Between concerts, DJs Allynx & Sean Steinfeger spun atmospheric sets, keeping the audience suspended between contemplation and movement—not filler, but emotional choreography.

The second day opened with the Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra (AMEO), a collective beast led by Daniel Glatzel (composition, sax). With Laure Mourot and Sonja Horlacher on flute, Taiko Saito on vibraphone and percussion, Arne Braun and Kalle Zeier on electric guitars, Anna Viechtl on harp, Matthias Pichler on bass, and Marius Wankel on drums, the orchestra showed how symphonic and experimental forces can coexist naturally. Each musician listened and responded, transforming the ensemble into a living organism: phrases intersected, riffs intertwined with percussion, and silences created tension before release. AMEO embodies collective risk turned into sound—where composition and improvisation melt seamlessly.

Singer Enji (Enkhjargal Erkhembayar) offered the festival’s most intimate moment. I arrived near the end of her concert, but her voice—laden with melancholy and serenity—filled the Roter Salon with an almost sacred atmosphere, proving that emotion and restraint can coexist in perfect harmony. She will soon perform in Madrid, where I’ll make sure to attend with more space for deep listening.

Jelena Kuljić & Fundamental Interactions ft. Olga Reznichenko went for political intensity and sonic provocation: Yugoslav poetry, fractured electronics, and improvisation without a safety net. With Kalle Kalima (guitar, electronics), Tim Dahl (bass), and Christian Lillinger (drums), they reminded us that jazz isn’t always meant to please—it can also unsettle, offering beauty and conceptual breadth through irony.

The Peter Gall Quintet delivered an exquisite balance of virtuosity and restraint. With Wanja Slavin (alto sax, synth), Carl Morgan (guitar), Rainer Böhm (piano, synth), Matthias Pichler (bass), and Peter Gall (drums), they proved that music can be profound, elegant, and moving without being ostentatious—a reminder that sophistication can also be subtle.

The Nebbia / Downes / Lisle trio performed as a single organism. Camila Nebbia, on saxophone, didn’t just play notes—she turned them into whispers, laments, or contained explosions, shaping timbre until every phrase felt like it emerged from the audience’s own breath. Kit Downes, on piano, acted not as accompanist but as an architect of sonic space—constructing harmonies that could be ethereal, dense, or abrupt, often using silence as material as vital as the keys themselves. Andrew Lisle, on drums, didn’t simply keep time—he added texture, tension, and surprise, transforming percussion into an emotional landscape.

What fascinates about this trio is their coherence amid freedom. Improvisation here isn’t chaos—it’s continuous conversation, where each musician listens, breathes, and responds in real time, creating moments of absolute suspension, when the listener feels both on the edge of an abyss and somehow safely held. Their performance became a metaphor for mutual trust in improvised music: shared risk transformed into pure beauty.

The festival closed the day with Sera Kalo, joined by Igor Osypov (guitar, synth), Sofia Eftychidou (electronic bass), and Dylan Greene (drums). Blending soul, jazz, and electronics, her vocal energy and stage presence showed that jazz can remain both political and poetic when it moves you.

The success of NUEJAZZ 2025 also owes much to the flawless coordination of the agents behind it: the Nuremberg Office of Tourism and Culture, with Nora Hefny and Franzisca Steyer welcoming guests, and Judith Kobus of cubus-music, whose strategic work in PR, artistic communication, and overall management strengthened the festival’s visibility and that of its artists.

Leaving the Z-Bau at the end of the night felt like waking from an urban dream: the cold air on the way to the tram smelled of history, gingerbread, and suspended chords. The city shimmered under the golden light of its walls, reminding us that here, the past doesn’t weigh—it resonates. And one can’t help but think, with irony, that perhaps jazz itself is precisely that: a way of rebuilding the world, note by note, after every catastrophe.