The Gent Jazz Festival is announcing new names for its 14th year. Just like last year, the festival is offering an assortment of relevant music from jazz and related genres, with a balanced blend of young talent and established names on the main stage and the Garden Stage.
On Friday 10 July, the first day of the festival, attention is focusing on jazz and experiment; with acts to look forward to including Bill Laswell and his cult group Material, this time flanked by the legendary Master Musicians of Jajouka. With ‘Made in Chicago’, the mighty Jack DeJohnette surrounds himself with Muhal Richard Abrams, Larry Gray and Roscoe Mitchell, all pioneers in avant-garde jazz. Canadian pianist Kris Davis, recently a guest at Gent Jazz Club, is introducing her octet Infrasound for this event, with Joachim Badenhorst playing on her side. The Garden Stage is that day giving the stage over to interesting names such as David Virelles and the Trio Reijseger-Fraanje-Sylla.
With Abdullah Ibrahim Mukashi Trio and Charles Lloyd Quartet (feat. Gerald Clayton, Joe Sanders & Kendrick Scott), 11 July will see two giants in contemporary jazz on the programme. New York's rising star VijayIyer, last year artist in residence at Jazz Middelheim, will be back this summer with his Trio.Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet and Toine Thys Trio are taking to the Garden Stage.
The festival already confirmed the unique jazz concert with Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga on 12 July, while also playing that day are Bill Charlap Trio and Stéphane Belmondo Trio with his project ‘Love For Chet’. Two new names are completing the day: Michel Bisceglia is performing in several sets and none other than Kurt Overbergh, artistic director at the AB, is honouring Billie Holiday with a DJ set marking her 100th birthday.
Following two rest days, the second part of the festival kicks off on 15 July with the arrival of French superstar Zaz. On her latest album Zaz sings of her love of Paris, with exuberant joie de vivre in a blend of jazz, chanson and swing. The remaining programme for this day is to be completed later.
Thursday 16 July is all about the guitar. The festival is looking forward to welcoming back the Cubans Rodrigo y Gabriela, an exceptional guitar duo who were already guests at the Gent Jazz Festival a few years back. More guitar-power that day with young blues god Gary Clark Jr. and Rhiannon Giddens, who primarily rose to fame as front woman of The Carolina Chocolate Drops and who now is following her own project. A home-grown big name on the Garden Stage: Nordmann.
The programme for Friday 17 July is to be announced soon.
On the closing day, the festival previously announced the appearance of Gregory Porter, Snarky Puppy, GoGoPenguin, STUFF.andBRZZVLL feat. Antony Joseph.
Gent Jazz Festival is also actively endeavouring to encourage young musicians and to help them grow. There is thus Jong Jazztalent Gent, a joint initiative with the Duvel Moortgat Brewery, which since last year has supported the winning group in elaborating a project. Keenroh won the jury over last year, and is now set to show the public the results of a year's hard work on the main stage, with numerous guests under the name Keenroh XL.
Furthermore, within the collaboration with HoGent School of Arts a guest musician is asked to elaborate a coaching project with a group of students from the conservatory. The coach for this year is to be announced later.
Tickets & info: www.gentjazz.com
