south east jazz is a free two-day music festival that celebrates the unique energy of amsterdam-southeast with jazz in the broadest sense of the word. from soulful classics to electronic improvisation, from local talent to international names - spread across multiple stages, jazz forms the bridge between cultures, generations and worlds. with food, art, dance and a strong community, southeast will be the place where music connects people on saturday 30 and sunday 31 august. jazz focus big band the jazz focus big band is bursting with young talent and has been led by conductor lorenzo mignacca since 2019. mignacca continues the legacy of the late peter guidi. this 18-piece ensemble breathes new life into the big band repertoire with music by thad jones, cole porter, buddy rich, and gordon goodwin. they’ve performed at major venues including the north sea jazz festival, the concertgebouw, and the uitmarkt, and have won first prize multiple times at the prinses christina concours. alice leggett quintet british saxophonist and composer alice leggett is a rising voice in european jazz. she made her mark as a member of teis semey’s super deluxe orchestra, won the 2024 keep an eye international jazz award, and has been an active part of the dutch jazz scene since graduating from the conservatory of amsterdam. in may 2025, her critically acclaimed debut album birdsong was released on zennez records, followed by a successful uk tour. she was also named “one to watch” by jazzwise magazine. ramón valle & maite hontelé what began as a one-off duo performance blossomed into a deep musical partnership. pianist ramón valle and trumpeter maite hontelé found common ground in their love for melody, freedom, and the cuban idiom. they’ve performed across europe and even recorded an album in havana. valle is praised for his expressive playing, full of cuban flair and classical depth; hontelé for her international career in salsa and her warm, lyrical tone. together, they create music that speaks straight to the heart. eddy veldman opo yeye (“elevate your soul”) is the vibrant ensemble led by drum veteran eddy veldman, one of the pioneers of the paramaribop sound. with a line-up featuring members of fra fra sound and violinist yannick hiwat, the band brings a powerful blend of jazz, funk, hip-hop, and surinamese rhythms like kaseko and kawina. since 1998, veldman has led this boundary-pushing group, where groove, improvisation, and cultural richness converge in a high-energy live show. 4 the culture according to founders sarah-jane wijdenbosch and mrjetfly, kawina music rarely gets the platform it deserves. that’s why their initiative 4 the culture proudly brings this energetic, deeply rooted surinamese style into the spotlight. what started with a livestream concert in paradiso has grown into sold-out shows, and even two concerts in carré. together with the 16-piece black excellence kawina orchestra, they offer an uplifting and unifying tribute to kawina and suriname.

south east jazz is a free two-day music festival that celebrates the unique energy of amsterdam-southeast with jazz in the broadest sense of the word. from soulful classics to electronic improvisation, from local talent to international names - spread across multiple stages, jazz forms the bridge between cultures, generations and worlds. with food, art, dance and a strong community, southeast will be the place where music connects people on saturday 30 and sunday 31 august. yoràn vroom: groove beest drummer yoràn vroom returns to amsterdam-zuidoost, where it all began for him. in the family concert groove beest, he teams up with mc cheyenne toney and a powerhouse band to dive into a world of rhythm, dance, and music rooted in his caribbean heritage. an explosive and interactive concert where standing still is no option. for all ages. chatlein i su zumbi percussionist vernon chatlein explored the zikinza sound archive, tracing a path through the rich afro-curaçaoan musical history. inspired by the mysterious style muzik di zumbi, he composes new music for his group chatlein i su zumbi. with this band, he blends jazz and latin with antillean rhythms to create something vibrant and deeply rooted. nausyqa five young, international super talents united in a quintet: nausyqa. these musical storytellers from portugal, spain, italy, and the netherlands bring a fresh buzz to the dutch jazz scene. their second album punq takes you on a sound journey. each composition feels like a musical voyage: immersive, intense, and remarkably cohesive. bnnyhunna bnnyhunna (benjamin ankomah) grew up in amsterdam-zuidoost and discovered his deep passion for music at an early age. in church, he taught himself piano, drums, and guitar, and developed his gift for composition and production. he has since collaborated with artists like akwasi and josé james, and released his acclaimed debut album echoes of prayers in 2023. his music moves between west african afrobeat, melodic hip-hop, and london-style funk jazz, enhanced by poetry, video, and visual art.