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pietre (‘stones’ in italian) is a band led by bassist alessandro fongaro, who previously played on our stage with sun-mi hong, ambergris and brainteaser orchestra. pietre is a scream to live again, love again. as if recovering from an emergency break, the music stutters, collapses and pushes on, laced with stories of love and friendship that manifest through intensity, sensitivity and vulnerability. the two saxophonists in pietre show an impressive range, supported by a tight-knit rhythm section of double bass and drums. the debut album first time (a)live celebrated the end of the lockdown with a recording of the very first concert they played. recently they presented the studio-produced album pietre that is sure to be a stepping stone towards a bright future. ‘the tone is playful and on the dark side with a great freedom for the bass and drums. this freedom gives fongaro’s melodic themes, which sometimes bring to mind ornette coleman, a remarkable sense of urgency’ (jazzism). beforehand, pianist youngwoo lee will play a solo set titled “youngwoo's tiny room,” combining keys, electronics and improvisation. lee has previously played on our stage with his own band and as a sideman with sun-mi hong quintet and the guy salamon group, among others.

in the american press, ganavya has already been described as one of modern music’s most compelling vocalists. she confirmed this with her impressive performance at the le guess who? festival last fall. ganavya doraiswamy was born in new york and raised in tamil nadu, india. through singing, while accompanying herself on double bass, she brings the hindu storytelling tradition of harikathā into the 21st century. through her extensive traveling and versatile education, ganavya became familiar with various art forms including music, poetry, theatre and film. this is reflected on her most recent album daughter of a temple, for which she draws from the musical and spiritual heritage of alice coltrane. for the recordings she gathered a whole community of artists, including leading jazz musicians such as esperanza spalding, vijay iyer, shabaka hutchings and immanuel wilkins.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.

top players from all over the world will unite at this eleventh edition of django amsterdam. every year the weekend-long festival is dedicated to guitar icon django reinhardt (1910-1953), who conquered the world with his paris-based band quintette du hot club de france. gwen cahue on guitar and baptiste bailly on piano make up a unique duo, fusing jazz, world music, classical music and film scores. their eclectic, lively repertoire leaves plenty of room for improvisation, in a refined, dreamlike style. carried along by a chiselled dramaturgy and a cinematic imagination, each piece transports the listener to a fascinating and soothing elsewhere. before the concert you can listen to the django house band in our cafe which is led by dutch guitarists tessa spaaij and jaïr stunt, accompanied by double bassist ties laarakker. they will set the tone for a sunday afternoon full of swing.

top players from all over the world will unite at this eleventh edition of django amsterdam. every year the weekend-long festival is dedicated to guitar icon django reinhardt (1910-1953), who conquered the world with his paris-based band quintette du hot club de france. over the last forty years, guitarist fapy lafertin has been widely recognised as a master of swing jazz and an heir to django reinhardt’s crown. he became known as a lead guitarist in belgian band waso and english group le jazz. tim kliphuis is one of the best-known improvising violinists in the world. together they will bring a homage to django reinhardt and stéphane grappelli, who wrote jazz history with quintette du hot club de france. joscho stephan is one of the hottest guitar players in the world today and his breathtaking technique and stunning performances have earned him an outstanding reputation on the international guitar scene. he knows how to stand out from the crowd by combining jazz with latin, classical and rock. expect dazzling virtuosity and big fun from joscho and his trio. the house band in our bar is led by dutch guitarists tessa spaaij and jaïr stunt, accompanied by double bassist ties laarakker, who will set the tone for an evening full of swing.

on the opening night of django amsterdam, guitar legend jimmy rosenberg presents his own trio. more top players from all over the world will unite at this eleventh edition of django amsterdam. every year the weekend-long festival is dedicated to guitar icon django reinhardt (1910-1953), who conquered the world with his paris-based band quintette du hot club de france. the house band in our bar is led by dutch guitarists tessa spaaij and jaïr stunt, accompanied by double bassist ties laarakker, who will set the tone for a weekend full of swing. guitarist adrian holovaty sits squarely in the middle of two traditions: django-style jazz and beatlesque 1960s rock/pop music. he'll lead a quartet performing his arrangements of fresh repertoire that probably nobody else in the world plays in this context. expect pop tunes, video game music and his own compositions. jimmy rosenberg is a phenomenon among guitar players and a master of django-style jazz. at a very young age he had already achieved global fame. he played at the concertgebouw with violin player stéphane grappelli, who played with django reinhardt himself, and at carnegie hall with les paul and george benson. jimmy is a cousin of the members of the rosenberg trio.

kevin hays and jorge rossy are well-known musical personalities from the generation of jazz musicians that emerged in new york in the 1990s. they have played together in different formations over the years. this is the first time that they are playing together in a duo of piano and vibraphone, a relatively unusual combination in jazz. their musical palette covers a wide aesthetic range, including evocative musical landscapes, intriguing improvisations, lyrical melodies, and rich soulful harmonies. on the occasion of their album debut the wait they interchange standards with their own compositions. kevin hays is internationally recognized as one of the premier jazz pianists of his generation. he collaborated with legends such as sonny rollins and john scofield, and released several albums on the blue note label. jorge rossy became known as the drummer in the successful brad mehldau trio. he also excels on vibraphone and marimba. their long history of friendship allows them to fully enjoy the space and freedom offered by the duo setting. they delight in exploring the nuances of their instruments and discovering new worlds of sound, storytelling and color.

sifters is a new international powerhouse trio with players who have made their mark in the world of free improvisation and experimental music. together they explore multi-faceted terrains, with free-wheeling improvisation stemming from compact compositional gems. their sound is as intricate as it is intense, infusing the avant-garde with both raw, explosive energy and uncanny, quizzical passages. drummer kate gentile will make her debut on our stage. since 2011 she has been active as a performer and composer out of brooklyn, new york, collaborating with jazz and improv greats such as steve coleman, dave douglas and john zorn. in sifters she plays with her close collaborator jeremy viner, the american saxophonist and clarinetist currently based in berlin, who has performed on our stage with anna webber and steve lehman. guitarist marc ducret is a veteran of french adventurous music and has previously played here with the likes of louis sclavis and tim berne.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.

immanuel wilkins is a saxophonist with a penchant for grand gestures, who has an engaging sound and writes epic compositions. his debut album omega was named the best of 2020 by new york times. the following album the 7th hand dealt with themes of religion and spiritualism. blues blood, his new album on the legendary label blue note, was produced by influential bassist meshell ndegeocello. immanuel wilkins has collaborated regularly with another new hero of american music, vibraphonist joel ross. additionally, he has collaborated with artists from very different genres, and major ones too: solange knowles, wynton marsalis and bob dylan, for example. it is indicative of the scope of the alto saxophonist, composer and band leader from new york.  

the five-piece band irreversible entanglements emerged organically, out of deep friendships, mutual admiration, and a shared activist concern. international in scope yet indebted to, influenced by, and committed to their specific communities, the band pulls zero punches and reserves no energy in intrepid live sets that proclaim revolutionary love for the people. the philadelphia, new york, and dc-based band is made up of five individuals whose uncompromising artistic visions have received wide acclaim: ‘luke stewart, the high priest on bass; aquiles navarro, the electric universe in human form on trumpet; keir neuringer, the cosmologist with the siren sound on sax; tcheser holmes, the griot, the myth-maker on drums; and camae ayewa, the moor mother with an empyrean pen game’ (alex smith).

"dr. snap’s second phase encompasses a totally new line up and all new material. the armoured core of the group (sax, piano, drums) will play the first set under the name 'exhaust'. featuring improvisers and composers from all over europe, the complete seven-piece is shedding its skin, interacting and improvising underneath mesmerising imagery. dr. snap ii is the sequel to the project initiated by downes for the concert series reflex by bimhuis productions. british pianist and organist kit downes is acclaimed for his various albums on ecm records. he has collaborated with a wide range of artists including drum and bass pioneer squarepusher, singer-songwriter sam amidon, composer mica levi and guitarist bill frisell. he has written commissions for london contemporary orchestra, ensemble klang, liquid music minneapolis, and was the recipient of the paul acket award at the north sea jazz festival this year. he previously played on our stage with the innovative piano trio enemy.

federica michisanti has been winning awards for years in the prestigious critics poll of the italian magazine musica jazz. the double bassist is recognized for her imaginative compositions, in which she blends her jazz-informed playing with influences from european folk and classical music. for her recent album afternoons she formed a dream band with two french greats, bass clarinetist louis sclavis and cellist vincent courtois. on the one hand the quartet sounds melodic, with the bass clarinet and cello appearing as singing voices. on the other hand there’s a lot of space for extemporaneous improvisation in the more adventurous parts. michele rabbia does not limit himself to playing the traditional role of drummer, but rather creates colours and atmospheres making use of electronics and objects. afternoons was released in 2023 on parco della musica records, the label of the musica per roma foundation.

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.

candomblé is more than a concert—it is an invitation for reflection and dialogue. saxophonist lucas santana wrote the music for a brand new band, and his point of departure was the african diaspora in south america. stories are conveyed through music on the basis of four pillars: remember, reflect, acknowledge and celebrate. in this way the performance creates room for conversations about culture, history and identity, themes that often remain undiscussed. lucas figueiredo santana, a versatile brazilian saxophone, clarinet and flute player, has been based in amsterdam since 2015. his music combines influences of brazilian styles such as samba and bossa nova with the expressive qualities of jazz. lucas has previously won the keep an eye the records award. the project candomblé has been made possible by joc productions, a new talent program initiated by jazz orchestra of the concertgebouw to offer young musicians the opportunity to realise large-scale productions.

with his new quartet, saxophone legend david murray breathes new life into his music, reinforced by a group of leading musicians from the new york jazz scene. pianist marta sanchez, bassist luke stewart and drummer russell carter form a dynamic ensemble that perfectly matches murray's playful ferocity and passion. murray himself describes the quartet as a group of young, creative musicians looking to reach the top - an outstanding band that takes his adventurous sounds to new heights. since his new york debut in 1975, murray has been known for his powerful, quirky playing style and unique way of improvising. with deep roots in african-american music history - from swing and gospel to avant-garde jazz and rhythm 'n' blues - he has made his mark on the jazz world. he has collaborated with icons such as the world saxophone quartet, mccoy tyner and henry threadgill.

pianist and composer avishai darash mixes north african traditional music and middle eastern folk with american jazz and western classical music. known for his previous work with mamoucha orchestra, he combines these influences en fuses them together. his band features top players from dutch jazz: antonio moreno glazkov, tuur moens and jeroen vierdag. on the occasion of his recent album between hope and despair, the amsterdam-based pianist presents an adventurous show in which he takes you on a journey. the music explores the emotions ‘hope’ and ‘despair’ as a reaction to recent events in the middle east. the album has received rave reviews: ‘avishai speaks not only for himself and his own but for all; his music is universal’ (paris move).

tuesday night means it is time for a new tuesday jam! still led by saxophonist and winner of the boy edgar prize 2019 jasper blom, tuesday jam is the place where musicians of all ages and levels meet and inspire each other. with the celebrated jazz department of the conservatory of amsterdam only a couple of hundred meters away from our bimhuis, there is no lack of impressive talent on stage at anytime. add some spontanious visits of world-class musicians like esperanza spalding, seamus blake and dick oatts, and you got the perfect mix. in short, this is the session where every jazzmusician and jazzlover should be. entrance is free, reservations are not necessary.jam session with international, young and acclaimed talent at the cafe.

for oene van geel it feels like a absolute necessity to lead this new, extended formation. the renowned violin and viola player will introduce you to eight musicians of the new generation, who will all be given the room to shine. from oriental jazz to cinematic metal, from ambient soundscapes to lyrical chamber music: everything is possible. oene himself feels like a fish in water among these exceptional players. he offers them his compositions, but they will also bring in their own works. expect close-knit ensemble playing by a wonderful palette of personalities: chaerin im, antonio moreno glazkov and alkistis misouli are strong young jazz musicians. christoph teuschel and fred jacobsson are well-versed in the metal genre. and modar salama and pouriya jaberi form a groove tandem with a deep drive as well as a subtle touch.

the brand-new quartet ehbo brings together four generations of improvisational stars, formed during the han bennink vierdaagse at the roode bioscoop. the quartet consists of han bennink (drums), ernst glerum (bass), benjamin herman (saxophone) and oscar jan hoogland (piano). all four have long earned their own spurs within jazz and improvisation and are now joining forces for a limited number of concerts. han bennink, known for his collaborations with big names like dexter gordon and sonny rollins, and as co-founder of icp (instant composers pool), forms the core of the quartet together with bassist ernst glerum, also a member of this group. saxophonist benjamin herman, known from new cool collective, and pianist oscar jan hoogland, prominent in the amsterdam improv scene, complete the ensemble.

jazzfest amsterdam, ‘undoubtedly the best jazz festival in amsterdam’ (het parool) is known for its remarkable new combinations of young talents and established names from various directions in music. looking ahead to a new fully-fledged edition of jazzfest on 22 march 2025, we present an exciting mini-version with three performances on one evening:  mn3mosyne, anja gottberg & reinier baas and fakrut:u dakar edition mn3mosyne drummer/composer ilia rayskin presents his upcoming album “beauty in complexity” on boomslang records with his trio “mn3mosyne. this adventurous project uses music by 20th-century contemporary composers such as sofia gubaidulina & witold lutosławski as the basis for the compositions, mixing live electronics with sophisticated through-composed material. ilia rayskin drums/live electronics/compositions, chaerin im piano/midi-keyboard, hristo goleminov tenor sax/midi-trigger anja gottberg & reinier baas groundbreaker on guitar, reinier baas, duets with anja gottberg. the swedish double bass player lives in amsterdam and is an active part of the current jazz scene. in september, for example, she played our venue in the trio of (for this time pianist) ernst glerum. as the 'uncrowned king of contemporary jazz' (jazzism), reinier baas is an essential part of the dutch jazz and improvisation scene. reinier baas guitar, anja gottberg double bass fakrutu: dakar edition the trio of sean fasciani, stefan kruger and mark tuinstra - or fakrutu - draws inspiration from the angularity of thelonious monk, the wringing harmonies of igor stravinsky, contemporary electronics and african rhythms. for some time now, the trio has been crossing musical swords with unusual colleagues from senegal in their project fakrutu: dakar edition, featuring kora player bao sissoko, percussionist oké sène and vocalist mola sylla. mark tuinstra guitar, sean fasciani bass, stefan kruger drums, mola sylla vocals, bao sissoko kora, oke sene percussion.