This summer the Morgenland Festival will come to the Bimhuis for the
first time. Since 2005 the festival presents the best musicians from
the Near- and Middle East, from traditional and classical music to
avant-garde, jazz and rock in Osnabrück (Germany).
During the
three-day programme in Amsterdam Morgenland bares its soul, with
remarkable cross-pollinations that originated during the previous
editions of the festival.

Surprising encounters: Azerbaijani jazz pianist Salman Gambarov seeks dialogue with his German colleague Florian Weber. Saxophonist Tineke Postma, Buma Boy Edgar prize winner 2015, meets four festival regulars.

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is a fascinating music city: the oldest conservatory of the Soviet Union was founded here. Symphonic music, sparkling jazz and traditional mugham make this metropolis a musical epicenter of the Caucasus. One of the most important representatives of its jazz scene is Salman Gambarov, known for his ensemble Bakustic Jazz.

His colleague Florian Weber is one of the tastemakers of German jazz. He plays with lyrical greats such as Lee Konitz, Thomasz Stanko and Eric Vloeimans. Gambarov and Weber are two musicians from completely different worlds, but they connect through fabulous ensemble playing full of melancholy, beauty and surprising twists and turns.

No Morgenland Festival without the festival regulars playing together with top talents from the host country. A nice start for this first edition at the Bimhuis is the arrival of saxophonist Tineke Postma, who for the first time will perform with four Morgenland regulars. Tineke Postma plays contemporary jazz that resonates with audiences everywhere, from Japan to America. Her aim is to ‘fly’ on stage; to this end her examples are her former teachers Chris Potter and Dave Liebman. ‘Exceptionally bright and melodic solos. Postma plays with true conviction’ (de Volkskrant). On june 26, Tineke Postma received the Buma Boy Edgar Prize 2015, the most important Dutch prize for jazz and improvised music.

The Bimhuis restaurant is open prior to the concert from 6.30 til 8.30PM (reservations via 020-7882158). After the concert, the Bimhuis Café is open (free entrance).

Passepartout for the complete Morgenland Festival on July 16, 17 and 18 is available here (standing places only, € 49,50).

Afterwards DJ Sjahin at the café