Written by The city of Bremen is gearing up to host the 19th edition of jazzahead!, one of the most significant international gatherings for the jazz industry. Taking place from April 23 to 27, 2025, the event will once again bring together professionals, artists, and audiences from around the globe. The MESSE BREMEN exhibition center will serve as the central hub for the event, with additional performances and activities spread across various venues throughout the city.
At a press conference earlier today, Sybille Kornitschky and Götz Bühler, who lead the event, presented this year’s program. The schedule includes 130 concerts over four days and nights, with an estimated attendance of 20,000. This year’s festival highlights Spain, France, and Switzerland as its partner regions. The Grand Opening on Wednesday evening will feature Geneva-based guitarist Louis Matute leading a large ensemble of musicians from these countries.
The CLUBNIGHT, a cornerstone of jazzahead!, will take place on Friday, April 25. This year’s edition features 85 concerts across 35 venues throughout Bremen, offering a diverse range of performances in various settings. Venues include traditional jazz clubs, museums, churches, and even ships docked in the harbor. Tickets for CLUBNIGHT are priced at €39 (€19 reduced) and include free public transport within the VBN network.
Notable performances during CLUBNIGHT include the MIGRANTES project by Italian musicians Mauro Sigura (oud) and Andrea Manzoni (piano), addressing themes of global migration through their compositions. Their concert will be held at “neusi’s,” located in Bremen’s Neustadt district at the University of Applied Sciences. Other highlights include a performance by the Emile Parisien Quartet at Sendesaal Bremen, and a late-night session with the Timo Vollbrecht Group at Kulturzentrum Schlachthof.
In addition to CLUBNIGHT, this year’s festival introduces Jazzport, an outdoor stage at Torfhafen featuring free performances in a beer garden setting. Artists such as Max Mutzke (Germany), Ida Sand (Sweden), and Charles Pasi (France) are set to perform at this open-air venue. Other concerts during the festival will explore a broad spectrum of styles that intersect with jazz, including folk, electronica, and soul.
The showcase program forms another integral part of jazzahead!, providing a platform for emerging and established artists to present their work to industry professionals and the public. This year’s program features 40 showcase concerts spread across four nights, with performances divided into four categories: German Jazz, European Jazz Meeting, Overseas Night, and Partner Country Night.
Each showcase concert lasts 30 minutes and takes place in one of two halls at MESSE BREMEN. The German Jazz showcase on Thursday night will present eight bands from the host country, while Friday’s European Jazz Meeting will feature 16 groups from across the continent. Saturday’s program includes both the Overseas Night, highlighting eight acts from beyond Europe, and the Partner Country Night, showcasing eight ensembles from Spain, France, and Switzerland. You can find the full showcase line-up here.
These curated showcases offer attendees a concentrated overview of current trends and talents in the global jazz scene, serving as a valuable resource for festival programmers, label representatives, and other industry professionals attending jazzahead!.
The event will conclude on Sunday morning with a musical breakfast where organizers will announce jazzahead!’s partner country for 2026. This closing event offers a moment to reflect on the festival’s role in showcasing jazz as a dynamic and evolving art form with global reach.
For more details about jazzahead! 2025 and its full program lineup, visit the Jazzahead! website.
Last modified: March 8, 2025
