XJAZZ! Festival: 8th - 14th May 2023
Created20/04/2023
updated on20/04/2023 12:09:23
Emerging local acts meet international heavyweights in Berlin?s most famous jazz festival, which this year will also include a new festival common area, surprise jam sessions, panel discussions and more.
After winning the German Jazz Prize for "festival of the year" in 2022, XJAZZ! returns with its most ground-breaking line-up to date
Since its inception in 2014, which turned the German jazz scene on its head, XJAZZ! Festival has been known for causing a stir. Born from an independent and grass-roots desire to break with conventions, the festival offers a platform for both established and lesser-known artists to express themselves without restraints, merging styles and stretchingout the definition of "jazz" to a much broader and more exciting landscape than what is traditionally allowed – from modern classical to electronica and everything in between. "From the very beginning XJAZZ! has been about embracing open-minded thinking beyond genres or exclusive scenes," states the team. With this rebellious manifesto that has set the bar high for truly diverse festival curatorship, bridging genres and generations, XJAZZ! has grown into the most famous jazz festival in Europe attracting crowds of around 20,000 from around the world to Berlin.
For one week a year, Berlin's Kreuzberg neighbourhood is taken by storm, with church, nightclubs and venue spaces big and small, all becoming stages for the avant-garde, captivating a diverse, urban audience in the process. This year, XJAZZ! will also occupy Festsaal Kreuzberg for the festival weekend, providing a new festival common area where audiences can come together in between acts. Apart from offering a chance to see jazz legends up and close in intimate settings, XJAZZ! 2023 will also put the spotlight on the young labels and collectives you need to know, the collaborations making waves as well as the artists increasingly cut-off from the world due to crises back home. With its special "Music in Exile" program, XJAZZ! will provide a platform – in the form of concerts, panel discussions, and networking opportunities – for artists hailing from Ukraine, Belarus, Syria and Iran to share their work and experience. "These are countries where there are currently no music export programs to support and showcase national artists. The aim is to create spaces and networks that can provide concrete solutions to the problem," says the XJAZZ! team.
With over 60 acts, the XJAZZ 2023 line-up brings together big international names such as Alfa Mist, Kokoroko, and Louis Cole and Berlin emerging acts such as Dumama, Aka Kelzz, Sera Kalo's eXante, Move78, Moses Yoofee Trio in a carefully curated program. The mix of acts of varied sizes has made XJAZZ! an important launching platform for artists in Germany for the last 9 years and each evening features a deliberate combination of acts and genres meant to provoke and inspire audiences, "Every festival visitor has the opportunity to attend at least two concerts each evening, and these will either be in a musically complementary dialogue or in direct opposition," says the team. This intent becomes clear on the festival’s very first day (May 8th), which will see the legendary Jazz musician Roy Ayers perform at XJAZZ! as part of his farewell tour, followed by a concert by Roni Kaspi, the young drummer who has come to represent the genre’s bright future.
Every evening promises to surprise; be it through an exclusive takeover with the cutting edge Berlin label, Energy Exchange Records, a chance to see up-and-coming rapper from London, Nadia Rose or a sneak peek of the Nigerian, Grammy-winning musician Bombino's upcoming album. Also a Grammy winner, Pakistani singer and composer Arooj Aftab will be joined by two other musicians for a first time performance of the brand new musical project, Love in Exile. "The booking process of XJAZZ! is not based on the taste or mission of a single curator, but on the work of a very diverse team. We encourage our audience to also curate their own experience, exploring this rich lineup through their own picks and unique perspectives," says the team, adding that they only ask that audiences come with an open mind. This year’s edition of the festival will further allow visitors the autonomy to design their own festival experience with the possibility to buy day and multi-day passes.
The XJAZZ! Team
Sebastian Studnitzky, Founder and artistic director
Sebastian Hecht, Program planning, production and booking
Alicia Gil de Oliveira, Communication and ticketing
Anastasiia Pokaz, Communication and creative production
Natalie Greffel, 2023 Guest curator
Daniel Best, Booking
More information: https://www.xjazz.net/
For more information:
Justė Survilaitė II Le Tigre Noir
juste@letigrenoir.com
