The press conference for the festival was held in Brussels, at the restaurant Kwint, on the Mont des Arts...

For the Jazz and simply good music lovers amongst us, the Skoda Jazz Festival is not to be missed. We all know what smooth and timelessly good Jazz music can do when one is behind the wheel, indeed it still makes driving a car even a more exhilarating and unique experience. So we will talk on our site also about good Jazz, and soon also about good classical music for that matter…

Now we focus on the unique Jazz festival in the capital of Europe and the whole of Belgium , which will be held already for the 25 th time, and is presently sponsored by Skoda…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The panel speaking at the press conference: from left to right: Inghe Berckmoes, responsable press and promotion, Arno Mangelschots, booking agent, Jacobien Tamsma, Booking Agent (Jazz), and the Managing Director of the Festival, Marc Klein.  

Innovation and quality

Innovation and quality have always been the trademark of this famous international Jazz festival, right from the start in 1986. Being innovative has always been the unique formula of this festival, with 70 concerts spread over a period of not less than 2 months in the better theatres, concert halls and jazz clubs throughout Belgium . 

The Skoda Jazz Festival retains a perfect mix of the Jazz supertalents, but has also focused on World Music, Soul, electronic genres like Drum’n’Bass and interesting mix versions of ‘Fusion’ music.

This approach has also been gradually adopted by other leading festivals like Montreux and Northsea Jazz. 

Jazz also needs images: two famous Jazz photographers were also at the press conference. To the left Jos Knaepen, and to the right Guy Le Querrec.

Many talents gained fame and name thanks to this innovative festival. We name just a few, which now are rightly famous: Michael Nyman, Gilberto Gil, Diana Krall, Stacey Kent, Claude Nougaro, Paolo Conte, Jef Neve… need we say more?

Quality is obvious…

Besides being innovative and ever threading new musical grounds, quality is very much a hallmark of the festival. We just browse through the names of the “Jazz Legends” which have played on this festival: Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Chet Baker, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Oscar Peterson, Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Michel Petrucciani, Nina Simone, Charlie Haden, McCoy Tyner, Philip Catherine and last but not least… Toots Tielemans of course!

Jos Knaepen also interviewed Sergine Laloux, former professional dancer in the Béjart XX ciècle ballet, turned Jazz photograper in 2003 after meeting Guy Le Querrec...
 

Special initiatives on the 25^th edition…

The festival is of course also looking at the future, and catering four young, future listeners. Together with the Brussels Capital Region a family brunch matinee is organized in Flagey. On this “Iris Jazz Kids” concert, young promising jazz artists will perform, and also a music workshop will be held.

Young people below the age of 25 can also attend the most important concerts of the festival for merely 12 Euros, using their “Iris Discovery Ticket”.

Booking Agents Jacobien Tamsma (left) and Waldo Dekeyser (right) presenting the 25th edition of the Festival and the famous artists who can be heard...

A photography contest sponsored by Pentax

Together with Pentax, young aspiring photographers from the art schools can have a go. After a clinic session with Jos Knaepen, the most important Jazz photographer in our country, they will show their pictures of the various concerts on the website of the festval, www.skodajazz.be.

An exhibition, “Jazz Images” – 25^th Anniversary of Skoda Jazz” with the pupil’s work, will be held in the various FNAC centres this month, and also in October and November.

For the different concerts and dates, just go to the wesite of the festival, www.skodajazz.be, we will also report on some of our favoured concerts and artists soon…

Hans Knol ten Bensel