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WARM UP First Date: unknown to both of us

Kulturnhalle
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – Eight days before the festival officially begins, we’re kicking off our anniversary edition with a special WARM-UP concert: “unknown to both of us” brings together musicians from the Leipzig and Paris jazz scenes in this unique lineup for the first time.
The goal? To develop a shared “Common Ground”—a space where new forms of musical understanding emerge.

  • Hector Léna-Schroll (tr)
  • Léa Ciechelski (sax, fl)
  • Mark Weschenfelder (sax, clarinet)
  • Paula Wünsch (db)
  • Philipp Martin (e-b)
  • Maxime Rouayroux (dr)

Alexander von Schlippenbach “Globe Unity Orchestra” – 60 Years of Apocalyptic Navel-Gazing

Oper Leipzig
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – An Anniversary Within an Anniversary: 60 Years of Apocalyptic Introspection. The most significant free-jazz orchestra in European experimental music returns to our festival! Initially dismissed as nonsense and met with ridicule, the ensemble quickly attracted international attention and became a springboard for some of its future star musicians.

  • Evan Parker (tenor sax, soprano sax)
  • Henrik Walsdorff (alto sax)
  • Rudi Mahall (clarinet, bass clarinet)
  • Axel Dörner (tr)
  • Kasper Tranberg (tr)
  • Magnus Broo (tr)
  • Carl Ludwig Hübsch (tb)
  • Christof Thewes (trb)
  • Gerhard Gschlößl (trb)
  • Aki Takase / Alexander von Schlippenbach (4-hand grand piano)
  • Paul Lytton (dr)
  • Dag Magnus Narvesen (dr)

Charlie Hunter & Ella Feingold

Oper Leipzig
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – Guitar artistry at the highest level: Ella Feingold and Charlie Hunter blend soul, funk, and jazz into a musical universe that is as virtuosic as it is laid-back. When Ella Feingold first saw Charlie Hunter perform live in the late 1990s, a collaboration between them seemed unthinkable. Today, they are an acclaimed duo whose joint album has captivated music greats from around the world.

  • Charlie Hunter (electric guitar)
  • Ella Feingold (electric guitar, effects)
  • Isaac Kizito (dr)

Loaness

die naTo
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – In collaboration with the South Tyrol Jazz Festival – Laura Zöschg developed the band Loaness from her intuitive solo project “LOA.” Together with Chiara Chistè, Yvonne Moriel, and Ruth Goller, the South Tyrolean/Copenhagen-based composer and vocal artist musically explores the tension between solitude and community.

  • Laura Zöschg (vocals, flute, effects)
  • Yvonne Moriel (alto saxophone, flute, various instruments)
  • Ruth Goller (electric bass, keyboards, vocals)
  • Chiara Chistè (vocals, effects)

ADHD

UT Connewitz
Concert

STANDING CONCERT – The Icelandic artists of never-ending continuity. An all-encompassing ritual that transcends genre boundaries

  • Óskar Guðjónsson (sax)
  • Ómar Guðjónsson (electric guitar, electric bass, pedal steel)
  • Tómas Jónsson (piano, Hammond organ, bass synthesizer, melodica)
  • Magnus Trygvason Eliassen (drums, percussion)

First Date: Emilia Gołos and Philipp Rumsch

die naTo
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – A first encounter between versatile sound and keyboard artists from Gdańsk and Leipzig: a German-Polish collaboration.

  • Emilia Gołos (piano, electric)
  • Philipp Rumsch (synth, electronics, live processing)

Sjaella & Fallwander "Each of Us Like You"

Schaubühne Lindenfels, Hall
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – A classical vocal ensemble from Leipzig meets a Munich-based chamber pop duo – a new concert program for six female voices and electronics at the intersection of avant-garde, pop, and neo-baroque.

  • Sjaella: Viola Blache (soprano)
  • Marie Fenske (soprano)
  • Franziska Eberhardt (soprano)
  • Marie Charlotte Seidel (mezzo-soprano)
  • Luisa Klose (alto)
  • Felicitas Erben (older)
  • Helen Erben (alto)
  • Fallwander: Theresa Zaremba (composition, synthesizer, electronics)
  • Teresa Allgaier (composition, synthesizer, electronics)

So says the drum

Schaubühne Lindenfels, Hall
Concert

SEATED CONCERT—A Brazilian duo based in Cologne: Percussion as a medium of communication and collective memory—a live performance that combines ritual, improvisation, and technological experimentation, opening up new forms of transmedia sound art.

  • Bella Comsom (handmade electronics and lights, clarinet, whistles)
  • Bruna Cabral (drums, percussion)

First Date: AJAKS (Pospieszalski/Mucha/Janicki) & Guests (Episode 1)

Horns Erben
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – As part of a German-Polish collaboration, the Polish trio AJAKS joins forces with Tara Sarter and Fridolin Krön from the Leipzig and Weimar music scenes. AJAKS brings its own musical perspective to the table—but on this “first date,” it remains to be seen where this initial encounter on stage will lead.

  • Marek Pospieszalski (sax)
  • Max Mucha (db)
  • Qba Janicki (dr)
  • Tara Sarter (sax)
  • Fridolin Krön (git)

Bauer / Kalima / Drake

Schaubühne Lindenfels
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – The trombone icon from the festival’s first generation meets sophisticated percussion perfection and Finnish-Berlin-style guitar virtuosity—a summit of improvised music.

  • Conny Bauer (trb)
  • Kalle Kalima (electric guitar)
  • Hamid Drake (drums, percussion)

serenatas disponibles (Brandon López, Mat Maneri, and Sun-Mi Hong)

Schaubühne Lindenfels, Hall
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – A new project by the New York bassist featuring a top-notch lineup: popular Latin American influences, polyrhythms, microtonality, and the absence of an overarching concept. What remains? A complex feeling designed to get people dancing.

  • Brandon López (double bass, composition)
  • Mat Maneri (viola)
  • Sun-Mi Hong (dr)

First Date: AJAKS (Pospieszalski/Mucha/Janicki) & Guests (Show 2)

Horns Erben
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – As part of a German-Polish collaboration, the Polish trio AJAKS joins forces with Tara Sarter and Fridolin Krön from the Leipzig and Weimar music scenes. AJAKS brings its own musical perspective to the table—but on this “first date,” it remains to be seen where this initial encounter on stage will lead.

  • Marek Pospieszalski (sax)
  • Max Mucha (db)
  • Qba Janicki (dr)
  • Tara Sarter (sax)
  • Fridolin Krön (git)

TALK & MUSIC: Music Journalism in the GDR and the Post-Reunification Era

Moritzbastei, Oberkeller
Conversation

TALK SHOW WITH AUDIENCE SEATING – In our “Talk & Music” format, Julia Hemmerling from MDR Kultur moderates a discussion on music journalism in the GDR and the post-reunification era. The conversation will cover restricted access, creative freedom, the importance of radio, and how music from the West was received. Personal experiences, anecdotes, and favorite songs bring this eventful history of media and music to life.

  • Julia Hemmerling (Moderator)

Jason Moran plays Duke Ellington

Thomaskirche
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – The “most provocative thinker in contemporary jazz” is coming to Leipzig! On his latest album, Moran pays homage to the “Duke” and demonstrates why he is celebrated worldwide as one of the most important voices in contemporary jazz.

  • Jason Moran (p)

Luke Bergman: Solo Pedal Steel Guitar

Thomaskirche
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – With the floating, often melancholic sound of the pedal steel guitar, Luke Bergman tells stories that find a unique resonance in the nocturnal atmosphere of the “ Thomaskirche ” during his Leipzig debut.

  • Luke Bergman (pedal steel)

Lea Bertucci, “The Oracle”

Thomaskirche
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – The Oracle for the Festival’s Anniversary! Within these historic walls, acoustic premonitions take shape at the tape machine. Using field recordings, collages, and radical sound manipulation, Lea Bertucci creates immersive soundscapes.

  • Lea Bertucci (alto sax, flute, vocals, tape machine)

FROM BEZAU WITH LOVE: Boomslang Records at Leipziger Jazztage

Vary Café
Listening Session

LISTENING SESSION WITH SEATING AND STANDING SPACES – The Boomslang Records listening session at Vary, our go-to record store, is all about listening together, discovering new music, and sharing ideas. Amid improvised jazz, experimental sounds, and cross-genre music, a browse through the record shelves is a must—after all, you’re bound to find a Boomslang release or two there.

Norma Winstone & Kit Downes

Schauspiel Leipzig
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – Jazz icon Norma Winstone and exceptional pianist Kit Downes demonstrate just how inspiring a 45-year age difference can sound: With curiosity, a willingness to embrace intimacy, and great musical openness, they create a moving dialogue between the generations.

  • Norma Winstone (vocals)
  • Kit Downes (p)

Bill Frisell Trio

Schauspiel Leipzig
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – To celebrate his 75th birthday, guitar legend Bill Frisell is embarking on a major birthday tour. With his unmistakable sound, he has left his mark on music history and continues to thrill his audiences to this day. For the concert at the Schauspiel Leipzig, Frisell will be joined on stage by two like-minded collaborators, Luke Bergman and Tim Angulo.

  • Bill Frisell (guitar)
  • Luke Bergman (e-b)
  • Tim Angulo (dr)

Pauline Réage featuring TAPE SHIFTER

die naTo
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – “Dramatic, empathetic, and lyrical”: this unbridled quartet stirs our hearts and ears with a new program and a special guest.

  • Anne Munka (vocals)
  • Olga Reznichenko (piano, vocals)
  • Robert Lucaciu (bass, vocals)
  • Maximilian Breu (drums, vocals)
  • Demian Kappenstein/ TAPE SHIFTER (music cassettes, fx)

SOUND OF LEIPZIGER: GEZA COTARD “Energy is a Terrible Thing to Waste” (Show 1)

Alter Speisesaal der Leipziger Stadtwerke
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – GEZA COTARD combine precise electronics, complex rhythms, and shimmering arpeggios into a driving sound that the duo affectionately calls “Angstpop.” “SOUND OF LEIPZIGER” is a collaboration with the Leipzig-based group, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and brings in submitted sounds from the city that the duo incorporates into their concert.

  • Friederike Bernhardt (composition, electronics, piano)
  • Johannes Cotta (dr)

Sorvina

WERK 2
Concert

STANDING CONCERT – In collaboration with WERK 2 – Inspired by the energy of Black musical traditions and her own life journey, Sorvina blends jazz rap, neo-soul, gospel, and alternative hip-hop. Her songs tell stories of self-discovery, queerness, healing, and a zest for life, all carried by a voice that is unmistakably her own.

  • Sorvina Carr (vocals)
  • Jakob Hegner (dr)
  • Karl Kindermann (b)
  • Elias Olivera Graversen (keyboards)
  • Charlotte Colace (vocals)
  • Johnny Kulo (guitar)

Sarah Farina

WERK 2
Concert

STANDING CONCERT – In collaboration with WERK 2 – If you’d like to keep dancing right after Sorvina’s concert, Sarah Farina’s DJ set is the perfect place to be. This DJ thinks in terms of neither genres nor boundaries. Her sets blend bass-driven frequencies with futuristic beats: bass music, breaks, jungle. Elements drawn from the hardcore continuum merge with influences from early releases by artists such as Missy Elliott, Aphex Twin, and J Dilla to create something entirely unique that Sarah Farina herself calls “RainbowBass.”

  • DJ set

SOUND OF LEIPZIGER: GEZA COTARD “Energy is a Terrible Thing to Waste” (Show 2)

Alter Speisesaal der Leipziger Stadtwerke
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – GEZA COTARD combine precise electronics, complex rhythms, and shimmering arpeggios into a driving sound that the duo affectionately calls “Angstpop.” “SOUND OF LEIPZIGER” is a collaboration with the Leipzig-based group, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and brings in submitted sounds from the city that the duo incorporates into their concert.

  • Friederike Bernhardt (composition, electronics, piano)
  • Johannes Cotta (dr)

Reza Askari ROAR Quintet

die naTo
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – Complex, physical, uncompromising: The Reza Askari ROAR Quintet blends avant-garde jazz with the acoustic power of punk and metal. You don’t have to understand the code “xAYb v8v dYAx”—you have to experience it.

  • Reza Askari (double bass, composition)
  • Lina Allemano (tr)
  • Stefan Karl Schmid (clarinet, tenor saxophone)
  • Roland Neffe (vibraphone)
  • Fabian Arends (dr)

Late Night Session hosted by Keisuke Matsuno

Jazzkalender May
die naTo
Concert Night concert

SEATED CONCERT – For one evening, musicians from different scenes and musical backgrounds come together in ever-changing, one-of-a-kind combinations. The ensembles are put together spontaneously on the spot and each perform about 10–15 minutes of freely improvised music that draws its energy precisely from the unpredictability of the moment.

  • Keisuke Matsuno

Leipzig Jazz Young Talent Award: Jakob Obleser "Music is just wiggly air"

UT Connewitz
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – With “Music is just wiggly air,” Jakob Obleser weaves his wide-ranging influences into a highly personal blend of groove, experimentation, and avant-garde—proving himself a worthy winner of the Marion Ermer Foundation’s 2026 Leipzig Jazz Emerging Artist Award.

  • Jakob Obleser (electric bass, electric guitar, electronics)

Leipzig Jazz Young Talent Award: Alma Gröning with the Alou String Quartet

UT Connewitz
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – A groovy string quartet? The Alou String Quartet makes it happen—transforming jazz, improvisation, and contemporary chamber music into a distinctive urban sound. Featuring violinist Alma Gröning, this year’s recipient of the Marion Ermer Foundation’s Leipzig Jazz Young Talent Award.

  • Alma Gröning (violin)
  • Myrsini Bekakou (violin)
  • Davis West (vla)
  • Esther Thoben (cl)

Leipzig Jazz Young Talent Award: Robert Lucaciu with "Intricate Gestalt"

UT Connewitz
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – Robert Lucaciu, winner of the 2016 Leipzig Jazz Young Talent Award, invites you to “First Date”: Between falling and flying, closeness and distance, an open, vibrant soundscape emerges.

  • Robert Lucaciu (db)
  • Theresia Philipp (alto saxophone)
  • Anna Tsombanis (tenor saxophone)
  • Moritz Baumgärtner (dr)

Joel Ross's Good Vibes

Philippuskirche
Concert

SEATED CONCERT – Gospel Meets Post-Bop: Joel Ross is one of the most exciting vibraphonists of his generation. He will present his new album, “Gospel Music,” at the Philippuskirche.

  • Joel Ross (vib)
  • Jeremy Corren (p)
  • Kanoa Mendenhall (db)
  • Jeremy Dutton (dr)
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