Jazzfest Berlin Radio Edition

The Jazzfest Berlin took place in 7 cities from 5 to 8 November 2020.

In co-operation with ARD and Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Jazzfest Berlin will expand to include seven German federal states, for the first time presenting studio concerts by local artists at eight state broadcasting houses plus a further concert from the silent green to close the festival.

In the Jazzfest Radio Edition the festival will intensify a decades-long partnership with public service radio ARD. Top quality local ensembles, each selected together with the individual broadcasters, will present eight concerts in studios and broadcasting houses in seven German cities within ARD’s national broadcasting network that can be heard on the radio and viewed online by video stream.

A quartet of established European jazz greats including Hans Glawischnig in Frankfurt (hr2-kultur) appears on the programme alongside the highly promising newcomer Philipp Schiepek in Munich (BR-KLASSIK) as well as a local mandolin ensemble from Bad Düben performing in co-operation with Beyond w/ Bernhardt (MDR). State-of-the-art modern creative jazz is on in Cologne where the Philip Zoubek Trio (Deutschlandfunk) meets the stylistically versatile Shannon Barnett Quartet (WDR 3), while in the Saarland (SR 2 KulturRadio) Christof Thewes and Tom Lengert break boundaries in the direction of funk rock with thier currant band Hydropuls and the shapeshifting Kammerflimmer Kollektief in Freiburg (SWR2) occupies a territory beyond genre. In Hamburg (NDR Kultur) renowned tenor saxophonist Gabriel Coburger presents his Quintet Jean-Paul with baritone Ken Norris operating as a fifth instrumentalist in often wordless solos.

Jazzfest Radio Edition offers a wonderful opportunity to encounter the rich variety of jazz being created all around Germany, while highlighting the vital role ARD plays in supporting and disseminating the broad landscape of approaches and styles that are active nationally.