In a few days, Germany's largest jazz festival will open its 25 stages in the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region for the 19th time. In over 6 weeks, nearly 270 artists from over 30 countries of the world can be experienced at 76 events. One of the highlights of this year's programme is the opening concert with singer SOMI in the Heidelberg Stadthalle. She recently performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival or in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Born in Illinois in 1979, the jazz singer, whose parents come from Rwanda and Uganda, spent part of her childhood in Zambia. There is no question that African musical traditions have always been just as important to the singer as American jazz. "Petite Afrique", Somi's latest album, follows these traces - and preserves them at the same time. Her songs, wrote the New York Times, "gracefully fuse African-tinged grooves, smooth jazz vocals and a compassionate social consciousness; in a serious and seductive way".
If you want to find out about the rest of the festival programme, the pre-opening of the festival in the Europäischer Hof at Learn to Enjoy Jazz is just the right place. In a relaxed atmosphere, festival director Rainer Kern and Matthias Brandt will talk about the upcoming festival and jazz, listen to music and tell anecdotes.
You will find all other highlights in our programme.
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