BREMEN, GERMANY (vip-booking) – jazzahead! once again confirmed its position as the world’s leading jazz industry event, drawing more than 23,000 visitors to Bremen, Germany from April 24 to 26 — the highest turnout since 2019.
For three days, Bremen became the epicenter of the global jazz scene. More than 3,000 delegates from over 60 countries converged for a packed program combining trade fair, conference, and showcase festival.
Beyond the busy schedules and packed venues, jazzahead! 2025 was marked by an unmistakable spirit of community: a family atmosphere where connections were renewed and new partnerships formed with genuine enthusiasm.
The event officially launched on Wednesday night, April 23, with a multilingual welcome celebrating this year’s partner regions: Spain, France, and Switzerland. The Grand Opening concert, led by Swiss guitarist Louis Matute alongside Célia Kameni, Gabi Hartmann, Marta Mansilla, and Yelfris Valdés, set a vibrant tone, blending Latin, jazz, and Afro-Cuban influences to an ovation from the 900-strong crowd.
Across the weekend, jazzahead! staged 130 concerts in more than 40 venues citywide. The jazzahead! CLUBNIGHT brought packed audiences into clubs, museums, hotels, and even ships, while the newly launched Jazzport open-air stage attracted over 6,000 visitors to free outdoor performances, headlined by Max Mutzke and the Matti Klein Soul Trio.
On the business side, the expanded conference program delivered over 50 panels, keynotes, and workshops on themes such as sustainability in touring, AI-driven music creation, digital rights management, and funding innovation. A highlight was the launch of the Green Touring Tool, a Franco-German project offering practical support for low-emission live touring across Europe.
On Sunday, organizers formally announced Sweden as the partner country for 2026 in a symbolic handover ceremony. It was also confirmed that the prestigious German Jazz Prize will return to jazzahead! from next year, further solidifying Bremen’s role as a key hub for jazz innovation and exchange.
The 20th anniversary edition of jazzahead! is scheduled for April 22–26, 2026.
