Event information

Master of Occitan folk music (France)

The voice and the skin, the strings of the soul and the drums of joy!
That is the motto of the Duò Lavoà Lapò (Occitan: Lavoà = the voice / Lapò = the skin)

In Duò Lavoà Lapò, Damien Toumi and Mànu Théron embark on a journey into the world of Occitan vocal music with shared energy and passion, celebrating it and breathing new life into it. They interpret forgotten and well-known classics from the Occitan-speaking regions and create imaginative, powerful and refreshing new compositions that combine vocal and rhythmic interplay, enthusiastic polyphony and feverish trance-like states. Voice (= Lavoà in Occitan) and skin (= Lapò in Occitan) are aspects of the soul and of joy!
The pieces are drawn from the corpus of ‘Folk Songs of Provence’, as well as from field recordings, written sources and original compositions by the duo’s musicians. They celebrate rebirth, the awakening to the invigorating beauty of the world, and draw in turn from everyday life or the spirituality of timeless stories to recount that special state of mind which embodies an appreciation of otherness. The underlying rhythms reflect the lyrics and the harshness of life that endures in the incredibly colourful and organic folk heritage of the Occitan-speaking region.

With remarkable versatility, Matthias Schwengler has developed his own distinctive sound over recent years. His impressive dynamism and extraordinary range of sound make him an exceptional talent on the local music scene. In his band Soulcrane, which has been active since 2015, he has developed his characteristic dark, chamber-music-inspired sound. Now in its tenth year since its formation, the band welcomes the exceptional accordionist Laurent Derache from Paris as a guest. He contributes significantly to the intimate atmosphere, skilfully alternating between soulful ballads and harmonically complex pieces. Although the quartet’s instrumentation is minimalist, it creates a wealth of soundscapes and emotions that delight both jazz enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The combination of the warm, nuanced trumpet, the sensitive sounds of the accordion, the pulsating bass lines and the inventive guitar tones gives Soulcrane’s music a unique, virtuosic and creative sonic palette.

For all tap dancers and tap dance enthusiasts alike: the next Tap Jam Session is finally back in Düsseldorf. Tap dancers will be getting together to improvise and make music together. Curious and interested spectators are very welcome to join this special party! “Let’s connect & keep calm and tap dance”

Every Tuesday: Jam session at the Jazz-Schmiede. The evening always kicks off at 8 pm with an opening set featuring different line-ups each week. This is followed, from around 9.00 pm, by an open jam session – anyone can simply turn up and join in to jam with other musicians and the opening act. Admission is free, making the sessions a great, no-fuss way to get to know the Schmiede.

‘Let’s Play’ Album Release Concert

Trio or quartet? Both apply to Accordion Affairs! Siebenhaar’s simultaneous playing of the accordion and piano creates a sound that is uniquely their own, significantly expanding the possibilities for arrangement and improvisation. The accordion and piano become one! The trio captivates with its extraordinary dynamic range, from almost whispered sounds to highly voluminous ones, whether expressive or ultra-cool. Stylistically diverse, the programme ranges from world music of various cultures, through original compositions, to interpretations of pieces by the great accordionist Richard Galliano, the Beatles, Johann Sebastian Bach and the guitarist John Scofield.

The Tryfon Typou Trio was founded in Cologne in 2025 and combines a modern musical language with the jazz tradition. Its focus is on musical dialogue, collective improvisation and a balance between structure and freedom. The ensemble has already performed in North Rhine-Westphalia, recorded its debut album in the summer of 2026 and is expected to release it in spring 2027.

Since 1993 – and for 30 years now – the Kultur(r)etten have been organising the Culture Club, the only LGBTQ show in the state capital, Düsseldorf, under the motto ‘Stars, starlets and sluts’ or ‘To the top without rehearsals’. Everyone is warmly welcome to enjoy a light-hearted, wild and somewhat trashy show, the course of which often takes even the performers by surprise and which is constantly being reinvented.

Every Tuesday: Jam session at the Jazz-Schmiede. The evening always kicks off at 8 pm with an opening set featuring line-ups that change every week. This is followed, from around 9 pm, by an open jam session – anyone can simply turn up and join in to jam with other musicians and the opening act. Entry is free, making the sessions a great, hassle-free way to get to know the Schmiede.

Reaching the hearts of the audience through music

The best of both worlds: an intimate living-room concert featuring selected artists meets the entertainment value and fierce competition of a slam.

The success story of the poetry slam is unrivalled on German stages. From small underground events attended by just a handful of enthusiasts, this spectacle of words has developed into the country’s largest literary movement and has long been a major player on the big stage. The Songslam now represents a playful innovation. The rules follow the tradition of the poetry slam: each musical act attempts to win over the audience’s hearts with self-penned songs within a limited time. An audience jury awards marks for each performance, thereby putting together their own favourite concert over several rounds.

Christine Brinkmann and Tobias Bauer form a well-established presenting duo for the event. This project now provides a new stage for both the established audience favourites and promising newcomers on Düsseldorf’s singer-songwriter scene. Fast-paced, direct, entertaining – and all in a cosy setting.

www.songslam-duesseldorf.de

When Thimo Niesterok and Engelbert Wrobel come together, a swing party par excellence is guaranteed! The two musicians are united by their dedication to the jazz tradition: the musical language of Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and others, which, as is so often the case in jazz, brings generations together.
Thimo Niesterok is one of the outstanding voices of the young German jazz scene and, as a trumpeter, captivates audiences not only with his exceptional musicality but also with his passion for swing and mainstream jazz. Niesterok’s warm, nuanced tone and his unmistakable phrasing lend his musical expression a special depth that delights long-standing jazz fans as well as new and, above all, young listeners in equal measure.
Engelbert Wrobel toured for over 20 years with his ‘Swing Society’, including a long-standing collaboration with Hazy Osterwald. He has organised numerous tours of his own across Europe with renowned artists such as Nicki Parrott, Dan Barrett, Paolo Alderighi and Tcha Limberger, and is regarded as one of the most sought-after soloists for traditional jazz and swing in Europe.
The band is rounded off by the Viennese pianist Mátyás Bartha, one of the most prominent representatives of the younger European swing generation, and the Cologne-based bassist Henning Gailing, who has been one of the most reliable stalwarts of the German jazz scene for decades.

Welcome to Hotel Mirage, jazz cats! When the night once again washes lovers and the desperate, party-goers and moon-struck souls up onto the hotel bar of illusions, one wishes for the music of Choo Choo Panini to serve as a bittersweet soundtrack for all those who have washed ashore. So that they may fully surrender to melancholy and vermouth.
The band, fronted by singer Nelly Köster and multi-instrumentalist Radek Fedyk, stands out wonderfully from the times with their releases, right in the middle of the dance floor. Choo Choo Panini evoke the spirit and soul of bygone musical eras with elegant and captivating ease.
Like modern, existentialist alchemists, the musicians transform experiences of the past and the eternal longing for yesterday into something new: a genuine sense of the present, seamlessly fused with the timeless art of their heroes, and into moving songs. After a nostalgic treasure hunt, the band is completely at one with itself, at home in its own aesthetic and its own sound. And so, from the very first to the very last minute, you follow them into the night – enamoured, desperate, moon-struck and in the mood to dance. One wants to believe it: the only illusion worth indulging in seems to be love.
Check in!

This evening, the Jazz-Schmiede is transformed into a ballroom: all the chairs are cleared away and it’s time to dance! Just like in the legendary Savoy in Harlem, where the Lindy Hop originated in the 1920s – invented, danced and celebrated by the African-American community. Night after night, people improvised, experimented and brought swing music to life on the dance floor. Today, we’re bringing that feeling back: a dance full of energy, spontaneity and joy that has long since conquered the world once more.

"Bluff is part of our future – even now," said none other than Nils Landgren about three years ago. By then, the young quartet, based in Hamburg, had already made a name for themselves in their North German region. With their own compositions and a strong influence from role models on the other side of the Atlantic, BLUFF had forged a “signature sound”, characterised by a remarkable dynamic range – from rubato ballads à la Keith Jarrett to Immanuel Wilkins-style power pieces, as well as every nuance in between. The four musicians have an unspoken understanding and literally play off one another, challenging each other, supporting one another and, in doing so, radiating a joy in playing that rubs off on the audience

Every Tuesday: Jam session at the Jazz-Schmiede. The evening always kicks off at 8 pm with an opening concert set featuring line-ups that change weekly. This is followed, from around 9 pm, by an open jam session – anyone can simply turn up and join in to jam with other musicians and the opening act. Entry is free, making the sessions a great, no-fuss way to get to know the Schmiede.

School goes Big Band!

For the second time this year, the Jazzschmiede is once again showcasing the very young up-and-coming talents from North Rhine-Westphalia.
‘Jazzblood’ is a young, fresh voice on the Krefeld jazz scene. The band plays whatever the members enjoy and whatever they want to develop together: bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, soul and groove jazz are just as much a part of their repertoire as pieces in the tradition of Charlie Parker. The five instrumentalists are 16 years old on average; they play together regularly, are gaining stage experience and have won several awards in competitions. In 2023 and 2025, for example, they won first prize in the ‘Jugend jazzt’ state competition. They have also received several soloist sponsorship awards and other honours.
The ‘Jüchen Grammar School Big Band’ has long since become a musical flagship far beyond the borders of Jüchen, having performed, amongst other venues, at the ‘Pless in Concert’ festival in Luxembourg and at the Kammgarn in Kaiserslautern. Furthermore, the band has already produced three CDs, won several prizes at state-wide competitions, taken part in the Lower Rhine Music Festival and the ‘Schloss-Sommer’ at Schloss Dyck, and worked with professional jazz ensembles such as the WDR Big Band in workshops. It consists of current and former pupils.

As a sideman, Achim Seifert has already performed alongside Trilok Gurtu, Mathias Eick, Udo Lindenberg, Max Mutzke and Nils Wülker. With his own Achim Seifert Project – hailed by the *Kölner Stadtanzeiger* in 2011, during a performance at the Leverkusen Jazz Festival, as “the first positive surprise in the form of a star who wasn’t one before” – the Berklee graduate and Hamburg resident is now in the spotlight himself. He has since released four albums under this name, and in 2016 he received an Echo Jazz nomination for *Noticed My Heart*.

With *Woven Strings*, released on the renowned Berlin label Traumton Records, the quartet is now going on tour. Hayden Chisholm (saxophone, overtone singing), Lars Duppler (piano, Rhodes) and the Brazilian drummer Rafa Müller, together with Seifert (electric bass), form a unit that sees timbre as a central means of expression – both in harmonic structure and in the individual sound of the instruments. The sound is transparent and poetic, characterised by emotional intensity and precise interaction.

www.achimseifert.com

The band led by trumpeter Vincent Pinn is a modern jazz quartet drawing on influences from classical music, contemporary music and avant-garde jazz.
The bandleader’s compositions are set against a backdrop of free improvisation, creating a unique and multifaceted energy. Lyrical, romantic sounds are contrasted with percussive rhythms, resulting in a sound that is both recognisable and consistently exciting.

This music is neither jazz nor chamber music, neither ambient nor chanson, and certainly not Third Stream of any kind. Welcome to the third album by Hilde, the band based in North Rhine-Westphalia and London. Right from the start, the band succeeds in freeing itself from all categorical constraints. It is one hundred per cent Hilde and, in this form, can only be delivered by these four musicians. It needs no definitions, reference points or explanations, but unfolds within the coordinates of time and space with such naturalness and independence as if it had always been there, merely waiting for the right individuals who would be capable of do it justice with the appropriate confidence and humility. ‘Timbre’ is an album with character, which reveals itself through its flexible simultaneity and holistic nature. They offer listeners the generous gift of being able to expand freely within the sonic space they have created and to lose themselves in their own images and associations.

www.hildemusic.com

Under the direction of the Cologne-based pianist Georg Ruby, the Blue Art Orchestra explores the interpretation of contemporary material for jazz orchestras in an intensive and distinctive manner. As well as compositions by Georg Ruby, the band performs arrangements by musicians such as Gil Evans, Gian-Luigi Trovesi, Christina Fuchs, Kenny Wheeler, Django Bates, Pierre Bertrand and Nicolas Folmer (Paris Jazz Big Band).
At the Jazz-Schmiede in Düsseldorf, the band will present music by the legendary Paris Jazz Big Band led by Nicolas Folmer and Pierre Bertrand, alongside compositions by bandleader Georg Ruby and Fuchsthone Orchestra co-director Christina Fuchs. It is highly likely that the set list will also include material from the ‘Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band’s’ repertoire, which is otherwise rarely heard.
The BAO features the Cologne-based vocalist Barbara Barth as a guest soloist and as a ‘colourful’ element integrated into the band’s sound, performing without lyrics.
Georg Ruby is a founding member of the legendary Cologne ‘Stadtgarten Project’ and can be seen, amongst other things, as a solo pianist, with his trio ‘VILLAGE ZONE’ and as the musical partner of the Luxembourgish vocalist and performer Sascha Ley. His album ‘Deuxième Bureau’ was voted ‘Album of the Year’ by NewYorkCityJazz Record.
Until 2019, Georg Ruby headed the jazz programme at the Saar College of Music (HFM) in Saarbrücken and the youth jazz orchestras of Rhineland-Palatinate, Berlin and Saarland; he has also run the Cologne-based label JazzHausMusik since 1986.

The Art of Drag

www.travestie-goldengirls.de

Every Tuesday: Jam session at the Jazz-Schmiede. The evening always kicks off at 8 pm with an opening set featuring different line-ups each week. This is followed, from around 9 pm, by an open jam session – anyone can simply turn up and join in to jam with other musicians and the opening act. Entry is free, making the sessions a great, hassle-free way to get to know the Schmiede.

Have yourself a little VELVO Christmas

Since 2004, Mayo Velvo has been bringing festive cheer to the hearts of his audience – and, above all, back to the Jazz-Schmiede – with his charmingly quirky Christmas programme.

A true classic of the pre-Christmas season, as indispensable as ‘Dinner for One’ on New Year’s Eve.

Much like a musical Christmas market, the audience can expect a wonderfully colourful mix of glittering kitsch, thoughtful and whimsical songs, and a finely measured dose of sarcasm.

Alongside his own interpretations of songs, he performs poems and stories, including the legendary ‘Rita Rentier’, which makes every tinsel-loving heart beat faster. Controversial questions such as ‘Why does my birthday always fall on Christmas?’ or ‘What would happen if Father Christmas were a woman?’ are explored with humour and a touch of irony.

With the mottos: “Whatever Santa wants, Santa gets” and “Snowflakes keep falling on your heads”, the audience can get emotionally fired up for the festive fun.

With that in mind: Have yourself a VELVO Little Xmas!

Have yourself a little VELVO Christmas

Since 2004, Mayo Velvo has been bringing festive cheer to the hearts of his audience – and, above all, back to the Jazz-Schmiede – with his charmingly quirky Christmas programme.

A true classic of the pre-Christmas season, as indispensable as ‘Dinner for One’ on New Year’s Eve.

Much like a musical Christmas market, the audience can expect a wonderfully colourful mix of glittering kitsch, thoughtful and whimsical songs, and a finely measured dose of sarcasm.

Alongside his own interpretations of songs, he performs poems and stories, including the legendary ‘Rita Rentier’, which makes every tinsel-loving heart beat faster. Controversial questions such as ‘Why does my birthday always fall on Christmas?’ or ‘What would happen if Father Christmas were a woman?’ are explored with humour and a touch of irony.

With the mottos: “Whatever Santa wants, Santa gets” and “Snowflakes keep falling on your heads”, the audience can get emotionally fired up for the festive fun.

With that in mind: Have yourself a VELVO Little Xmas!

The Olivia Trummer Trio explores boundaries and ventures into pop using the tools and values of jazz. In their brand-new songs, catchy melodies meet musical virtuosity, and spontaneous creativity meets grooves that are a delight from start to finish. The songs tell of unexpected detours along life’s path, of love capable of dissolving space and time. It is music that invites you to see the world with fresh, open eyes. Their first performances have drawn enthusiastic reactions. “Simply divine [...] delightfully difficult to define ([...]) a magnetic trio.” (Libertà, Pietro Corvi)

The German pianist, singer and composer Olivia Trummer is regarded as one of the most interesting female jazz musicians of her generation. With her fingers and voice, she forges new connections between genres, for which she has already received numerous awards. Her years of study in New York City, as well as her close connection to classical music, have always served as sources of inspiration. She performs on stages worldwide, both as a soloist and with her own bands and projects. Furthermore, she collaborates with renowned artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel and has performed with leading ensembles including the DR Big Band, the NDR Big Band, the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, the Reutlingen Philharmonic and the Grammy-winning SWR Big Band under the baton of Magnus Lindgren. She has released eleven albums under her own name to date. Her latest album, ‘Like Water’ (Warner Italy, 2025), marks the start of her collaboration with the legendary American producer Russ Titelman and was voted into the top 10 new jazz releases of 2025 by BR Klassik and Jazzthing.

With Makar Novikov from Moscow, the Olivia Trummer Trio features one of Russia’s best-known jazz double bassists. An experienced accompanist and virtuoso soloist, he has played with the likes of Jimmy Cobb, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath and James Spaulding, and performs regularly with Alex Sipiagin and Isfar Sarabski. Stranded in Italy whilst on tour with just a single suitcase when the war broke out, he now lives in Berlin and can be regarded as a welcome new addition to the European jazz scene. In 2025, he released his first album as bandleader, *Long Journey* (Rainy Days Records), which promptly made it onto the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik’s quarterly best-of list.

The versatile American drummer and multi-instrumentalist Earl Harvin from Texas is known for his collaborations and tours with Seal, Jeff Beck, Damien Rice and Air, and is cited by Ari Hoenig, amongst others, as a formative influence. His playing is as versatile as the range of his collaborations, characterised by a special intensity – even in the softest pianissimo – and a keen sense of groove that perfectly ‘dresses’ a song.

Zwei Musiker, die den Jazz seit Jahrzehnten prägen, treffen auf zwei hochkarätige Partner: Der Saxofonist Bob Mintzer und der Bassist John Goldsby bringen ihr Quartett am 12. Dezember in die Jazzschmiede Düsseldorf.
Bob Mintzer zählt zu den vielseitigsten Saxofonisten und Komponisten der internationalen Jazzszene. Als langjähriges Mitglied der Yellowjackets und Chefdirigent der WDR Big Band steht er für einen warmen, unverwechselbaren Ton und eine souveräne musikalische Sprache. John Goldsby, seit vielen Jahren (bis Dez. 2024) als Bassist der WDR Big Band eine feste Größe in Köln, verbindet kraftvolles Spiel mit feinem Gespür für den Gruppenklang.
Am Klavier ist der aus Chicago stammende Jeremy Kahn zu erleben. Am Schlagzeug sitzt Dominik Raab, der in Köln lebt und zu den gefragtesten Schlagzeugern Deutschlands zählt. Gemeinsam sorgen sie für Energie, Raffinesse und überraschende Wendungen.
Auf dem Programm stehen melodische, moderne Standards und Eigenkompositionen. Das Quartett spielt zugänglich, aber nie beliebig: groovend, lyrisch und mit dem Mut zur Improvisation.
Ein Abend für alle, die Jazz auf höchstem Niveau in intimer Clubatmosphäre erleben möchten.

Every Tuesday: Jam session at the Jazz-Schmiede. The evening always kicks off at 8 pm with an opening set featuring different line-ups each week. This is followed, from around 9 pm, by an open jam session – anyone can simply turn up and join in to jam with other musicians and the opening act. Entry is free, making the sessions a great, hassle-free way to get to know the Schmiede.

To mark their 10th anniversary, the tried-and-tested line-up featuring Simon Oslender and Heiner Schmitz is releasing a ‘BEST OF’ compilation of all three albums released to date. Joining them as a special guest is Hanno Busch on guitar – winner of the Jazz Echo and the 2026 WDR Jazz Prize – who is also a founding member and – listen up – the band’s namesake.
Evergreens such as ‘Gin im Kelch’, ‘Speisezwiebeln an Reh’ and ‘Möglicher Heihnachtsüberschall’ will be featured this time, alongside early classics such as ‘Maria durch ein Dornwald ging’ and ‘Kommetet Ihr Hirtenen’.

The Schmiede’s traditional end-of-year Christmas session has long since achieved cult status and is sure to offer a host of exciting surprises once again this year. Regulars and friends of the Jazz-Schmiede will gather on this evening to see out the year.

Since 1993 – and thus for 30 years now – the Kultur(r)etten have been organising the Culture Club, the only LGBTQ show in the state capital of Düsseldorf, under the mottos ‘Stars, Starlets and Sluts’ or ‘To the top without rehearsals’. Everyone is warmly welcome to enjoy a light-hearted, wild and trashy show, the course of which often takes even the performers by surprise and which is constantly being reinvented.