North Sea Jazz Festival

Month : July
Place : Rotterdam, Netherlands
Famous For : Music Festival
Attractions : Various genres if music like Traditional New Orleans Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Fusion, Blues, Gospel, Funk Music, Soul Music & Drum n Bass

The North Sea Jazz Festival is a much awaited music festival observed in Netherlands. It's an annual event held each second weekend of July featuring different areas of jazz from all eras. Recognized as the "biggest jazz festival in the world", the North Sea Jazz Festival is a three day event which was used to be held in 'The Hague' but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam. The musical extravaganza also features other events like Bird Awards, North Sea Jazz Heats, Midsummer Jazz Gala etc. The main highlights of this music festival are the many music styles it presents, from traditional New Orleans jazz to Swing, bebop, fusion, blues, gospel music, funk music, soul music and drum n bass.

Major Attractions

The North Sea Jazz Festival traces its origin back in the year 1975 when a businessman and jazz lover Paul Acket, sold his pop magazine publishing company to start up and sponsor the North Sea Jazz Festival. The aim was to present a great diversity of jazz music to the masses, from American jazz to European avant-garde. After his constant efforts, the first edition of North Sea Jazz Festival took place in 1976 featuring six stages, thirty hours of music and 300 performances drew over 9000 visitors. The prestigious Bird Awards presenting ceremony was also shifted to the North Sea Jazz Festival after 1985. Originally the prize was awarded in three categories which was constrained to one category of beginning artists that deserve more recognition since 2001. Besides this, the Edison Jazz Awards were also shifted to North Sea Jazz Festival since 1998. are presented at the festival. From 1990, the festival was divided in two sub-festivals which are held on the evening before the actual festival. The "North Sea Jazz Heats" is a free festival performed in pubs throughout Den Haag, and the second sub festival is the exclusive "Midsummer Jazz Gala". Since its start, the North Sea Jazz Festival has grown into fifteen stages, 1200 artists and about 25,000 visitors a day.