After the successful 2023 edition, B-Jazz International Contest is back this year with something new.

Muziekmozaïek, 30CC/Leuven Jazz, CC Het SPOOR/De Jazzontspooring and Rataplan are looking for young Belgian jazz talent ready to break through on the international stages!
B-Jazz International Contest wants to discover, support and stimulate young jazz talent. This international contest gives ambitious jazz musicians the chance to perform in front of a professional jury and an enthusiastic audience.

In the run-up to the finals in the fall, four young bands each get the chance to win a place in the finals during 3 preliminary rounds (in Leuven, Harelbeke and Antwerp). You can find us on Friday, March 15 at the Leuven City Theatre, on Saturday, March 23 at Rataplan (Antwerp) and on Saturday, March 30 at De JazzOntspooring in CC Het Spoor (Harelbeke).

After the last preliminary round, we will find out who will advance to the 2024 B-Jazz final in the autumn. Two Belgian groups will then compete with four international jazz bands for the Albert Michiels Grand Prix. Whoever wins that can go on to perform on international stages in Spain, Italy, Romania, the Netherlands and – of course – Belgium.

Do these impressive playing conditions sound like music to your ears? Are you and your band members no older than thirty? Then apply before December 17, 2023 via bjazzcontest.be. Fill in all requested information and who knows, maybe you/your band will be selected for one of the three preliminary rounds.

Good luck and see you at B-Jazz!

Please note: the Belgian preliminary rounds of B-Jazz International Contest 2024 are only open to musicians of Belgian nationality and/or musicians residing in Belgium. 

B-Jazz… Be Jazz… Live Jazz…
Jazz is about more than just (not) playing the right note at the right time. Jazz is a way of life, a way of being.

B-Jazz… Be Jazz… Belgian Jazz…
During B-Jazz, Belgium briefly becomes the focal point where young jazz musicians from all over the world come together, meet each other, exchange experiences and above all, make music together.

Jazz Hoeilaart was founded in 1979 by Albert Michiels as part of the annual grape festival in Hoeilaart, with the intention of offering young talented jazz musicians a stage. During the first editions only Belgian and Dutch groups were on stage, but soon applications to participate came in from other countries. Over the past 4 decades – making this one of the oldest and most prestigious contests in Europe – more than 2,500 entries were registered from over 60 countries, making this contest a strong export product.

Since 1979, we received entries from Australia, Chile and the Americas over Japan, India and Nigeria and the former Soviet Union to most of the European countries. Throughout all editions, more than 300 groups participated in the finals.

The basic idea remains unchanged: young and ambitious jazz musicians from all over the world get the chance to show what they are worth in Flanders in optimal conditions, to a professional jury and in front of a live audience. All this in a professional setting and in a friendly atmosphere, with the organization taking care of everything so that the musicians can fully concentrate on their performance.

Discovering, promoting and encouraging young jazz talent is and will remain the goal of B-Jazz, with discovery, support and development being the three core concepts.

With preliminaries in Belgium and groups selected by international partners, B-Jazz gives ambitious jazz musicians the chance to win the Albert Michiels Grand Prize and perform on stages throughout Europe.

 jazzpartners in crime: Getxo Jazz , Saint Louis College of Music , Brasov Jazz & Blues Festival , Conservatorium Maastricht , De Jazzontspooring Harelbeke , Leuven Jazz  and Jazz in ‘t Park .

THIS WAS B-JAZZ 2023