THIS WAS B-JAZZ 2023

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