ELBJAZZ Festival 2015

A festival of around 50 concerts taking place in the port of Hamburg; highly unusual locations that range from a cargo freighter to a shipyard; a backdrop of tall cranes and gigantic docks; and boats to ferry concertgoers from one stage to another: this idea, developed by ELBJAZZ founders Tina Heine and Nina Sauer, was summed up by veteran concert promoter Karsten Jahnke as »a wonderful mixture of naivety, professionalism and passion«. The international festival was launched in 2010, and every May reveals exciting new locations in which to present every kind of jazz – from traditional to challenging, danceable, surprising, soulful or groovy. Headline acts in recent years have included Jamie Cullum, Michael Wollny, Chilly Gonzales and Helge Schneider – a diverse mix that appeals to jazz aficionados but also attracts young fans. The Elbphilharmonie Konzerte and ELBJAZZ have been cooperation partners since the festival’s inception. To mark the first Hamburg International Music Festival and the fifth anniversary of ELBJAZZ, they share a stage. The Alte Maschinenbauhalle in the Kuhwerder Hafen forms a perfect atmospheric location for this top-class programme.