Gent Jazz Talent
Gent Jazz reveals the three finalists of its Gent Jazz Talent competition and announces that, for the first time ever, it will officially be part of the Gentse Feesten. We’re celebrating with a free extra day on which the festival will be graced by the Gent Jazz Talent finalists and top-notch acts such as ECHT! and Steiger. For the second day of the Gentse Feesten - 19 July - Gent Jazz presents an absolute banger of a day with performances by Kamasi Washington, Lander & Adriaan, Benjamin Clementine, Adja and many more!
On 18 July, three promising artists will take to the Garden Stage at Gent Jazz. Bex, Ola Tunji and Tomas Castella are the brand-new finalists of Gent Jazz Talent (formerly Jong Jazztalent Gent), the definitive competition for bands with a unique and ambitious jazz project.
This was a big year, with no fewer than 73 entries - proof that, more than ever, our country is brimming with jazz and talent. From all these projects, the jury selected three outstanding bands:
- Ola Tunji with their hypnotic improvisations and healing spiritual energy,
- Bex, the Brussels-based band of Rebecca Driesmans and their layered songs full of warmth, absurdism and astute observations, and
- Tomas Castella, who combines Brazilian rhythms with soulful melodies and rich jazz harmonies.
Steiger and ECHT! join in on 18 July
Even more to look forward to: Gent-based Steiger, one of the most exciting jazz groups of our time (and the winner of Gent Jazz Talent 2017), and ECHT!, the Brussels electro-jazz champion whose fame has taken them as far as BBC Radio 6.
Registering for the free Gent Jazz Talent day
Entry is free on Friday 18 July, but it is mandatory to register in advance via this link. Be quick, because full is full. That evening’s concerts will take place on the Garden Stage, Gent Jazz’s second stage.
Gent Jazz Talent is an initiative by Gent Jazz in collaboration with Saban For Culture, brewery Omer-Vandeghinste, Ha Concerts, PlayRight, Lotto Brussels Jazz Weekend and music studio & creative space Edmond.