Ludovico Einaudi, Herbie Hancock, Nils Frahm and others added to Gent Jazz bill

After the warm welcome given to the first names and with ticket sales getting off to a flying start, Gent Jazz is keen to continue the positive vibe with thirteen new names. Jazz legend Herbie Hancock is set to close the festival, while composers Nils Frahm and Ludovico Einaudi will be offering fans a new chance to see them on the tail end of a series of sold-out concerts. The W.E.R.F. label will be celebrating its thirtieth anniversary on the Garden Stage with some of the best that Belgian underground has to offer and Arooj Aftab is already certain to play one of the most compelling gigs of the summer.

Tickets for the newly announced days are going on sale on Friday 17 March at 11 a.m. at paylogic.com. Tickets for the days previously announced are already on sale. There is a multi-day pass available for the days of Branford Marsalis Quartet (14.07) and Herbie Hancock (15.07).

On 7 July, Joe Bonamassa and Marcus Miller will find themselves in good company with Gent’s very own primeval artist Roland Van Campenhout. A home game for the celebrated sound magician which - to be fair - he has already won. For over half a century, Roland has been taking people on journeys into mysterious musical landscapes, strewn with jungles of influences - deeply rooted in blues and folk, as well as jazz through his dad and grandad, psychedelic music and a good dollop of storytelling that is the envy of beatniks.

Tickets to see luminaries such as Norah Jones, Mavis Staples and young revelation Laufey sold out in no time. Those fortunate enough to have snatched themselves some tickets will be able to discover another surprise addition on 8 July; Ugandan artist Jon Muq is set to round out the bill on the main stage.

And tickets to see Ludovico Einaudi are also likely to sell like hot cakes. He will be closing main stage on 9 July. Last year, the Italian minimalist pianist sold out three venues in Brussels, Gent and Antwerp in no time. Those who missed out on catching him at the time now get a second chance to see him live. Before the grandmaster comes on, Arooj Aftab will be taking to the stage, having delivered one of the most enthusiastically received and poignant breakthrough records of 2021.

On 11 July, Hooverphonic is set to complete the main stage bill. In addition to their classics, the band featuring Geike Arnaert will also be playing new songs - danceable and nineties - at Gent Jazz. German ambient composer / pianist Nils Frahm will be gracing us with his presence on 13 July. As always, he will be bringing half a stage filled with synthesizers to create an amazing, must-see trip all on his own. On 14 July, Branford Marsalis and Lara Rosseel will be joined by the Julian Lage Trio which revolves around the prodigy guitarist who graced the stage of the Grammy ceremony aged just twelve (!), and American lady saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin who will be introducing her new record dubbed 'Phoenix’.

On 15 July, the day will be closed by none other than jazz legend Herbie Hancock. Herbie started his career in the sixties playing in Miles Davis’ band and quickly went on to be considered a revolutionary musician in his own right. His true revolution however did not start until the seventies when he reached millions with his fusion jazz. In fact, Herbie Hancock never stopped breaking new ground. Something he will be delighted to prove on Gent Jazz’s last night this edition.

After this raft of big names, we are set to close the event with a home-grown banger. As previously announced, this edition sees us celebrate the return of the Garden Stage as a hotbed of experimentation. And things are about to get extra special on 6 July when W.E.R.F. records will be blowing out 30 candles. To do so, they have rounded up a selection of artists on their roster including Uma Chine, SPOOK, MDCIII and VENTILATEUR who epitomise the label’s open spirit and unrelenting quest to reinvent itself, in the past, in 2023 and moving forward. Come and see, feel and celebrate all of the above for yourself at the W.E.R.F. Label Night on the Garden Stage!

Tickets for the newly announced days are going on sale on Friday 17 March at 11 a.m. at www.gentjazz.com. Tickets for the days previously announced are already on sale. There is a multi-day pass available for the days of Branford Marsalis Quartet (14.07) and Herbie Hancock (15.07).