NN North Sea Jazz 2022: the first acts

Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Gregory Porter and Michael Kiwanuka will make an appearance at the NN North Sea Jazz Festival this year, as well as BadBadNotGood, Black Pumas, Diana Krall, Ibrahim Maalouf, Jacob Collier, Marcus King and Melody Gardot, among others. The festival will open on Thursday July 7 with a concert by John Legend. Legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock will feature as Artist in Residence.

Due to Covid NN North Sea Jazz had to be postponed twice, but the 45th edition will be celebrated in style this July after all, in a renewed Rotterdam Ahoy. Because of the changes to the venue, the festival will have more room and visitors will find some trusted concert halls in a new place.

Some of the special jazz projects performing will be Ravi Coltrane, who will play the music of his parents John and Alice together with Brandee Younger; Louis Cole with Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley; John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension; Ron Carter “Foursight Quartet”; Charles Lloyd & The Marvels featuring Bill Frisell, Pino Palladino & Blake Mills; Vijay Iyer Trio featuring Linda May Han Oh and Tyshawn Sorey; and bassist Avishai Cohen, who will perform with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

In addition to the big names, the festival will also present new, up-and-coming artists such as Alfa Mist, Emma-Jean Thackray, James Francies, Tems, Nona, Yola, Melanie Charles, and The Fearless Flyers with Joe Dart, Cory Wong, Mark Lettieri and Nate Smith.

NN North Sea Jazz 2022
Friday 8 July: Ambrose Akinmusire, Avishai Cohen 'Two Roses' & Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bastien Stil, BadBadNotGood, Cimafunk, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Diana Krall, Gabriels, Gaidaa, Gary Bartz & Maisha, George Benson, Gregory Porter, Gretchen Parlato, Ibrahim Maalouf, James Francies, Jordan Rakei, Kassa Overall, Louis Cole & Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley, Marcus King, N∆BOU, Ravi Coltrane “Cosmic Music: A Contemporary Exploration into the Music of John & Alice Coltrane featuring Brandee Younger”,Theo Croker.

Saturday 9 July: Cécile McLorin Salvant, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Eric Gales, Fay Claassen & Peter Beets New Jazz Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, Jett Rebel, Joe Armon Jones, John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension, Julian Lage, Lady Blackbird, Lous and The Yakuza, Martí Mitjavila Casals, Melody Gardot, Michael Kiwanuka, Nona, Ron Carter “Foursight Quartet”, Sun-Mi Hong Quintet, Tems, Tom Misch, Yola.

Sunday 10 July: Alfa Mist, Alicia Keys, Anthony Joseph, Aviv Noam Quartet, Black Pumas, Charles Lloyd & The Marvels featuring Bill Frisell, cktrl, Cory Wong, Dianne Reeves, Emma-Jean Thackray, Gustavo Santaolalla, H.E.R., Herbie Hancock, Hiromi The Piano Quintet, Immanuel Wilkins, Jacob Collier, Joel Culpepper, Melanie Charles, Michael Mayo, Moses Sumney, Nala Sinephro, Neal Francis, Nubya Garcia, Pino Palladino & Blake Mills, SMANDEM., Stacey Kent, The Fearless Flyers (with Joe Dart, Cory Wong, Mark Lettieri, Nate Smith), Tigran Hamasyan, Vijay Iyer Trio featuring Linda May Han Oh and Tyshawn Sorey.

More names will be added later. Unfortunately, Lionel Richie has decided to hold off his tour due to corona and won’t be performing at the festival anymore.