Jazzdor Festival

Forty years serving living jazz

Founded in 1986, the Jazzdor festival has become over four decades one of the major events for creative jazz in Europe. Organized by the association Jazzdor — « Scène de musiQues actuelles » —, the festival champions open, inventive jazz deeply rooted in contemporary creation. Far from conventional formulas, Jazzdor features artists who push the boundaries of the genre: improvisers, composers, transnational ensembles, and original creations.

Two weeks of concerts in November

Every year in November, Jazzdor offers a fortnight of concerts in the most beautiful venues in Strasbourg and the surrounding region. The Cité de la musique et de la danse, the Fossé des Treize socio-cultural center, the Planétarium du Jardin des Sciences, and other locations host around thirty concerts featuring nearly 120 artists from 23 countries. Evenings often combine two concerts, allowing audiences to discover contrasting musical worlds in a single night.

The European dimension: Jazzdor Strasbourg-Berlin

A unique case in the jazz festival landscape, Jazzdor has developed an international Strasbourg-Berlin component, which has become the only Franco-German event dedicated to jazz in Germany. For over fifteen years, the festival has programmed concerts at the Kesselhaus of Kulturbrauerei in Berlin, fostering encounters between French, German, and European scenes. This cross-border dimension, supported by the Strasbourg European Capital Contract, makes Jazzdor a cultural bridge between the two countries.

Exceptional artists

Throughout its editions, Jazzdor has hosted the greatest names in contemporary jazz and improvised music. David Murray, Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Norma Winstone, Kris Davis, the Orchestre National de Jazz led by Sylvaine Hélary, and many emerging artists have graced the festival stages. Jazzdor is also a venue for world premieres and commissions, regularly commissioning original works.

Engagement in the local cultural fabric

Beyond the November festival, Jazzdor animates a year-round concert season in Strasbourg, offering regular evenings that keep the flame of creative jazz alive. The association thus contributes to making Strasbourg a stronghold of jazz in France, alongside Paris and Marciac.