Scheduled for June 22-24, Jazzablanca will return to Anfa Park and the United Nations Square. For this 16th edition, the festival presents a program where talent, passion and emotions will be on the agenda.
The public will have a date with Beth Hart, Mika, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Aloe Blacc, as well as Antibalas & Mehdi Nassouli, Kamaal Williams, La Femme, Sarah McCoy, Sona Jobarteh and many others.
Speaking at a press briefing to present this new edition, the president of Jazzablanca, Moulay Ahmed Alami indicated that this festival has participated since 2006 in the diversity of the musical and cultural scene in Morocco and is experiencing constant growth, attracting thousands of more and more enthusiastic festival-goers each year, adding that the Jazzablanca route is marked by highlights, concerts by legendary artists and musical discoveries from all horizons.
And to emphasize that the anchoring of Jazzablanca in the city, with its locations at Anfa Park and at the United Nations Square, the unique atmosphere that the festival offers, as well as its unwavering commitment to the influence of Casablanca, constitute the singularity of the festival in the Moroccan cultural landscape.
By offering a unique atmosphere, steeped in greenery, conviviality and encounters, Jazzablanca provides a festival setting in its own right, where musical and human experiences come together, Mr. Alami also said.
For the second year in a row, Jazzablanca will extend over the generous space of Anfa Park. The Village, much appreciated by festival-goers, will continue to reinvent itself and will offer new activities and entertainment, which make the originality of the Jazzablanca experience. In addition to the many restaurateurs present, the village will host, as every year, a gaming area, a chill zone, a Jazzablanca boutique, as well as the creators’ market which attracts many local and national brands at each edition.
With 4 concerts per evening at Anfa Park, the festival’s artists will perform on two stages: Stage 21 (6:00 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.), dedicated to the discovery of world sounds while offering different forms of jazz, and the Casa Anfa stage (9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.) which will bring together the headliners of the 16th edition.
On Stage 21, the British multi-instrumentalist of Gambian origin Sona Jobarteh will kick off the show. An exceptional technician steeped in Mandingo music, she will impress the audience with her stage presence and her astonishing mastery of the kora.
Kamaal Williams, a musical genius who pushes the boundaries of contemporary jazz, will surprise the public with his latest album “Wu Hen”. This innovative and visionary Londoner is one of the leaders of the global jazz-fusion scene.
Friday, June 23, the evening will begin with jazz notes, signed Ismail Sentissi. A prodigy of Moroccan jazz and talented pianist, he will perform – in quartet – his first album “Genoma”, conceived as a true initiatory journey through the sounds of Morocco. The evening will continue with the Ghanaian musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, pioneer of Afro-jazz and highlife.
On Saturday, June 24, Scène 21 will open with the blues and soul notes of American singer, pianist and revelation Sarah McCoy. With her flamboyant style and powerful voice, McCoy will present her second opus “High Priestess”.
The British group GoGo Penguin will then offer an electrifying concert. This innovative collective combines electronic culture with minimalist, jazz and rock influences. Championed by renowned musicians such as Gilles Peterson and Jamie Cullum, GoGo Penguin are currently the fastest rising stars in European jazz.
On June 22, the Casa Anfa stage will open with the creative and daring sounds of French band La Femme. This band embodies the rebellious and crazy spirit of the new French rock scene. Their music is an intoxicating fusion of psychedelic rock, pop, electronica, and punk, shaking up musical conventions and inviting people to dance.
That same evening, Nile Rodgers & CHIC will be bringing the public together to celebrate the disco-funk and legendary groove of the outstanding guitarist.
On Friday, June 23, the queen of American blues-rock Beth Hart will be on stage to conquer the Jazzablanca audience with her powerful voice and breathtaking piano playing. She will perform her most famous hits such as “LA Song” and “Am I The One”, as well as her latest album “War on my mind”.
The evening will continue in a soul register with the world star Aloe Blacc. An American singer, lyricist, rapper, producer, musician and philanthropist, the one to whom we owe the global hits “Wake Me Up” and “I need a dollar”, will present his latest album “All love everything”, released in 2021.
On Saturday, June 24, Jazzablanca will present a unique concert that will bring together the prodigious musician of Gnaoua music Mehdi Nassouli and the New York collective Antibalas, adept at Afrobeat. Together, they will offer a surprising fusion guaranteeing a memorable evening.
Singer Mika, a musical genius and a key figure in current pop, will close this 16th edition in a torrent of colors, charisma and emotions. The British-Lebanese artist will perform his most famous songs.
Furthermore, Jazzablanca and the BMCI Foundation work each year to promote and showcase national talents.
Thanks to this partnership, the BMCI stage continues to see the light of day on the United Nations Square. Free of charge, this stage embodies the urban and inclusive dimension of a festival deeply attached to its city, which aims to be accessible to all.
The BMCI stage will host 6 Moroccan groups, whose musical registers and sensibilities give pride of place to the music of the South. These musicians will take the audience on a journey to rhythms that are both ancestral and resolutely modern, reflecting the richness and cultural diversity of today’s Morocco.
These are Izouran N-Sahara, Sound of Mint, Khmissa, Tarwa N-Tiniri, Badil and Jubantouja.
2024-08-20 14:27:29