Fashions in jazz come and go but the organisers continue to cater for all-manner of jazz fans over the three day event. The 2005 festival was the last one held in the Hague so this will be the second time Rotterdam Ahoy’ will play host to an incredible line up.

In fact, there’s a bit of a Fly feel about Friday night as we’ve featured so many on the acts; Paul ‘Rock Swings’ Anka with orchestra and Buena Vista Social Club are headlining the night but the Maas Room (Gym Classs Heroes, The Roots and Ojos de Brujo) does ‘battle’ with the Yukon (Rednose Districkt, Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Ninja Tunes’ Infinite Livez vs. Stade, Amon Tobin and Jamie Lidell).

I don’t know how you can do the impossible, but you’ll want to squeze in Gwilym Simcock, Marlena Shaw, Joe Zawinul, Rev. Al Green, Tomasz Stanko and Medeski Scofield Martin Wood.

After that, there’s hardly any time to recover before Saturday and if you’ve listened to this weeks’ Gilles Peterson session from Maida Vale, you’ll want to catch the Cinematic Orchestra in the Yukon Hall followed by Joseph Bowie (with Candy Dulfer’s new band) and the brilliantly manic Antibalas.

Other big name artists to watch for are Steely Dan (Wow!), Roy Hargrove Quintet, Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Malian Journey and Maceo Parker. In somewhat smaller type, try and catch the Neil Cowley Trio in Yenisei before they annouce the winner of the days’ EBU European Jazz Competition.

On Sunday, in the big JVC hall, the bad boys take over with Snoop Dogg, Sly & The Family Stone and Amy Winehouse. Admittedly, she’s not a boy but she was great at Southamption this year.

The older jazzheads will be off to see Ornette Coleman, Dave Holland, SF Jazz Collective and Joshua Redman. For the youngsters, Holland’s own Kindred Spirits Ensemble will be followed by Anthony ‘Leggo de Lion’ Joseph) and evening ends in Yukon with Sleepwalker.

Have I mentioned everyone? No way as there’s also Katie Melua, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Hank Jones, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, E.S.T., Nils Petter Molvaer, Larry Carlton, Steps Ahead, Mike Stern, Marcus Miller, Randy Brecker, the renowned trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard with special guests Jamie Cullum, Bilal and Patti Austin plus many, many, many more.

There’s lots of other events going on before, during and after the North Sea Jazz Festival like North Sea Jazz Kids, jazz lunches, lectures, expositions and after parties until dawn in downtown Rotterdam.

How could anyone resist such a line-up?

Links:
www.northseajazz.nl
North Sea Jazz Festival — 13, 14 & 15 July 2007 Ahoy’ Rotterdam
Day ticket, € 70.00 (excl. reservation costs)
3-day ticket, € 170.00 (excl. reservation costs)
All-in ticket, € 320.00 (excl. reservation costs)
beyondjazz.net