The whole city swings

30/6/2023 | Forfatter: Aarhus Jazz Festival

There are great indoor and outdoor jazz events happening all over the city during the Aarhus Jazz Festival. Most of the action takes place in the city center with concerts within walking distance, but you can also find jazz in other parts of town, for example at Bazarjazz in Gellerup or Aarhus Hostel in Hasselager.


Saturday opens with a festive street parade through the city streets. In the afternoon, you can enjoy the view from Salling ROOFTOP to the sounds of great jazz. There will be a free concert here every day during the festival from 1 pm, where Peter Vuust will be joined by a wide range of musicians, including the winner of the Aarhus Jazz Talent Prize 2022, vibraphonist Viktoria Søndergaard.

Around the harbor, you can also buy a ticket and join the Jazz Boat for a live jazz cruise every evening except Monday, in addition to listening to jazz in some of the small, cozy pubs. The ship departs from the dock and sails an evening harbor tour around Aarhus Ø and past the old fishing port.

You can listen to jazz music in the squares and alleys from the many cafés that are part of the festival. On Klostertorvet, the big jazz set-up is going on all week, and it’s all free. On Sunday you can, among other things, experience Mike Bogart from Tower of Power together with trumpeter Jesper Riis and four other musicians. The full Tower of Power group can be experienced at Musikhuset on Monday.

From Wednesday, Musikhuset and Aarhus Jazz Orchestra will open 
its green lawn and glass doors for its second Musikhuset Swings. In addition to ticketed concerts with, for example, Pat Metheny and Curtis Stigers, the extensive free program offers four evening concerts with Aarhus Jazz Orchestra and guest conductor Dennis Mackrel. They will pay tribute to the legend Thad Jones, who would have turned 100 this year. There will also be children’s jazz, Michael Vestbo Trio, Blood Sweat Drum + Bass, Danish Youth Jazz Orchestra, Anna Roemer, and many more. There are also fun events such as Knit & Jazz and a jazzy concert with the Town Hall bells.

Discover for yourself the large program with more than 350 concerts