North Sea Jazz festival Rotterdam - location, dates, line-up

HAPPENING 11–13 July 2025 | The annual North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam is a very high-quality festival where jazz music from the past, present and the future is presented, under one roof, for three days. In addition to jazz, you can also expect to hear blues, soul, funk, hip hop, world, pop and much more.

North Sea Jazz Rotterdam

The first edition of the North Sea Jazz Festival took place in 1976 in The Hague. The event drew about 9000 visitors and featured performances by artists like Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz. Since 2006 the festival has been organized in a new and more spacious location: Rotterdam Ahoy. The North Sea Jazz Festival has developed into a major international event with fifteen stages. Nowadays, the event draws between sixty-five thousand and seventy-five thousand visitors a year.

Past performers at North Sea jazz Rotterdam

In the past, many great names have performed at North Sea Jazz Rotterdam. To name a few: Nat Adderley, Erykah Badu, Paul Anka, Steve Coleman, Miles Davis, Candy Dulfer, Ibrahim Ferrer, Ella Fitzgerald, Alicia Keys, Lionel Hampton, Al Jarreau, B.B. King, Wynton Marsalis, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Jamiroquai, Shirley Horn, Tania Maria, Roy Hargrove, Rachelle Ferrell and The Zawinul Syndicate.

NN North Sea Jazz Festival announces 2025 programme

The complete line-up for the 2025 edition of the NN North Sea Jazz Festival has been announced. The event, set to take place on 11, 12 and 13 July at and around Rotterdam Ahoy, will feature over 150 performances across 17 stages. The full schedule is now available on the festival’s official website.

Celebrating jazz heritage and innovation

The upcoming edition continues its tradition of showcasing a wide spectrum of jazz, from swing and bop to fusion and free jazz. Renowned figures such as Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis and Lee Ritenour are among those slated to perform. Musicians like Terri Lyne Carrington, Sullivan Fortner and Emmet Cohen are expected to pay homage to classic jazz forms, while artists including Matteo Mancuso and Julian Lage will present more contemporary interpretations.

The genre's more experimental side will be represented by performers such as David Murray and Arild Andersen, alongside a younger generation including Mary Halvorson, Zoh Amba and Guy Salamon. The programme also includes artists working at the boundaries of jazz, such as Kassa Overall, Makaya McCraven, Ezra Collective and Dana and Alden, who blend jazz with other genres to explore new directions.

Non-traditional jazz countries featured

This year’s festival will also highlight musicians from regions not typically associated with jazz. Among them are South Korean vocalist Song Yi Yeon, Mongolian pianist Shuteen Erdenebaatar, and Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan.

Vocal performances take centre stage

Vocalists will play a prominent role in this edition, with artists such as Jacob Collier, Samara Joy and Lady Blackbird taking part, as well as emerging talents Christie Dashiell, Ganavya and aja monet. Well-known performers including Diana Ross, Norah Jones, Mary J. Blige and Maxwell will bring classic influences from soul, R&B and gospel. Contemporary acts like Celeste, Jorja Smith and Thee Sacred Souls will also reinterpret these genres.

Vocal ensembles will be featured as well, with appearances by ZO! Gospel Choir, Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers, and Martin Fondse’s Voice Orchestra, which includes the six-part vocal group Vox Sturnus.

Jacob Collier named artist in residence

British multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier will serve as Artist in Residence. He will perform each day of the festival in a different format: with his band on Friday, solo with guests on Saturday following his afternoon clinic “Jacob’s Room,” and on Sunday with the Metropole Orkest.

Annual composition commission

Each year, the festival awards an open composition commission to a Dutch jazz composer. This year’s recipient is saxophonist Kika Sprangers. Her new work will premiere on Saturday, 12 July, performed by the Nederlands Kamerkoor and an ensemble featuring Alistair Payne (trumpet), Reinier Baas (guitar), Tijs Klaassen (double bass), Jonas Burgwinkel (drums), and Sprangers herself.

Recognition for emerging talent

The Paul Acket Award for “Artist Deserving Wider Recognition” will be presented to drummer, composer and bandleader Sun-Mi Hong on Friday, 11 July. In addition, the Open Stage will once again provide festival-goers the opportunity to showcase their own musical abilities. The festival will also include clinics, artist interviews, and a broad visual arts programme.

Location: Rotterdam Ahoy

Not sure how to get there? Check out our directions Rotterdam Ahoy.