50 years with the world's best jazz musicians
The Jazzfest Berlin was, and is, a magnet for superstars. Many musicians have performed more than once, and for newcomers, the event is a stepping stone. Join us for five decades of jazz at its finest.
The Jazz Pope
Music journalist, author and producer Joachim-Ernst Berendt (1922-2000) created the Jazzfest Berlin in 1964 and was its artistic director for seven years. He also wrote the famed "Jazzbuch" (Jazz Book). Translated into many languages and regularly updated, it is virtually the bible of jazz fans.
Trumpet: Miles Davis
By 1964, Illinois-born Miles Davis was a superstar. Participating in his Berlin concert on September 25 that year were Herbie Hancock (piano), Wayne Shorter (saxophone), Ron Carter (bass) and Tony Williams (percussion) - the lineup for the legendary album "Miles in Berlin."
Vocals: Sarah Vaughan
Called "The Divine One," the husky-voiced jazz diva was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment of the Arts in the US. Her solo career began in 1945. A year later, she won a Grammy for the single "If You Could See Me Now," which Tadd Dameron had written especially for her. Vaughan performed twice at the Jazzfest, in 1967 and 1969.
Vibraphone: Lionel Hampton and Milt Jackson
Undoubtedly the two best known jazz musicians on this instrument. Berendt called Hampton a "volcano of vitality" - and he was certainly true to that moniker in his three appearances at the Jazzfest. This photo, taken during Jazzfest 1992, shows Hampton and his special guest Milt Jackson. As you can see, they had a lot of fun that year.
Keyboards: Joe Zawinul
Austrian-born keyboardist and composer Joe Zawinul is credited as a creator of jazz fusion and of his own synthesizer sound. He wrote songs for Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley and co-founded the group Weather Report, source of the song "Birdland." Zawinul made three appearances at Jazzfest: 1975 (with Weather Report), 1985 (photo) and 2005.
Trombone: Albert Mangelsdorff
The Frankfurt native appeared nearly yearly at the Jazzfest Berlin from 1964 until 2004. A European All Star, Mangelsdorff joined the European free jazz movement in the late 1960s. In 1995, he became the Jazzfest’s music director. The Union of German Jazz Musicians bi-annually awards the Albert-Mangelsdorff Prize, the most important jazz distinction in the German-speaking regions.
Tenor Sax: Archie Shepp
American-born saxophonist Archie Shepp performed four times at the fest between 1967 and 2012. He was back in 2014 with his characteristic sound: raw, jagged, passionate and devoted. Shepp incorporates strong drum lines and African-based musical traditions into his pieces.
Vocals: Bobby McFerrin
Bobby McFerrin released his first album in 1982 and performed the music on it at that year's Jazzfest Berlin. Best known for his 1988 chart sensation "Don’t Worry, Be Happy," McFerrin is a ten-time Grammy winner. But he doesn't just sing: he scats, and is a beatboxing genius.
Bandleader: Gil Evans
The Canadian-born pianist was instrumental in the development of several styles of jazz, including cool, free and fusion. A regular collaborator with Miles Davis, he was also inspired by Jimi Hendrix. Berendt called Evans, who combined free jazz with big band "the great arranger of laissez-faire."
Introducing: Zentralquartett
On November 4, 1990, the Zentralquartett, East Germany’s best-known free-jazz formation, gave its first performance at the Jazzfest Berlin. Pianist Ulrich Gumpert created the work "The Angel" shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. To mark the 25th anniversary of that event, the quartet performed it at this year's Jazzfest.