On 29 and 30 May, the alternative edition of Brussels Jazz Weekend takes place.
The 'Balcony Edition' will be a series of free balcony concerts, ending in style on the Grand-Place with a concert of the Brussels Jazz Orchestra. All 19 Brussels municipalities have confirmed their participation and the line-up includes two self-designed cycle routes and a new podcast, 'Brussels Jazz Ambassadors'.
With the 'Balcony Edition', Brussels Jazz Weekend aims to literally bring a cheerful note to those who have suffered most over the past months. The festival wants to give a warm hug of solidarity to those who have lost loved ones, those who endure loneliness, and those who are active in the badly affected industries within events, tourism and hospitality.
Cycle routes
In addition to the festival, the organisation has mapped out two bicycle routes that connect the various balcony concerts: a 'southern' route on Saturday and a 'northern' route on Sunday. Both routes start and end at Brussels' Grand-Place and let music lovers explore the beauty and hidden gems of the Brussels region. During the festival weekend, cyclists can relish one or more of the 100% corona proof balcony concerts but the routes will also stay available to enjoy after the weekend.
Podcast 'Brussels Jazz Ambassadors'
To underline the uniqueness of the Brussels region as a whole and the individuality of its 19 municipalities, the organisation worked with local jazz musicians, so-called ‘jazz ambassadors’, to put together the programme. In the podcast series 'Brussels Jazz Ambassadors', recorded especially for the festival, each ambassador takes their listeners on a walk through their municipality to reveal their favourite spots. Brussels Jazz Weekend already produced the popular podcast 'Jazziness', which was well-received in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Appeal to all Brussels musicians: perform on your own balcony
Brussels Jazz Weekend is calling on all musicians throughout the Brussels region (amateur and professional alike) to add their music to the festival on Saturday 29/05 at 9 pm by performing from their balcony. Musicians who want to contribute to this message of hope with their instrument can register here. The festival will keep track of all performances on a digital map on the festival website. Moreover, the first 100 musicians to register will receive a nice surprise package.
Brussels Jazz Orchestra as closing act
The festival concludes Sunday at 9 pm, with a concert by the internationally renowned Brussels Jazz Orchestra from the balcony of the Broodhuis on the Grand-Place in Brussels.
Practical info
All info about the line-up, the cycle routes and the podcast can be found here.
