Sat 30 August 2025
BIMHUIS Stage: Jazz Focus Big Band, Alice Leggett Quartet, Ramón Valle & Maite Hontelé, Eddy Veldman’s Opo Yeye and 4 The Culture
Celebration of versatility in jazz during two-day free festival in Amsterdam-Southeast.
south east jazz is a free two-day music festival that celebrates the unique energy of amsterdam-southeast with jazz in the broadest sense of the word. from soulful classics to electronic improvisation, from local talent to international names - spread across multiple stages, jazz forms the bridge between cultures, generations and worlds. with food, art, dance and a strong community, southeast will be the place where music connects people on saturday 30 and sunday 31 august.
jazz focus big band
the jazz focus big band is bursting with young talent and has been led by conductor lorenzo mignacca since 2019. mignacca continues the legacy of the late peter guidi. this 18-piece ensemble breathes new life into the big band repertoire with music by thad jones, cole porter, buddy rich, and gordon goodwin. they’ve performed at major venues including the north sea jazz festival, the concertgebouw, and the uitmarkt, and have won first prize multiple times at the prinses christina concours.
alice leggett quintet
british saxophonist and composer alice leggett is a rising voice in european jazz. she made her mark as a member of teis semey’s super deluxe orchestra, won the 2024 keep an eye international jazz award, and has been an active part of the dutch jazz scene since graduating from the conservatory of amsterdam. in may 2025, her critically acclaimed debut album birdsong was released on zennez records, followed by a successful uk tour. she was also named “one to watch” by jazzwise magazine.
ramón valle & maite hontelé
what began as a one-off duo performance blossomed into a deep musical partnership. pianist ramón valle and trumpeter maite hontelé found common ground in their love for melody, freedom, and the cuban idiom. they’ve performed across europe and even recorded an album in havana. valle is praised for his expressive playing, full of cuban flair and classical depth; hontelé for her international career in salsa and her warm, lyrical tone. together, they create music that speaks straight to the heart.
eddy veldman
opo yeye (“elevate your soul”) is the vibrant ensemble led by drum veteran eddy veldman, one of the pioneers of the paramaribop sound. with a line-up featuring members of fra fra sound and violinist yannick hiwat, the band brings a powerful blend of jazz, funk, hip-hop, and surinamese rhythms like kaseko and kawina. since 1998, veldman has led this boundary-pushing group, where groove, improvisation, and cultural richness converge in a high-energy live show.
4 the culture
according to founders sarah-jane wijdenbosch and mrjetfly, kawina music rarely gets the platform it deserves. that’s why their initiative 4 the culture proudly brings this energetic, deeply rooted surinamese style into the spotlight. what started with a livestream concert in paradiso has grown into sold-out shows, and even two concerts in carré. together with the 16-piece black excellence kawina orchestra, they offer an uplifting and unifying tribute to kawina and suriname.
free admission