Copenhagen Jazz Festival

Copenhagen Jazz Festival is a jazz event every July in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. Copenhagen Jazz Festival was established in 1979, but beginning in 1964 Tivoli Gardens presented a series of concerts under the name Copenhagen Jazz Festival with Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and many others.

According to reports, the total attendance was 240,000 people during Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 2004. In 2006 the number of concerts increased to 850, and today Copenhagen Jazz Festival numbers more than 100 venues, 1100 concerts, and approximately 260,000 guests, making it one of the largest music events in Europe.

Musicians who have performed at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival include Sonny Rollins, Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, Michel Petrucciani, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Dizzy Gillespie, John Scofield, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Michel Camilo, Ornette Coleman, Annette Peacock, Svend Asmussen Quartet, Richard Bona, Tony Allen, Chick Corea and Daniel Puente Encina.

History
The founding of Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 1979 is closely linked to the jazz scene that evolved in Copenhagen in the 1960s, when the city served as a European home for American jazz musicians like Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster and Kenny Drew. An inspired music scene attracted even more American musicians and educated and inspired the whole Danish scene as well.

Through the 70s jazz music expanded in terms of genres and audiences, and reaching 1978 lawyer and project manager Poul Bjørnholt (from Københavns City Center) took the initiative to Copenhagen Jazz Festival, when realizing how local jazz clubs, public spaces, theaters and large venues could contribute to this collaborative event.

From 1979 and until the 90s the festival grew at a steady pace - making room for both international artists and local bands - and today Copenhagen Jazz Festival is its biggest ever with more than 100 venues in Copenhagen and over 1000 concerts. That makes Copenhagen Jazz Festival one of Copenhagen's most important public festivals, attracting a broad international audience.

Venues

 * Copenhagen Jazzhouse
 * Det Kongelige Teater
 * Operaen
 * Koncerthuset
 * Den Sorte Diamant
 * La Fontaine
 * Jazzhus Montmartre
 * Tivoli
 * Jazzcup
 * Det Kongelige Danske Haveselskab
 * Charlottenborg
 * Kongens Have
 * Huset i Magstræde
 * Skuespilhuset
 * Christianshavn Beboerhus
 * Jazz Club Loco
 * Christianskirken
 * Kulturhuset Islands Brygge
 * Pressen, Politikens Hus
 * Prøvehallen
 * Amager Bio
 * and more

Poster artists

 * 1979: N/A
 * 1980: N/A
 * 1981: N/A
 * 1982: Pia Schutzmann
 * 1983: Per Arnoldi
 * 1984: Niels Reumert
 * 1985: Bo Bonfils
 * 1986: Jens Jørgen Thorsen
 * 1987: Hans Henrik Lerfeldt
 * 1988: Tom Krøjer
 * 1989: Bent Carl Jacobsen
 * 1990: Erik Rasmussen
 * 1991: Poul Janus Ipsen
 * 1992: Knud Odde
 * 1993: Egon Fischer
 * 1994: Leif Sylvester
 * 1995: Jørgen Nash
 * 1996: Lars Ravn
 * 1997: Henrik Have
 * 1998: Dorte Dahlin
 * 1999: Per Kirkeby
 * 2000: Bjørn Nørgaard
 * 2001: Ejler Bille
 * 2002: Ib Spang Olsen
 * 2003: Per Arnoldi
 * 2004: Evren Tekinoktay
 * 2005: HuskMitNavn
 * 2006: Jonas Hecksher / e-types
 * 2007: Henrik Vibskov
 * 2008: Kasper Eistrup
 * 2009: Tal R
 * 2010: Søren Solkær Starbird
 * 2011: Kirstine Roepstorff
 * 2012: Leo Scherfig
 * 2013: Søren Benchke / Papfar
 * 2014: Mikkel Sommer
 * 2015: Julie Nord
 * 2016: Halfdan Pisket
 * 2017: Rasmus Meisler
 * 2018: Christiane Spangsberg