In today’s episode, musician and curator Natalie Greffel talked about the cultural history of jazz and getting booked at music festivals.
XJAZZ! has definitely been one of my summer highlights so far.
Many people played a role in making this year’s edition so wonderfully diverse.
Among them is Natalie Greffel.
Attending her workshop What’s Jazz Got To Do It feat. Eric Vaughn, made me think a lot about my relationships to Jazz music.
They presented a performance lecture that investigated the politics and histories of Black American music in a social context.
The experience of being in that room, listening to Bird’s Word (which I consider one of the most captivating, soulful, and inclusive histories of jazz ever presented in just six minutes!) and reflecting on what Jazz means to me, resonated with me very deeply.
Exactly why, I decided to invite Natalie to discuss even further her commitment to fostering cultural exchange about the rich history of jazz.
Navigating the Cultural History of Jazz
In our conversation, we talked about her multicultural background influencing her musical journey, the music and the politics and the culture behind Jazz, and her role at XJAZZ! sharing advice and personal reflections about getting booked at Festivals.
We are all aware of the many discussions about gender-balanced festival lineups across the world, and XJAZZ! programming is arguably the most beautifully diverse schedule I have ever had the pleasure to see so far.
Getting the chance to meet Natalie was a fantastic opportunity for me to delve into the importance of understanding more about the true nature of jazz.
Specifically, I learned about its African roots that continue to shape its music in the present day.
Natalie shared her passion for all things Jazz music with great enthusiasm.
I hope you will enjoy it the same way I did! 🎧
In addition, read this blog article: Àbáse’s album ‘Awakening’ + Promoting Your Album w/Àbáse
TABLE OF CONTENTS
05:17 Natalie’s Early Music Influences
10:41 Experiencing Jazz for the first time
19:00 Creativity, Improvisation and Consciousness in Jazz
25:51 Jazz as part of the African American Cultural Diaspora
45:10 Exploring Afro-Brazilian Music Culture through Candomblé
1:12:38 The role of XJAZZ! in fostering diversity and inclusivity
1:16:59 Essential tips on How to stand out to Festival Bookers
EPISODES LINKS
Natalie Greffel – Para Todos (Album – 2020)
Don’t miss our upcoming live Q&A session! 👀
Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to engage with Australian-born, Berlin-based guitarist, musician and producer Jarrah Dhyan aka Skyline Sun.
The session is on Tuesday, August 27 at 7 pm (CET).
Skyline Sun is a nu-jazz project that offers a fresh and groove-oriented approach to jazz and improvised music.
He draws inspiration from various genres such as hip-hop, R’n’B, soul and dance music and seamlessly combines traditional jazz elements with electronic and experimental sounds.
OUR AGENDA
During this session, Jarrah will discuss all things Getting Featured on Spotify Playlists and Media Coverage through his experience releasing his album Dichotomy.
Get ready for a session filled with inspiration and exchange!
To attend the session, sign up for our Club Membership.
Even if you can’t attend live, you will get access to the reply in our Club’s Premium Content Section.
Hope to see you there!
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