According to the Seixal Municipality, the festival’s organizing body, events are scheduled from Thursday to Saturday, starting at 10:00 PM at the Municipal Auditorium of the Seixal Cultural Forum.
Concerts in this auditorium will commence with the group Artemis, led by pianist and composer Renne Rosnes, featuring four other musicians and showcasing a multinational and intergenerational character. Following Artemis, pianist Fred Hersch will perform, noted for his significant influence as an improviser, and Carlos Bica will conclude the first week of performances.
On October 16, the festival resumes with a performance by the quartet of saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, a critically acclaimed name over the past decade, followed by Yazz Ahmed, one of the leading trumpeters and composers from the London jazz scene.
The edition will conclude with the Tyn Wybenga Brainteaser Ensemble, an original project co-produced by SeixalJazz, Outono em Jazz from Casa da Música in Porto, and Jazz ao Centro — Encontros Internacionais de Jazz de Coimbra.
Tickets are available through the Bol network and at the Seixal Cultural Forum’s box offices, with each show priced at 12 euros. There is a 25% discount for those under 25, local residents, retirees, and employees of Seixal municipalities.
An all-access pass is available for 60 euros, covering all six dates.
In addition to mainstage concerts at the Municipal Auditorium, performances are also held at the SeixalJazz Club, located at the Sociedade Filarmónica Democrática Timbre Seixalense.
Entry to this second venue is free, offering an informal jazz club atmosphere which focuses on showcasing national groups.
Jazz club nights open with the four-musician ensemble Paira, also the title of their debut album under the Porta-Jazz label, followed by the band Godua, consisting of musicians active in the Lisbon and Porto jazz scenes. The first week’s performances close with the Maria Carvalho trio.
The second week starts with a performance by the drummer António Carvalho’s quintet, followed by a project led by young Porto pianist Hugo Lobo, ending with the quintet of singer Marta Rodrigues.
In the mid-1990s, the Seixal Municipality embarked on an initiative to place the municipality on the cultural map of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, aiming to become a national reference in the medium term.
After consulting musician and producer Paulo Gil, who passed away in May 2022, the production of a distinctive jazz festival was suggested, different from anything previously held in Portugal.
These were the initial steps of SeixalJazz, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021.
