Pressinfo

Line-up announced for the international jazz festival in Ystad!

The four-day festival runs from Wednesday 30 July to Saturday 2 August 2025

The festival will present over 30 concerts and events:
– international artists, Grammy winners, a 2025 Grammy-nominee!
– Next Jazz Generation featuring Sweden’s new generation of jazz musicians
– YazzKidz ­– concerts for families

– music around town

– free admission to around half of the concerts on the programme!

The concerts are presented in Ystad’s beautiful historical settings, medieval churches, secluded courtyards and at a magnificent castle park. Concert venues range from 780 to 130 years-old.

Selected major artists appearing at YSJF 2025 this summer:
Dave Holland
“Kismet” with musicians Chris Potter, Kevin Eubanks and Marcus Gilmore.

Mike Stern, the jazz guitarist who has played with everyone from Miles Davis to Blood Sweat & Tears performs with Leni Stern, Gabor Bolla, Jimmy Haslip and Dennis Chambers.
Mare Nostrum,
the trio of Jan Lundgren, Richard Galliano and Paolo Fresu, celebrates its 20th anniversary and has just released album number four.
Catherine Russell
, American jazz vocalist who is a Grammy nominee this year.

Lars Danielsson & Leszek Możdżer open the festival on 30 July with “Pasodoble & Beyond”
Nicole Johänntgen returns to the festival with her “Robin” project.

Magnus Lindgren meets Musica Vitae in “Jazz invit(a)es”
Hans Backeroth, Thomas Fryland and Jacob Fischer – a trio in one of Ystad’s hidden gardens.
Jan Lundgren, Anders Jormin and Wolfgang Haffner play the music of Bill Evans.
Lisa Nilsson meets Norrbotten Big Band at Ystads Teater on 1 Aug.
LaGaylia Frazier Soul! Feat. Jonas Kullhammar opens the festival’s day at Charlottenlund.
“To Quincy with Love” is a special tribute concert bringing back memories of the concert in 2012 with the festival’s honorary ambassadors Quincy Jones and Bengt-Arne Wallin. Returning are Bohuslän Big Band, Nils Landgren and Viktoria Tolstoy. Ida Sand also joins the line-up.

Jan Lundgren has been the festival’s Artistic Director since the start in 2010.

Guest of Honour for 2025 is Dave Holland who performs at Ystads Teater on 30 July at 18.00.

Honorary Ambassador is a life-time awar that will be presented in connection with the last concert of the festival at Charlottenlund on 2 Aug at 18.00.

Jazz Ambassadors for 2025 are actress and musical artist Beatrice Järås and vocalist, musician, songwriter and actress Nina Persson, best known as lead singer of The Cardigans.

Jazz Artist for 2025 is Peter Apelgren, comedian, writer, designer and artist who also entertained on TV in SVT’s På Spåret, winning for the second time in the 2024-2025 season.

The Fanfare from the Churchtower will be played by Peter Asplund, who also performs with pianist Claes Crona during the festival.

Next Jazz Generation presents 6-8 concerts at a completely new venue in yet another intimate garden. Bäckahästen is located between the main pedestrian street (Stora Östergatan) and Ystad Abbey (Klostret). Free admission.

YazzKidz is aimed at everyone with a spring in their step, young and old. There will be concerts at Svarte Beach Club and Backagården in Österlen. Bohuslän Big Band invites all children to a real jazz parade at Norra Promenaden! Free admission.

You can find more artists, concerts and venues such as O’Learys, Tingshuset 1881 in Hammenhög and Solhällan in Löderup in the concert overview here
(Subject to changes in the concert program due to the world situation:

Follow the festival on Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival, Facebook and  Instagram.

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For more information, contact:

Jan Lundgren, Artistic Director, about festival artists, jan@ystadjazz.se +46 70-865 8727
Thomas Lantz, President, about the festival in general, thomas@ystadjazz.se +46 76-105 2144
Itta Johnson, accreditation, marketing & press, itta@ystadjazz.se +46 70-580 9915

YSJF2025 Festival Program
Wednesday July 30
01.00 PMYstad SaltsjöbadLars Danielsson & Leszek Możdżer "Pasodoble & Beyond"
02.00 PMYstads Center"Musik på stan"
02.00 PMBäckahästenMartin Jutéus 3 (NJG)
04.00 PMBäckahästenWonder of Stevie (NJG)
06.00 PMYstad TheaterDave Holland "Kismet"
07.00 PMO´LearysMatch Made In Heaven
07.00 PMTingshuset 1881 HammenhögHannah o Ewan Svensson "Two Generations"
07.45 PMKlosterkyrkanClaes Crona & Peter Asplund "Double Play"
08.15 PMO´LearysLizas Kvintett
09.30 PMFestivalTornväktarePeter Asplund
10.00 PMYstads TheaterMike Stern Band
Thursday July 31
11.00 AMBäckahästenTilde Berrio García (NJG)
01.00 PMYstad SaltsjöbadNicole Johänntgen "Robin"
02.00 PMBäckahästenSouthern North Collective (NJG)
04.00 PMYstads TheaterMagnus Lindgren meets Musica Vitae ”Jazz Invit(a)es”
06.30 PMLilla Östergatan 3Hans Backenroth, Jacob Fischer, Thomas Fryland
07.00 PMO´LearysMatch Made In Heaven
09.00 PMYstads TheaterPaolo Fresu, Richard Galliano, Jan Lundgren "Mare Nostrum IV"
Friday
August 1
11.00 AMBäckahästenBrio (NJG)
01.00 PMYstads SaltsjöbadCatherine Russell
02.00 PMBäckahästenSassy Swings "A Tribute to Sarah Vaughan" (NJG)
04.00 PMYstads TheaterJan Lundgren/Anders Jormin/Wolfgang Haffner ”A Tribute to Bill Evans”
06.30 PMS:ta Maria kyrka Mattias Nilsson Solo
07.00 PMTingshuset 1881 HammenhögEskil Roos "Solo"
08.00 PMO´LearysMatch Made In Heaven
09.00 PMYstads TheaterLisa Nilsson meets Norrbotten Big Band
Saturday August 2
03.00 PMCharlottenlund Castle parkLaGaylia Frazier Soul! feat.Jonas Kullhammar
04.30 PMCharlottenlund Castle parkKarin Tingne with Big Blowin’ Band
06.00 PMCharlottenlund Castle parkNils Landgren,Viktoria Tolstoy,Ida Sand,Bohuslän Big Band ”To Quincy with Love”
08.00 PMSolhällan, LöderupThorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado
08.00 PMO´LearysFlorence Rooth Trio 
Sunday August 2
04.00 PM Solhällan, LöderupMonday Night Big Band feat Sinne Eeg
YazzKidz
Ons 30 jul 10.30 AMLöderupsgårdenFred Holmlund Trio ”Regnskogens rytmiska äventyr”
Ons 30 jul 02.00 PMBackagårdenFred Holmlund Trio ”Regnskogens rytmiska äventyr”
Fre 1 aug 10.30 AMSvarte StrandcaféFred Holmlund Trio ”Regnskogens rytmiska äventyr”
Fre 1 aug 02.00 PMNorra promenadenBohuslän Big Band "Jazzparad"