# Great atmosphere trump’s big names successful at Ahoy Rotterdam – North Sea Jazz Festival 2025: Photos

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2025/07/22/great-atmosphere-trumps-big-names-successful-at-ahoy-rotterdam-north-sea-jazz-festival-2025-photos/
- Published: 2025-07-22T21:13:55+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Although the NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL officially takes place every year in the 
second week of July, it kicks off much earlier throughout Rotterdam with a fantastic
program that will get music lovers excited about everything jazz and related styles.**

For the 20th time, over 350 concerts will be held under the banner NORTH SEA ROUND
TOWN at various unique locations, showcasing the best jazz, soul, R&B, funk, hip-
hop, and pop, as well as all sorts of electronic and improvised sounds.

[⌊Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van
Rooijen⌉⌊Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography 
Marco van Rooijen⌉[

A tribute to Rotterdam’s history and musical innovation go hand in hand here. Music
plays everywhere, and banners and flags are displayed, further drawing attention
to this wonderful event. On Saturday and Sunday, the entire city center transforms
into one giant music stage. You simply can’t miss it.

The epicenter of the music was once again in Ahoy and the surrounding complex last
weekend, where no fewer than 90,000 visitors, spread over three days, had the time
of their lives.

Rotterdam is clearly proud of this enormous event, which, after all those years 
in The Hague, has now truly become part of the beautiful city on the Nieuwe Maas.
BluesMagazine has once again attempted to capture an impression of the 49th edition
here…

On the atmospheric terrace of the Mississippi, the stage is barely big enough to
accommodate all the members of DEKOOR X USBB.

No fewer than two top ensembles, the Utrecht Student Big Band and Dekoor Close Harmony,
have joined forces here to kick off the festival with the vibrant energy of the 
big band and the vocal power of the pop-jazz choir, and to offer the first visitors
a musical welcome.

Make no mistake, the men of DI-RECT have happily been accompanied by the choir before,
and even The Rolling Stones could never have made “You Can’t Always Get What You
Want” sound so beautiful at Pinkpop eleven years ago without this talented ensemble.

[⌊Jerron Paxton - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Jerron Paxton-
North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

The spirit of The Rolling Stones, who last played here in 2003, still lingers. For
a moment, it even sounds like “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” resounding from the large
Nile. Even the percussion and beautiful sax solo by Bobby Keys are present.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The powerful guitar intro, however, comes
from Pablo, who’s here with DEWOLFF giving a smashing performance during their tour,
which includes all the major festivals. DEWOLFF’s bizarre, wild ride in Festivalland
almost came to an end last week.

A packed Stadspark in Groningen, awaiting the Teskey Brothers, watched the passionate
musician make a completely failed stage dive during the opening act, subsequently
tearing his ankle ligaments. The Rock N’ Soul Revue—we’ll leave the Roll part aside
for now—fortunately made it to Rotterdam after all.

[⌊Moses Patrou - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Moses Patrou-
North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

Imagine it happening to you, almost missing out on one of the most important festivals.
The guys have played here before, and you certainly don’t want to miss this opportunity.“
I always thought sitting was chill, but it’s not. It just sucks!” he says, both 
sincere and disappointed, from his wheelchair.

“Everything’s in different places,” he says, trying to swap his guitar for yet another
beautiful one. “You’ve been on stage for eighteen years,” he says, looking at Robin
and Luka. “I feel sorry for you.”

The healing power of the New Orleans sound and the influence of Reverend Al Green
during a previous visit to Memphis still seem to have a lasting effect.

[⌊Mary J. Blige - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Mary J. Blige-
North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

He cautiously stands up, then, with his guitar, “takes advantage” of the situation…
no, turns necessity into a virtue by being wheeled through the hall in a wheelchair.

We were already familiar with “Wheelchair Groupies,” but riding through the audience
with that cart while singing and playing is quite an experience. Meanwhile, the 
brass section resonates strongly within the overall sound, including a flute. Originally
a trio, but now with an expanded XL version, DEWOLFF knows how to shake the Nile.

The expanded version also features an addition of the two backup singers, who are
introduced with the addition of “+1,” so apparently, little wolves are expected 
later.

The Limburgers bring New Orleans to the Nile with a touch of black soul from the
southern states of the USA, followed by a spicy Latin sauce that gets the audience
moving. They’re pulling out all the stops, everything is allowed, and with a band
like this, it all fits together seamlessly.

Besides, we’re at a jazz festival, where you can create music without limits, enjoying
it endlessly.

The possibilities are also limitless when the organizers assign you the honorable
position of Artist in Residence. This year, JACOB COLLIER will be on stage for all
those days, each day with a different project of his own choosing. Tomorrow he’ll
give a clinic, and on Sunday he’ll close the show with the Metropole Orchestra.

[⌊Herbie Hancock - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Herbie Hancock-
North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

Today he’s playing with his own band. The British singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
is only thirty years old, but he already brings a wealth of musical experience with
him. He was here in 2016 and was invited back the following year, which also marked
his major international debut.

Expectations were already high then. They still are, but that’s mainly due to the
excitement and curiosity about what he’ll be doing today. The man can truly do anything
and wants to do a lot, sometimes too much.

The interactive performance is fueled by energy and dynamism, with the audience 
playing a significant role in the show. It can get a bit crowded at times, but the
enthusiasm quickly spreads through the audience, creating a truly delightful party
early in the festival.

[⌊Jon Cleary - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Jon Cleary -
North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

And for parties, you should hire THE PHILHARMONIK and set them up in the Congo tent.
It’s Friday afternoon, after all, and for many visitors, the workweek is over, and
they want to dance to the funky and soulful grooves of the band fronted by singer/
keyboardist Christian Gates.

The sound has plenty of low notes that make your pants vibrate. Exactly how funk
should sound. There are frequent harkens back to the seventies and to music from
great artists like Outkast, Roots, and the Black Eyed Peas from the early days, 
which the American grew up with, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel dated at 
all.

The cozy and catchy “Fuck You, Pay Me” quickly gets stuck in your head. No problem.
The band is making its debut here today, and it will certainly have a sequel at 
North Sea Jazz, where the atmosphere has really heated up.

[⌊Sheila E. - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Sheila E. - North
Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

It’s especially warm on the festival’s smallest stage in Congo Square, where JERRON
PAXTON wipes the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief as he does his soundcheck.
He performs entirely solo, mostly sitting, and has brought along two banjos, an 
acoustic guitar, and an electric organ.

“I would have liked more trees and shade,” he says as he tunes his guitar. “I tune,
because I care,” he checks the pedals on his organ. “Gas, breaks…” he jokes, as 
if it were a car. The sun is shining directly on his face, but he enjoys the attention
around him. Paxton takes his audience back in time with blues as it was played a
hundred years ago.

It’s seemingly quite simple, even primitive, yet also incredibly powerful and, above
all, sincere. It comes from a time that was anything but easy, “Hard Times,” but
the music kept many poor people going. So too are his ancestors, and to whom he 
dedicates “How I Got Over”: “I’ll take you to Macedonia Mississippi Baptist Church
where my grandparents always sat in the front row.”

Besides the worn-out string instruments, he also proves to be a fantastic keyboardist
with a very pleasant voice. For younger audiences, his album “Things Done Changed,”
full of pre-war blues, is an excellent foundation for learning to embrace blues 
music.

Ultimately, it’s likely they’ll eventually encounter the music of JUDITH HILL, who,
not entirely coincidentally, is playing in the adjacent tent to a rapturous audience.
She’s unknown to many, but that makes sense when we go back in time, when she primarily
operated as a sidekick or background singer on “20 Feet From Stardom.”

She even received a Grammy Award for the documentary of the same name, a wonderful
distinction for a talented artist who is largely overshadowed by a big name. In 
her case, that meant a role in the entourage of Michael Jackson and Prince.

After a love affair with the latter, she was eventually labeled a “black widow,”
and that subsequently proved to be the basis for the music released on her album“
Letters from a Black Widow.” What she and her band present today is full of emotion,
dedication, inspiration, and above all, musicianship.

Funk, soul, R&B, and even blues all come together in this performance, where her
rendition of “Cry, Cry, Cry,” with those enormous vocal outbursts in the finale,
can be considered a highlight of the show.

It’s a small step to the show that will take place at the Nile, because there will
also be someone who had a more than just musical connection to Prince. The performance
of SHEILA E. AND THE E-TRAIN FEATURING PETE ESCOVEDO has been eagerly anticipated.

We’ve seen fathers and sons play at the festival, but there are also daughters and
fathers who once shared the stage here. We remember the beautiful duets between 
Candy and Hans Dulfer, but also the duet “Father and Friend” by Alain Clark with
his father, Dane.

Sheila E. has brought her father, and he’s already anticipating his birthday, which
will take place the next day. Pete is turning ninety, but apparently he hasn’t forgotten
how to play the drums.

The percussionist brings a wealth of experience to the table. He once performed 
alongside Carlos Santana. His daughter is immensely proud of him and expresses her
appreciation to the audience: “You have no idea what this means to us.

[⌊DeWolff - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊DeWolff - North
Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

That we can do this feels like a great gift. We’ve always wanted to keep the music
of great heroes like Santana, Tower of Power, and Sly Stone alive, and thanks to
you, this has been made possible.

Without you, we would be nothing. Music is our life.” It’s almost embarrassing. 
Anyone who only knows Sheila E. from her eighties hits and arrives early will be
somewhat surprised when the beginning of the set consists mainly of experimental
jazz, Latin, and fusion. Fortunately, her hits are not missing tonight.

“Do you know what my favorite love song is?” Cheers erupt at the intro of ‘Love 
Bizarre’. For ‘Glamorous Life,’ they have to be patient and endure a very extended
drum/percussion solo. It’s all very much based on rhythm, but things can sometimes
get a bit shaky when enthusiasm takes over.

[⌊DeWolff - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊DeWolff - North
Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but if you want to see a tight drummer
at work, you’re better off going to LADY WRAY at the smaller Darling, where the 
sound is much better tuned. The singer not only chose the most striking outfit of
the day but also the warmest one to wear.

“Is it a star? Is it a ‘Melody’? This one’s for the mothers.” She’s the proud mother
of a 7-year-old daughter. Accompanied only by a guitar, her powerful voice is fully
showcased. “Piece of Me” is also from the previous album of the same name, but we
can already look forward to the new material on “Cover Girl,” which will be released
in September and which already provides a taste that will leave you wanting more.

“You’re Gonna Win” is soulful, beautifully sung, and tightly accompanied. We’re 
leaving with “Guilty,” but we don’t feel guilty for a moment because we know for
sure we’ll see her again on the next tour following the new release.

Through the warm-blooded jazz sounds with African influences of the PETER SOMUAH
GROUP, the band surrounding the trumpeter with his beautiful, dark voice, we walk
to another stage where we would have loved to see GRACE BOWERS & THE HODGE PODGE,
but where Bospop previously announced their absence this weekend, NSJ has now also
had to find a replacement.

With JON CLEARY, they certainly succeeded admirably. We’ve seen Cleary here before,
and it’s clear everyone is enjoying this reunion.

The atmosphere is already fantastic even during his soundcheck. The UK-born American
brings New Orleans to the Mississippi but also doesn’t shy away from a cheerful 
Latin tune with a cowbell in hand.

The life of the party has an important question for the audience: “Are you feeling
good?” The square slowly but surely fills up for Cleary and his fine musicians, 
who prove themselves a worthy replacement for the aforementioned act.

It’ll never be as packed as HERBIE HANCOCK’s Amazon. You’d have to queue an hour
beforehand to get in, and even the second-largest hall has a sign: “De Maas Is Op
Dit Moment Vol” (The Maas Is Currently Full) when THE EZRA COLLECTIVE’s performance
begins.

A whopping 8,000 visitors don’t want to miss a thing with this enormous musical 
collective from London that made waves a week earlier at the legendary Glastonbury
Festival. They’ve been here before, but today the hall could easily have been filled
twice over. They’ve clearly made great strides, and you can safely assume they’re
among the biggest acts at the festival.

[⌊Lady Wray - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Lady Wray - North
Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

The Afrobeats are a hit, but the heavy dub-reggae sounds are also impressive. “Out
in the streets they call it murder” is sung along to en masse. Angie Stone’s famous‘
I Wish’ also gets a special EZRA treatment and it quickly degenerates into an intense
grooving state where almost no one can manage not to move along to the beats.

At that moment, something similar is happening, albeit on a slightly smaller scale,
in the Congo with ARP FRIQUE & THE PERPETUAL SINGERS.

It’s Friday night, so it’s time to dance to a wave of funk, soul, and dance. The
singers look dazzling. And so does Arp’s glitter jacket. He’s the musical director,
in charge of everything that happens on stage.

He himself plays keyboards and guitar. Among the singers, it’s Mariseya who regularly
takes center stage. They all get to introduce themselves by singing. Charmaine might
be the best, or maybe Jerelee? “Do You Wanna Know My Name?” But the introductions
do slow down the show.

 

[⌊Jacob Collier - North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉⌊Jacob Collier-
North Sea Jazz 2025 - Photography Marco van Rooijen⌉[

As if a true queen were wearing a grand crown, anyone who’s seen her trophy cabinet
can hardly deny that she remains the most important female artist in soul, R&B, 
and hip-hop of the past thirty years.

However, the set struggles to get going, and the sound seems to be completely out
of whack, but the audience loves it. Rapper Method Man is unfortunately missing 
from the duet on “I’ll Be There For You/All I Need To Get By,” which was recorded
thirty years ago, leaving plenty to criticize about Blige’s return to the Netherlands.

There’s really nothing new to report, and anyone looking for an update on all sorts
of war situations will have to keep a close eye on the big screen. Anyone waiting
for “No More Drama” will have to wait until the end of the set. By then, we’re already
heading home. It was a wonderful first day.⌊Judith Hill (concertfoto)⌉

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