With summer fast approaching, calendars across the region are quickly filling up with all kinds of reasons to spend entire weekends outdoors. But every so often,
one motive feels a little more considered than the rest; this year, that distinction might very well belong to Jazzablanca.
A
yearly meet-up for music aficionados in Morocco since 2006, what started as a gathering primarily geared towards jazz enthusiasts has gradually evolved into a much wider cultural rendezvous, pulling together international heavyweights, regional acts, cult favorites, and genre-bending performers under one banner.
Held, as you’ve probably guessed from the name, in the North African Kingdom’s economic capital, Casablanca, the festival is currently gearing up for its 19th edition, set to unfold across nine days between July 2–11 in multiple corners of the city. And judging by the line-up unveiled so far, this might genuinely be one of its strongest iterations yet.
This year’s program stretches far beyond the festival’s jazz foundations, as has been the case for a few years now, with names like Ms. Lauryn Hill alongside Wyclef Jean, Jorja Smith, Jessie J, Robbie Williams, Scorpions and Mika all set to take over stages all across the city. Add to that appearances from regional favorites like Rabat-based MC Tchubi, Algerian singer Danyl, Palestinian star Zeyne, and rap sensation Iso Casablanca. The result is a lineup that feels increasingly rare today: one that is genuinely cross-generational, globally minded, and difficult to reduce to a single scene or audience.
Tickets are already up for grabs through the festival’s official website, with the last remaining early bird passes currently starting at around $270 USD before increasing to approximately $450 USD once that allocation sells out.
For more information, click here.