Zacchae’us Paul is a 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer with deep roots in Black music and the African diaspora. His debut album Jazz Money offers a fresh, idiosyncratic take on jazz, infused with Atlanta hip-hop, gospel, and Caribbean rhythms. Paul started making music at a young age in a self-built home studio, learning to play by ear without formal theory. His musical journey took him from churches in Atlanta to music schools in Puerto Rico, where he further explored the rhythms and stories of the diaspora. Jazz Money was recorded in New York, Atlanta, Puerto Rico, and Philadelphia, and is full of personal stories, humor, and social reflection. With contributions from the likes of Terri Lyne Carrington, Morgan Guerin, and his fiancée Melanie Charles, Paul delivers a sound that is both timeless and contemporary, a bridge between generations.

Shane Koppers

Super Sonic Jazz

Zacchae’us Paul

DON WEST

Riding the waves of the soul revival, DON WEST creates coastal-soul music in his own unique style. Inspired by icons like Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, as well as modern artists such as Jalen Ngonda and Thee Sacred Souls, the Sydney-based singer-songwriter is leaving his mark on the genre. His debut EP, set for release in November 2024, includes tracks like Small Change and Friends, which are already gaining global success. On Saturday, September 6th, he’ll bring his sunny sounds to Tolhuistuin.

Mulatu Astatke

Mulatu Astatke is known as the father of Ethiopian jazz, and that’s for good reason. He plays on all the important instrumental albums from the heyday of Ethiopian jazz in the 1970s. The now 81-year-old musician received his musical training in London and New York, and in Boston, Astatke was the first African student at the renowned Berklee College of Music. There, he combined jazz, Latin, and traditional Ethiopian music. Back in his home country, he introduced instruments like the vibraphone, keyboard, congas, and bongos into the music. But it is especially the grooving, Ethiopian melodies that Astatke brought into American jazz that he is praised for. He performed on stage with legends like Duke Ellington and Alice Coltrane. His music still inspires many musicians, and his songs are frequently used as samples by artists such as Nas, Damian Marley, and Kanye West. Astatke broke through to a large international audience (again) when, starting in the late 1990s, the Ethio-jazz reissues from the ‘Éthiopiques’ compilation series were released, and his music was used in the soundtrack for Jim Jarmusch’s 2005 film Broken Flowers.

In 2025, he will start his farewell tour and release Mulatu Plays Mulatu, a retrospective of his legendary career. “I wanted to spread Ethio-jazz worldwide, and I have succeeded,” he says – a legacy that will undoubtedly live on.

Surprise Chef

Surprise Chef creates atmospheric, instrumental jazz-funk with influences from 1970s soundtracks, funky jazz, and hip-hop samples. Their distinctive sound comes from endless hours in the studio, studying the great masters, and a unique perspective shaped by their geographic distance. The band describes their music as “moody shades of instrumental jazz-funk,” where sharp drums, infectious keys, rhythmic guitar in the style of Studio One, and flute lines reminiscent of Blue Note come together. Last year, Surprise Chef performed at London Calling, and on Tuesday, September 16, they will return to Amsterdam for their own headline show at Tolhuistuin.

Mereba

The alternative R&B rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer Mereba learned to play guitar from a folk guitar teacher when she was a young teenager in North Carolina. This has shaped the way she writes her songs. Her focus is on simple stories from everyday life, metaphors related to nature, melancholic tones, and criticism of the system.

Through her debut album The Jungle is the Only Way Out, many doors opened for Mereba. This even led to a connection with the icon Stevie Wonder, who mentored Mereba around the same time. She has also collaborated extensively with rappers like JID, Earthgang, and 6lack.

This year, Mereba released a brand-new album: The Breeze Grew a Fire. The album is a loving, inspiring return to her roots, where Mereba lets go of a painful past, moves into future possibilities, and flows with the current of life. Surrounded by the warmth of relationships and memories, Mereba feels empowered, both as an artist and as a mother.

Move 78

Move 78 is a Berlin-based band that blends the raw energy of jazz improvisation with heavy hip-hop beats. Their sound is both spontaneous and layered, where live performance and technology merge into something unpredictable and captivating. The name refers to a legendary Go game in which a human player surprised AI with a brilliant, unpredictable move. It became a moment where human creativity and intuition surpassed the power of artificial intelligence. This idea – the unexpected, spontaneous, and human versus the calculated and mechanical – is exactly what Move 78 explores in their music. They combine jazz improvisation and hip-hop rhythms with technology, with each recording emerging from a process of experimentation, erasing, and rebuilding. Much like the legendary Go game, they seek a balance between human and machine, leaving room for surprises. Since 2021, Move 78 has released three studio albums: The Algorithm Smiles Upon You, Automated Improvisation, and Grains, and on Friday, September 26, the band will perform at Paradiso for the first time.

Santrofi

In Ghanaian Akan mythology, Santrofi is a very rare, brightly colored bird with four wings. It symbolizes prosperity, beauty, and the power of song. It’s no surprise then that the band Santrofi has chosen this name. Santrofi plays vintage highlife, funk, and afrobeat and is a collective of well-known young musicians from the Ghanaian music scene. The eight-member band was founded by bassist and producer Emmanuel Ofori, who made his name with Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band, and Gyedu-Blay Ambolley. Santrofi’s mission: to put highlife back on the map—not just for the world, but also for Ghana.

After already bringing their energetic discography to over a hundred shows across Europe, Santrofi now returns to Amsterdam with new music. Their brand-new album Making Moves is both a celebration of Santrofi’s roots and a leap into the future of highlife. On the album, the band collaborates with several artists from the afrobeats and trap scenes in Ghana, such as Kofi Jar and Ara.

Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

Brandee Younger

When you think of the harp, jazz or modern music might not be the first things that come to mind—but Brandee Younger is changing that perception. This bold American harpist is carving out a successful and groundbreaking new role for the harp as a leading instrument. The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw has invited Younger for a one-time, unique collaboration to push the boundaries of big band jazz.

Harpist Brandee Younger is a powerful force in contemporary jazz and has long outgrown the title of “Rising Star,” awarded to her in 2020 by DownBeat magazine. In 2022, she became the first woman of color to be nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Instrumental Composition. In recent years, she has collaborated with artists such as Lakecia Benjamin, Robert Glasper, Makaya McCraven, Common, Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Ron Carter, Lauryn Hill, and John Legend. Her latest and seventh album, Brand New Life, is a tribute to the boundary-breaking harpist Dorothy Ashby.

The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw is made up of world-class Dutch jazz musicians. As one of Europe’s top big bands, it has won multiple Edison Awards and previously collaborated with major artists like Chick Corea, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Joshua Redman, and James Carter. The orchestra is dedicated to making over a century of jazz accessible to new generations, while also looking forward by partnering with contemporary jazz musicians from around the world.

This concert is part of Big Sounds Amsterdam.  
Big Sounds = Big fun! That’s the spirit of Big Sounds Amsterdam, a biennial festival that shines a spotlight on large ensembles. With room for improvisation, daring ideas, and sounds from across the globe, Big Sounds is at the forefront of a new era in large ensemble music. From October 1 to 12, 2025, you’ll hear Big Sounds all across Amsterdam!

Big Sounds Amsterdam is a collaboration between the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Bimhuis, Meervaart, the Concertgebouw, Paradiso, ZO Jazz Stage, Kompaszaal, Felix Meritis, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

Brandee Younger & Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

Cymande

Cymande, the legendary British funk and soul band, is known for their unique blend of jazz, reggae, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and spiritual messages. Formed in the early 1970s by musicians of Caribbean descent, the band became a cult favorite within the funk and early hip-hop scenes, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. Their tracks like Bra, The Message, and Brothers on the Slide were later compiled and rediscovered by DJs and producers, making them an essential influence on hip-hop, rare groove, and acid jazz.

Now, after decades of reappraisal and a new generation of listeners embracing their music, Cymande returns with Renascence. This album is a true gem in their iconic discography and a spiritual and sonic successor to their classic Promised Heights (1974). Renascence brings a fresh, modern edge to their timeless sound while staying true to the foundations the band once laid – a sound that was pivotal to the early hip-hop and funk movements. This album tells the story of a band that did not receive the recognition they deserved at the time but is now back to claim that crown. Still politically aware, still spiritually uplifting, and still irresistibly grooving.

Amaria

Amaria McGee found her way into the music industry through an unexpected route. A “media girl” from Tampa, Florida, she initially focused on photography and videography, which brought her closer to her city’s creative scene. That same scene inspired her to release her debut track ‘Morning’ in 2020, a lo-fi R&B track that quickly became a hit and launched her career as a self-taught musician. That year also saw the release of tracks ‘Waiting’, ‘Twilight’ and ‘Moon’, quickly gathering millions of streams. Amaria grew into a versatile artist in four years. Late last year, she released her debut album, ‘Free Fallin”, which brings together her signature dreamy R&B, bass-driven neo-soul and indie influences, inspired by artists such as Erykah Badu, Tame Impala and Lianne La Havas.

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We are an Amsterdam-based non-profit platform for exciting artists who move within the universe of jazz. We release music on our independent record label, and in collaboration with Paradiso we organize concerts, jams, and the annual Super-Sonic Jazz Festival.

Calling our artists, crew, and visitors ‘family’ isn’t something we do without intention: It’s our goal to unite, connect, and inspire each other. Apart from organizing events and releasing music, we share background stories about the artists we love and extend knowledge about past and present music. We are building this community together.

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https://www.supersonicjazz.nl/

Super Sonic Jazz

100+

Zacchae’us Paul

DON WEST

DON WEST

Mulatu Astatke

Surprise Chef

Mereba

Move 78

Santrofi

Brandee Younger & Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw

Cymande

July