Bayer Arts and Culture presents: The Leverkusen Jazz Days
The Leverkusen Jazz Days have been an integral part of the cultural life of the city of Leverkusen since 1980 and have developed into an internationally recognized jazz festival over the decades. For almost a month in November, Leverkusen becomes the center of the jazz scene, offering 30,000 visitors a highlight in the annual festival calendar. Bayer Arts and Culture has been one of the sponsors since the beginning and has been the Presenting Sponsor since 2019.
“Without Bayer Arts and Culture, the Leverkusen Jazz Days in their current form would not be conceivable – the company is not only our presenting sponsor but also our most important partner. With the venues of the stARTfestival, doors are literally opened for us, creating spaces where jazz from Leverkusen can radiate out into the world.”
© Tony Duran (Lady Blackbird)
From the very beginning, the declared goal of the Leverkusen Jazz Days has been to bring outstanding jazz musicians from all over the world to Leverkusen and to introduce the audience to the full range of this music genre. Over the years, numerous jazz legends as well as outstanding contemporary artists have performed on the festival stages. The program has continuously evolved, incorporating new styles of jazz. In this way, the Leverkusen Jazz Days have steadily solidified their reputation as a first-class jazz festival and have become an important attraction for fans from the region and far beyond. From Ray Charles to Jamie Cullum, many big names have already been guests in Leverkusen—and have themselves become fans of the festival. At the same time, the program is increasingly opening up to all possible forms and intersections of jazz, from singer/songwriter formats to rap and hip-hop.
© Key Visual: Carsten Goke (Jakob Manz), Photos: Tony Duran (Lady Blackbird), Christian Hartmann (Sandro Roy)