Toni Schmidt

In keeping with the city of Hamburg's spirit of openness, The Bridge project fuses musical currents from several countries. For this perfromance, the NDR big band joins forces with Lenine, the multi-award-winning Brazilian singer-songwriter, for arrangements by Martin Fondse that transcend genres and blend elements of jazz, classical music and pop.

Shake Stew's powerful, telluric tunes make you want to sway to the beat, and invite you to let go into a trance-like state. The Austrian band captivate audiences with their blend of driving African percussion rhythms and heady brass melodies.

Twee-pop melodies and acerbic lyrics about the difficult passage to adulthood: It can only be Glasgow's own Belle & Sebastian. A classic indie band who have been blending arty inclinations with spry guitar pop since the 1990s.

Senegal's Alune Wade is open to musical genres and all possible fusions. This virtuoso bassist, singer and composer has succeeded in blending genres ranging from Afrobeat to jazz. An immersive concert of sounds that seem both exotic and familiar.

Immersed in music from an early age, Judith Hill's work blends soul, R&B and funk. Her sincere and fragile creations prove just how much courage and strength it takes for women to make their mark in the male-dominated music industry.

Moses Yoofee (piano), Roman Klobe-Barangă (bass) and Noah Fürbringer (percussion) are revitalising the jazz scene across the Rhine. The trio's explosive sound blends hip-hop, jazz, soul and R&B.

The NDR Bigband play on home turf here at Elbjazz festival, marking their ongoing collaboration with Cuban pianist-composer Omar Sosa. 17 players in total demonstrate an uncommon versitility as they leap across a variety of styles underlined by the cosmopolitan compositions of Sosa's restless creative spirit.