contra

19:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome LIUKE ft. Sofiya Astapiuk

LIUKE is the project of Amsterdam-based guitarist, composer, and bandleader Luca Polizzi. Rooted in contemporary jazz, the ensemble balances intensity and space through lyrical melodies, cinematic textures, and open improvisation. His albums have united musicians from across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Live, LIUKE immerses audiences in a dynamic, energetic, and deeply interactive experience, where spontaneity and collective listening shape each concert into something unique. Special guest is Sofiya Astapiuk on Vocals. With the participation of Ignacio Pinto on Bass and Ricardo Ramos on Drums

Sofiya Astapiuk – vocals
Luca Polizzi – guitar
Ignacio Pinto – bass
Ricardo Ramos – drums

21:00

Voor deze speciale gelegenheid organiseert Gallowstreet een intieme luistersessie in Contra, waar zij hun prachtige nieuwe plaat voor het eerst presenteren. In een bijzondere setting luisteren we samen naar het album en vertellen de bandleden meer over de muziek, het maakproces en de verhalen achter de plaat.

20:00

Friday Night Live is the long awaited late night jam session refuge for jazz players and lovers alike! Steamy jazz, dimmed lights, bold cocktails, a delicious chef’s menu and Europe’s finest musicians letting loose; Friday Night Live seeks out to become both an inspiring as well as highly entertaining institution of Amsterdam. Opening set from 20:00-21:30, jam session from 21:30-23:00. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket. Bringing you instrument? then entry is free!

This edition we welcome our own Linus Eppinger and a great mystery guest who will be announced a week before.

Linus Eppinger has established himself as one of the best guitarists in the Dutch jazz scene. He switches effortlessly between styles and settings, has his own unique voice on his instrument and maybe even more important: always has a smile on his face. Linus is the force between Friday Night Live and when he doesn’t play himself he curates the session’s house bands.

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome Giuls!

Giuls is an Italian R&B artist currently based in Amsterdam. She is bringing honesty and vulnerability to the stage, delivering soulful vocals and a captivating performance. Expect a dynamic live show where pianist Micah Graves and drummer Prayanswer interact with one another, creating a rich musical dialogue driven by groove, improvisation, and soul. Their chemistry on stage transforms each performance into an immersive experience, where rhythm, emotion, and spontaneity come together in a unique way.

Vocals Giuls
Piano Micah Graves
Drums Prayanswer

19:00

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

To celebrate ADE we organise a week of eclectic, futuristic and above all insanely groovy electronic jazz! Inspired by the NU Jazz movement that has taken over the USA, UK and Europe we invite artists that blend jazz with electronic music, hiphop and other influences. This edition we invite an Amsterdam-based band and 3 leading instrumentalists of their generation…. Smandem!

SMANDEM. is an Amsterdam-based collective consisting of Aäron Bouwman (bass), Rafael Devante Sinay (guitar), and Kick Woudstra (drums). Inspired by artists such as Herbie Hancock, Christian Scott, and Wayne Shorter, as well as Kanye West and Brent Faiyaz, the trio creates a sound deeply rooted in the jazz tradition while refusing to be confined by stylistic boundaries or formal conventions. They continuously push forward, exploring ways to connect their refined musicianship with contemporary popular music. After years of playing together and as sidemen in the biggest productions of the Netherlands, they’ve grown to be a strong team. A philosophy that lies at the core of both their music and their personalities is: “Tradition is a living thing. Not to be mistaken for history, which is a passive concept. To be alive means to develop, evolve and adapt which is exactly what we’re trying to do with our music.”

20:00

Friday Night Live is the long awaited late night jam session refuge for jazz players and lovers alike! Steamy jazz, dimmed lights, bold cocktails, a delicious chef’s menu and Europe’s finest musicians letting loose; Friday Night Live seeks out to become both an inspiring as well as highly entertaining institution of Amsterdam. Opening set from 20:00-21:30, jam session from 21:30-23:00. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket. Bringing you instrument? then entry is free!

To celebrate ADE we organise a week of eclectic, futuristic and above all insanely groovy electronic jazz! Inspired by the NU Jazz movement that has taken over the USA, UK and Europe we invite artists that blend jazz with electronic music, hiphop and other influences.

IKIGAI is an Amsterdam-based collective built around groove, improvisation and interaction. Founded by D!ma Loginov and Justin Maas, the project brings together musicians from different backgrounds and scenes, creating music somewhere between jazz, soul, electronic and grove based music.

Dima Loginov – Trumpet
Kitano Hernandez – piano/keys
Agus Fulka – Guitar
Justin Maas – Bass
Max Sergeant – Drums

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

To celebrate ADE we organise a week of eclectic, futuristic and above all insanely groovy electronic jazz! Inspired by the NU Jazz movement that has taken over the USA, UK and Europe we invite artists that blend jazz with electronic music, hiphop and other influences. This edition we invite Superweekend!

Hailing from Bretagne, Charente, and Vietnam, the three musicians are ready to make your cheek muscles and your hamstrings ache with their virtuosic playing, 3-part vocal harmonies, drum and bass beats and super duper emotional melodies. Their 2026 show is a non-stop adventure through sound and visuals. Their deep and emotional storytelling crossed with their absurd sense of humor leaves audience members on a rollercoaster of emotions. Some common side effects of this show have been: laughing, dancing, crying, screaming, singing, thinking, sleeping, and clapping.

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome Eran Har Even!

Guitarist, composer, educator, and researcher Eran Har Even presents his long-standing trio with bassist Omer Govreen and drummer Wouter Kühne. The trio has been an important part of Har Even’s musical practice for many years, developing a shared language rooted in jazz tradition while remaining open to contemporary approaches to harmony, rhythm, sound, and improvisation. The trio’s repertoire brings together Har Even’s original compositions with material from his ongoing exploration of the music of Wayne Shorter, a central influence on his musical thinking.

Alongside his work as a performer and composer, Eran has developed a strong research-driven approach to music and guitar playing through his work as an educator at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. His musical practice often explores the space between established jazz language and new possibilities, with a particular interest in polyphony, harmonic structures, rhythmic independence, and the evolving role of the electric guitar.

20:00

Friday Night Live is the long awaited jam session refuge for jazz players and lovers alike! Steamy jazz, dimmed lights, bold cocktails, a delicious chef’s menu and Europe’s finest musicians letting loose; Friday Night Live seeks out to become both an inspiring as well as highly entertaining institution of Amsterdam. Opening set from 20:00-21:30, jam session from 21:30-23:00. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket. Bringing you instrument? then entry is free!

This edition we welcome the incomparable Egle Petrosiute!

Egle Petrosuite is a jazz & world music vocalist, arranger, and composer based in the Netherlands. Her natural elegance has a touch of wild spirit that breaks free through her music and improvisation. From the greatest jazz singers and horn players to Brazilian rhythms and Stevie Wonder, her music echoes a sophisticated and entertaining blend of influences. In her highly textured arrangements, she binds jazz harmony with creative layers of vocals and a top-notch rhythm section. With her own bands (EGLE Ensemble, Samba da Minha Terra) and as a guest singer (Fernando Paiva Group) Petrosiute has performed on a variety of stages and festivals in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Hungary, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Portugal, and Brazil. Petrosiute has had chances to sing with several great orchestras, namely Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Vilnius Jazz Orchestra, LRT Light Music Orchestra, The Magic Time Orchestra, Amstel Big Band, and the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw. She is currently working on the CD “World Voices” with Fernando Paiva and her debut CD with EGLE Ensemble.

Egle Petrosiute – voice
Oscar Ployart – piano
Ties Laarakker – double bass
tba – drums

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we collaborate with our residents from Color in the Yard!

A night to boogie to the finest records of disco funk, on this night you will witness our most undoubtedly thrilling edition yet! Color In The Yard invites Victor on vinyl, vocalists Kalia, Samuel Lauren, Sherefa Yorks and Gloria Maxii, accompanied by Vincent Eerenberg on the piano, Odysseas Dellis on the trombone, Joshua Souza on the sax, Alex Galeridis on the guitar and Olivier Kayl on drums. Full house and we’re taking over the dance floor. Let the funk possess you at Spooooooky Boogieeee

20:00

This september a new residency program starts and we’re extremely happy and proud to announce our new 4 month resident: Avishai Darash!

Pianist, composer, and bandleader Avishai Darash presents his new trio featuring drummer Joe Blaxx and bassist Omer Govreen. With Heart-Bop, the trio explores the language of hard bop from a contemporary perspective. Rooted in the tradition of the 1950s and ’60s, the focus is on groove, clarity, and interplay, with a program of original compositions and arrangements that both respect the idiom and reflect a modern approach. The trio treats swing as a flexible concept that is constantly evolving, shaped by their individual voices and collective interaction. Rather than reproducing a historical sound, Darash and his trio place this tradition in a new framework—retaining its directness and energy while remaining open to a broader, contemporary musical context. The result is a clear and accessible program that bridges tradition and modernity, approaching jazz as a shared and continuously evolving language. After their first show in Amsterdam at Contra during the Red Light Jazz festival, this summer the trio recorded their first album in Wisseloord.

Avishai Darash – piano
Omer Govreen – double bass
Joe Blaxx – drums

Residency dates:
September 17
October 8
November 5
December 17

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome The ISO Trio!

The ISO Trio is a modern jazz organ trio: With Bertram Haselager (DK) on guitar, Micah Graves (US) on Yamaha organ, and Max Sergeant (NL) on drums. The band is formed through the Dutch jazz scene and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and has since arranged jazz music with various influences such as gospel, hard bop, and modal jazz. Their music is a new take on the old organ trio format. Something they’ve shared among venues such as Bimhuis, De Nieuwe Anita, and Hidden Jazz Club Amsterdam. Their sets are interactive and high energy, built around a high level of musicianship and improvisation.

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome Kvintakord!

“Kvintakord” is a multi-international modern jazz quintet based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The idea of their music is to give the listener a non-sophisticated and highly-emotional experience, transmitted though easy to remember melodies and soulful and energetic jazz improvisations. “Kvintakord” literally means the most basic structure in music harmony from which we can hear an emotion. It is the simplest way to express happiness or sadness.

Romain Gachot – trumpet
Julian Garvayo – trombone
David Urban – piano
Duarte Fernandes – double bass
Alexander Ivanov – drums and compositions

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we invite SMANDEM.

SMANDEM. is an Amsterdam-based collective consisting of Aäron Bouwman (bass), Rafael Devante Sinay (guitar), and Kick Woudstra (drums). Inspired by artists such as Herbie Hancock, Christian Scott, and Wayne Shorter, as well as Kanye West and Brent Faiyaz, the trio creates a sound deeply rooted in the jazz tradition while refusing to be confined by stylistic boundaries or formal conventions. They continuously push forward, exploring ways to connect their refined musicianship with contemporary popular music. After years of playing together and as sidemen in the biggest productions of the Netherlands, they’ve grown to be a strong team. A philosophy that lies at the core of both their music and their personalities is: “Tradition is a living thing. Not to be mistaken for history, which is a passive concept. To be alive means to develop, evolve and adapt which is exactly what we’re trying to do with our music.”

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome Lassi Friman quartet!

Guitarist-composer Lassi Friman’s quartet brings a fresh, melodic and groove-based sound to the stage. Built around Friman’s own compositions and carefully selected standards, the music combines memorable melodies, rhythms drawn from a wide spectrum of groove-oriented music, and layers of jazz tradition from different decades.

Lassi Friman – guitar and compositions
Marios Charalampous – tenor saxophone
Philip Levin – double bass
Tim Rachbach – drums

20:30

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket is €12,50 per person and includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we welcome the Soldiers of Love!

Soldiers of Love is founded by jazz singer Nina Yip Simone and brings a musical homage to one of the most iconic artists of soul history: Sade. Her timeless music has connected with multiple generations that embrace the sophisticated songs and lyrics.

Nina Yip Simone – vocals
Cristopher Perez – sax
Sytze Elseman – piano & keys
Emil Novotel- bass
Norman Hutuely – percussion
Auke de Vries – drums

20:30

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we invite Diana Sidibè!

Diana is an Amsterdam-based, Afro-Ukrainian multi-instrumentalist, beatmaker, and producer best known for her expressive, genre-blending jazz on the saxophone, flute, and clarinet. A graduate of the Conservatorium of Amsterdam, she performs with notable acts like Bnnyhunna, Brintex Collective, and Hyphen Dash, and is featured on José James’ album On & On. Now Diana is working on her first EP which she’s going to release later this year. Expect a night full of grooves and good vibes!

Diana Sidibè – alto saxophone
Joel Feldtmann -electric bass
Noah Bouwman – drums

20:00

Inspired by legendary venues like New York’s Blue Note, London’s Ronnie Scott’s we introduce Amsterdam’s Contra: the place to enjoy intimate jazz concerts from your dinner table. A chef’s menu is served, accompanied by our wide selection of wines. To keep the balance between the listening experience and sharing the moment, the concert consists of 3 sets of 35-40 minutes, each followed by a break to enjoy your table, your company, and the atmosphere. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket.

This edition we invite Noam Bargil!

The Noam Bargil Quintet presents contemporary jazz rooted in lyrical folk melodies, Middle Eastern musical influences and the expressive language of hard bop and modern jazz from the 1960s. The programme reflects his personal musical voice and cultural background, taking the audience on a musical journey shaped by melody, improvisation, heritage and modern jazz. The music combines strong melodic storytelling, deep lyricism, energetic improvisation and a warm, narrative approach to composition.

20:00

This september a new residency program starts and we’re extremely happy and proud to announce our new 4 month resident: Avishai Darash!

Pianist, composer, and bandleader Avishai Darash presents his new trio featuring drummer Joe Blaxx and bassist Omer Govreen (on September 17 and December 17 Seb Overall will play bass). With Heart-Bop, the trio explores the language of hard bop from a contemporary perspective. Rooted in the tradition of the 1950s and ’60s, the focus is on groove, clarity, and interplay, with a program of original compositions and arrangements that both respect the idiom and reflect a modern approach. The trio treats swing as a flexible concept that is constantly evolving, shaped by their individual voices and collective interaction. Rather than reproducing a historical sound, Darash and his trio place this tradition in a new framework—retaining its directness and energy while remaining open to a broader, contemporary musical context. The result is a clear and accessible program that bridges tradition and modernity, approaching jazz as a shared and continuously evolving language. After their first show in Amsterdam at Contra during the Red Light Jazz festival, this summer the trio recorded their first album in Wisseloord.

Avishai Darash – piano
Seb Overell – double bass
Joe Blaxx – drums

Residency dates:
September 17
October 8
November 5
December 17

Friday Night Live is the long awaited late night jam session refuge for jazz players and lovers alike! Steamy jazz, dimmed lights, bold cocktails, a delicious chef’s menu and Europe’s finest musicians letting loose; Friday Night Live seeks out to become both an inspiring as well as highly entertaining institution of Amsterdam. Opening set from 20:00-21:30, jam session from 21:30-23:00. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket. Free entry if you bring your instrument.

This edition we welcome Joost Patocka!

Joost Patocka is one of the Netherlands’ most important contemporary jazz drummers. He has played with anyone of importance and impresses audiences with his broad imagination, a strong technical command of his instrument(s) and an imminent sense of humor within his playing.

Linus Eppinger – guitar
tba – piano
Ties Laarakker – bass
Joost Patocka – drums

20:00-23:00

Friday Night Live is the long awaited late night jam session refuge for jazz players and lovers alike! Steamy jazz, dimmed lights, bold cocktails, a delicious chef’s menu and Europe’s finest musicians letting loose; Friday Night Live seeks out to become both an inspiring as well as highly entertaining institution of Amsterdam. Opening set from 20:00-21:30, jam session from 21:30-23:00. A dinner ticket includes a table reservation. Only coming for the music and a drink? Then buy a regular ticket or (if you’re a student or max. 25 years old) a student ticket. Free entry if you bring your instrument.

This edition we invite Mart Muller & Jonas Belleman!

Mart Muller is an alto saxophonist based in Amsterdam. Since the beginning of his music studies he has been influenced by the Dutch tradition of straight-ahead jazz. He feels most creative playing standards from the jazz repertoire and seeks for unique melodies using his sense of harmony and unexpected rhythmic patterns. Jonas belleman is a young trumpet player from Haarlem, with a true passion for bebop he plays in the style of Kenny Dorham and Fats Navarro.