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IJazz, a new international jazz festival on the River IJ

Amsterdam Tourist Information • Posted: June 8, 2008

The historic center of Amsterdam is separated from its much younger Amsterdam-North suburb by the IJ — that’s the letter i and j, both capitalized, and together pronounced as i.

Guidebooks usually refer to the IJ as the harbor, or as a river. It is actually an inlet from what used to be the Zuiderzee — a sea that in 1932 was closed off by a 32 km dam, thereby creating the IJsselmeer, Western Europe’s largest lake. Further West, the IJ connects to the North Sea Canal — constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam.

Two traffic tunnels, a bridge and several ferries connect ‘Noord’ with the rest of Amsterdam. The shortest ferry ride takes all of two minutes. ‘Soon’ (we’re not holding our breath) the often-delayed new branch of the subway will offer another high-speed connection.

Hip and Creative

Still, Noord has long been stigmatized by native Amsterdammers as ‘not really Amsterdam.’ Small wonder, the suburb is quite modern compared to the historic city center across the water.

In recent years, however, Noord has become more hip — not in the least place because it is home to an growing collection of artistic venues. Matter of fact, the City is actively — though clumsily as always — promoting Noord as a mecca for creative types.

And the creative types have indeed come — though to be fair, many already were there long before the City thought recognized the trend.

Nowadays, Amsterdam Noord is home to anything from a more-or-less freewheeling art community at the former NDSM ship wharf — to the MTV studios at the same location.

We’ll tell you more about Amsterdam’s creative side later, but for now we simply wanted to provide some background information about the northern shore of the IJ. After all, more and more tourists — among them many who have visited Amsterdam several times — are discovering what North has to offer.

If you’re in town toward the end of June, 2008, why not sail across the water as well?

IJazz — Amsterdam Jazz Festival

On 20, 21 and 22 June 2008 Amsterdam will host a new international jazz festival on the northern shore of the River IJ.

IJazz — putting Amsterdam back on the international jazz map.
© Copyright IJazz

The festival, called IJazz, intends to be a feast for both the musicians and the audience, offering plenty of scope for different styles and combinations.

DJs, internationally renowned young musicians and old hands, bands, vocalists, big bands and jam sessions in particular will make for great atmosphere into the early hours at several venues along the water.

The festival will be organised every year on several stages at bars and restaurants along the water and the NDSM harbour.

One of the venues is be the Droomschip (Dream Ship), an architecturally impressive festival tent with a capacity for 2000 persons. The main stage will be aboard the Ocean Diva, Europe’s largest party ship in terms of capacity.
- Source: Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Bureau

The organisers, Stichting Podium Promotie Amsterdam Noord (SPPAN), expect the festival to attract around 25,000 visitors in its first year.

They’re probably not expecting you, though — judging by the fact that at the time of this writing there is no English version of their website.

Free

Our suggestion: check the site for the program (programma). See if you recognize some names. If not, ask a friendly Amsterdammer for help in selecting a concert of your choice. The locations are all situated at the NDSM wharf. See Festival Info and then Routebeschrijving for map of these locations.

Access to the concerts is free of charge.

Food and drinks available at three cafés — including restaurant The Pollux on board of a beautiful 3-master (which also serves as one of the concert locations).