'International Jazz Day in Morocco' blends global music with rich African roots

Herbie Hancock’s Morocco showcase highlights cross-cultural jazz fusion with artists from South Africa, Sweden, Japan, and the U.S.

From left: Femi Kuti, James Genus, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Till Brönner, Marcus Miller, Dianne Reeves, Al Jarreau, Guillaume Perret, and Dhafer Youssef perform during the finale of the International Jazz Day 2015 Global Concert at UNESCO headquarters on April 30, 2015, in Paris, France. Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Each year, April 30 marks International Jazz Day, and in 2025, the global celebration took a colorful and culturally resonant turn in Morocco. “International Jazz Day in Morocco,” produced by the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, opens with a striking image: a Tangier musician seated with a guembri—a three-stringed bass-like instrument tied to Gnawa traditions—launching into a blues-inflected riff that feels more Mississippi Delta than Maghreb. It’s an immediate signal of the kind of show ahead—one where African origin stories collide with American jazz evolutions and bounce back across continents.

Watching in admiration is Dee Dee Bridgewater, the legendary American jazz vocalist, whose presence alone anchors the program in its global jazz mission. The opening moments already weave together geography and genre, setting the stage for a showcase that aspires to reflect the worldwide language of jazz and its often-overlooked African DNA.

Questions of tone and purpose

British actor Jeremy Irons serves as the evening’s host, offering a poetic but somewhat incongruous presence. While eloquent, Irons is not widely recognized as a jazz authority, unlike someone like Christian McBride, whose career and advocacy are steeped in jazz tradition. His narration introduces performances with conviction, though some viewers may find the choice of host emblematic of the show’s sometimes uneven tone.

The program starts with Shemekia Copeland, a dynamic blues vocalist and daughter of Texas blues guitarist Johnny Copeland. Her performance leans into blues territory more than jazz, which feels at odds with the international theme. Following her, Melody Gardot takes the stage with a soft, chanson-like approach—evocative, French, but arguably disconnected from the African setting and jazz focus the program promises.

Getting to the roots of jazz

Despite a meandering start, the event eventually settles into its intended groove. The core theme—celebrating jazz’s ability to absorb, remix, and return musical ideas across borders—is not only expressed in narration but embodied in performance. Throughout the night, artists speak to jazz’s origins, its status as a global language, and the importance of recognizing how musical forms born in Africa, refined in the Americas, and celebrated worldwide come full circle.

Mandisi Dyantyis, a South African trumpeter and vocalist, delivers one of the standout sets of the night. His music seamlessly fuses traditional South African rhythms with the improvisational core of bebop, the anthemic quality of arena rock, and the dramatic flair of musical theater. Dyantyis is accompanied by an ensemble that epitomizes International Jazz Day’s mission: Mozambican saxophonist Moreira Chonguica, Japanese bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and American pianist Jahari Stampley. Together, they craft a compelling global sound rooted in individual heritage.

Herbie Hancock and a world of sound

The highlight of “International Jazz Day in Morocco” comes when Herbie Hancock takes the stage. Performing his iconic composition “Cantaloupe Island,” Hancock leads a global supergroup: Swedish saxophonist Magnus Lindgren, American bassist Marcus Miller—ubiquitous in the jazz documentary circuit—and New York’s Lakecia Benjamin, whose spirited saxophone solo electrifies the segment. Benjamin’s sound, slightly reedy with a piercing clarity, carries echoes of jazz’s Harlem lineage while dancing with the broader international sensibility the program champions.

Herbie Hancock remains the connective tissue of this initiative—not only as an iconic pianist but as a committed global ambassador for jazz. His presence, performances, and collaborations are central to the show’s emotional and musical coherence.

Room for improvement

Despite strong musical content, the production occasionally suffers from technical shortcomings. Viewers are left frustrated by the lack of on-screen identification for some interviewees and performers. In a program that hinges on introducing lesser-known international talents to a broad audience, these missed opportunities are especially noticeable. While fans of vocalist Kurt Elling may recognize him instantly, newcomers would benefit from a brief introduction—something the program withholds until the finale.

An unexpected finale: a joyous ‘Imagine’

The final performance underscores the unexpected twists that make the show memorable. Jeremy Irons introduces John Lennon’s “Imagine”—a potentially risky move given the song’s solemn globalist tone. Yet the performance upends expectations: it’s not an overly earnest rendition, but rather a jubilant, rhythmic, and improvisational take. It pulses with the communal spirit that jazz, at its best, can capture—a fitting conclusion to a celebration that started with ambiguity but ends with unity.

Lakecia Benjamin returns for the finale, trading melodic lines with Hancock and other ensemble members. Their musical interplay, filled with warmth and virtuosity, feels like a genuine conversation—exactly the kind jazz was born to facilitate.

A festival that fulfills its mission

“International Jazz Day in Morocco” may stumble in its framing, but its heart is unmistakably in the right place. As a cultural production, it reminds viewers that jazz, while an American invention, is a musical mirror of global migration, colonial exchange, struggle, and resilience. It celebrates jazz not just as a genre, but as a framework for understanding how music travels, adapts, and connects.

The event—broadcast to 190 countries—fulfills its broader mission by spotlighting unfamiliar voices and reaffirming the genre’s global footprint. From the ancient medinas of Tangier to the crowded streets of New York, jazz’s rhythms echo. And on this international day, they converged, harmonized, and moved forward.

Whether you tuned in for Herbie Hancock’s timeless touch, Dee Dee Bridgewater’s gravitas, or simply to see what “International Jazz Day in Morocco” had to offer, the show left a lasting note: jazz belongs to the world, and the world plays back.