Casablanca — Jazzablanca enters a new phase tonight after a rock-heavy Saturday, shifting toward contemporary sounds, Afrobeats, funk, jazz, and emerging Moroccan energy across Anfa Park and the Parc de la Ligue Arabe.
The July 5 lineup brings Naïka and Oxlade to Scène Casa Anfa, while Keziah Jones and Jowee Omicil take over Scène 21. At the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, Tchubi carries the festival’s free city-stage program into a more local, contemporary lane.
A night built on movement
After Scorpions filled Anfa Park with classic rock nostalgia on Saturday, tonight’s program gives Jazzablanca a different pulse. Naïka brings a multilingual pop and global-soul identity shaped by Caribbean, African, and international influences, while Oxlade adds the smooth Afrobeats energy that made him one of Nigeria’s most recognizable new-generation voices.
Together, they give the main stage a lighter but still highly danceable direction. It is a night designed less around rock spectacle and more around movement, melody, and the kind of cross-cultural pop that fits Jazzablanca’s current identity.
That shift matters for the festival’s pacing. Jazzablanca’s first weekend leaned on major legacy and headline names, from Robbie Williams to Scorpions. Sunday opens the weekday sequence with artists who speak more directly to younger audiences and current global sound.
Funk and jazz at Scène 21
Scène 21 keeps the musical depth alive with Keziah Jones and Jowee Omicil. Jones brings his signature “blufunk” language, a mix of blues, funk, rhythm, and Nigerian-rooted guitar playing that has long made him a singular live performer.
Omicil, meanwhile, gives the evening a jazz-driven edge. Known for his multi-instrumental approach and diasporic sound, he brings a performance language that moves between spiritual jazz, Caribbean feeling, and improvisational freedom.
That contrast makes Scène 21 one of the night’s strongest spaces. Jones offers groove and guitar electricity, while Omicil opens the door to a more searching, fluid sound.
Tchubi brings the city stage forward
At the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, Tchubi continues the festival’s free public program, keeping Jazzablanca present beyond Anfa Park. His set adds a Moroccan contemporary voice to the night, connecting the festival’s international programming to Casablanca’s own creative scene.
That balance is becoming central to Jazzablanca’s 19th edition: major names on the paid stages, discovery acts in the city center, and a program that moves between generations rather than staying in one lane.
Tonight’s lineup may not carry the same classic-rock weight as Saturday, but it gives the festival a fresh turn. With Naïka, Oxlade, Keziah Jones, Jowee Omicil, and Tchubi, Jazzablanca is moving from nostalgia into rhythm, discovery, and the sounds shaping today’s live music scene.
For Casablanca, the evening offers another version of the festival’s promise: a city stage where global sound and local energy meet under the same summer night.
