Brussels festival replaces headliner Avishai Cohen because of concert in Russia

The Brussels Walden Festival, taking place on 13 and 14 July in the Leopold Park, is replacing renowned double bassist Avishai Cohen as headliner because he has played a concert in Moscow, Russia.

Avishai Cohen is an Israeli jazz double bassist, singer and composer. The renowned artist was scheduled as a headliner at Walden Festival, to close the festival day Saturday, 13 July, with his group 'Banda Iroko'.

However, Cohen on 15 June played a concert at the Moscow Jazz Festival, an event co-supported by the ministry of culture of the Russian Federation and the Presidential Fund. Because of Cohen's choice to perform in Russia, Walden Festival’s organisers decided to replace the headliner. "We see no other option than to cancel the planned concert at Walden Festival 2024," said Joost Fonteyne of the festival’s organisation.

The festival already found a replacement: the South African jazz singer Tutu Puoane, who lives in Antwerp, will perform together with Flemish jazz trumpeter Bert Joris. “With Tutu Puoane, one of today's most charismatic voices, we found a great closing act for Saturday,” declared the organisation.

People who have tickets for Walden Festival will be personally informed of the change. The festival offers an exploration of classical, contemporary, non-Western music and jazz.

_{Avishai Cohen in concert at the Vannes Jazz Festival in 2015 © BELGA PHOTO BELPRESS}