Portugal the country on the outer European Atlantic shore not only has the highest ocean waves. It has a distinctive, culturally marked jazz scene: colorful, free-spirited, and in motion. Presence and visibility of Portuguese musicians has been growing over the past years at jazzhead! All the more reason to take a closer look at the state of jazz in Portugal, its domestic dynamics and international connections. As a long-time connoisseur and critical external observer of jazz and free improvisation in Portugal, Henning Bolte, the author of this article, explores the scene as a whole. The article takes you on a tour through Portugal, provides a topography and history of the country’s jazz hotspots and cornerstones with main artists, labels, protagonists and also touches on self-organization and funding facilities to develop its potentials, international presence and impact.

During an ever-changing year of 2020 we have encountered several initiatives that have taken their export actions to another, mainly online level and did so with extraordinary success. In our digital action we want to introduce you to some of those. We have talked to Julien Fournier of Wallonie-Bruxelles Musiques with questions about their strategy and actions. Wallonie-Bruxelles Musiques (WBM) in Belgium is a public agency specialized in supporting export for the region