Ghent is a vibrant music city. In the fields of classical and contemporary music, rock and pop, jazz, folk, alternative and avant-garde music this city has its established concert halls, ensembles, prominent representatives, composers, songwriters and conductors. It is no coincidence that Unseco awarded Ghent the title of Creative City of Music.

And it is also no quirk that a festival like the Jazz & Sounds Festival arose in Ghent. A festival that builds bridges between different organisations and different music genres: jazz, contemporary, plus improvisation with a wink to rock and pop. The festival has the mission of bringing the synergy that lives between the different music sites and initiatives in this city together on one stage. Each organisation uses its own individuality as a starting point.

In 2008 npo Jazz & Muziek organised an indoor edition of what was then called the Blue Note Records Festival, now known as Gent Jazz Festival, in collaboration with Music Centre De Bijloke. It became clear from the start that the various ambitions this festival had were not attainable with a two-day festival and just one organisation participating. Other similarly inclined partners were involved in the story. The result is a well-balanced collaboration with  Music Centre De Bijloke but now with added partners like University College Ghent, Faculty of Fine Arts (KASK), University College Ghent, Faculty of Music and not in the least Arts Centre Vooruit.