SWR Big Band & Fola Dada

When the SWR Big Band meets Fola Dada, a musical dialogue emerges between the past and present of swing. The programme of their joint tour is devoted to classic swing from the 1940s to 1960s - a time when this music was simultaneously a dance floor, an expression, and a breakthrough. Historical original works meet careful reinterpretations, familiar classics sit alongside rarely performed discoveries and hidden gems of the repertoire.

At the centre stands Stuttgart-based vocalist Folashade "Fola" Dada, one of the most distinctive voices of German jazz and for many years the resident vocalist of the SWR Big Band. Together they have already released four albums with swing repertoire and decisively shaped the sound of this music. For her outstanding artistic work, Fola Dada was awarded the German Jazz Prize as best vocalist - recognition of her extraordinary vocal presence and expressive power. She developed her musical signature early on, in part through her training at the New York City Dance School, where she cultivated a deep sense of rhythm, stage presence, and expression. With her warm, expressive voice and stylistic versatility, she moves effortlessly between traditional swing, soul, and contemporary jazz, having worked with artists such as Joy Denalane and numerous international musicians.

Together, Fola Dada and the SWR Big Band bring swing to the stage as a living, timeless language - powerful, elegant, and with an authenticity born from years of shared musical experience.