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 dedicated to classic swing from the 1940s to 1960s - an era when this music was simultaneously a dance floor, a form of expression, and a breakthrough. Historical original works meet careful reinterpretations, well-known classics stand alongside rarely performed discoveries and hidden gems of the repertoire.

At the centre is Stuttgart-based singer Folashade "Fola" Dada, one of the most distinctive voices in German jazz and for many years the resident vocalist of the SWR Big Band. Together they have released four albums of swing repertoire and have 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 exceptional vocal presence and expressive power. She developed her musical identity from an early age, 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, and has 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 - powerfully, elegantly, and with an authenticity born from years of shared musical experience.