From 26 to 28 June, the J.A.W family will gather in Berlin. The date is especially significant not least because the party and concert series turned 20 last year and is now marking that anniversary with a family reunion. Since the very beginning, J.A.W has placed its faith not in fashions or passing trends, but in passionate digging and the rich legacy of African American musical traditions.

Three days awake

To give that legacy the space it deserves, the party series, founded in Paris in 2005, is using an undisclosed venue near Jannowitzbrücke, complete with garden; full details will be shared only with ticket holders. Across two rooms – one for live performances and club nights, the other for intimate listening – DJ sets have been announced by regular guests such as Floating Points, Theo Parrish and Marcellus Pittman; Palms Trax will play a set spanning AOR and folk. Also performing live are Tikiman & Richard Akingbehin and Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers. In both rooms, custom soundsystems by Palladium Audio, specially brought in from Paris, will be installed. Alongside the music programme, an exhibition is also planned, presenting archive material from the series’ founding onwards.