Lindwerder is a small, leafy island on the Havel near Wannsee, known to Berlin families and locals for its quiet surroundings and waterside restaurant. A short ferry ride takes visitors away from the city and into a place for slow afternoons by the water. On 2 July 2022, we brought a different kind of gathering to the island: O MATO’s Island Jazz, running from noon to 10 pm with live music and DJs for a young Berlin crowd.
What drew around 2,000 guests to this secluded island was the chance to see Brazilian jazz-funk legends Azymuth, a rare sight even by Berlin’s standards. The experience began with a short ferry crossing. Like our gatherings in the Amazon, arriving by boat gave the day a sense of adventure. DJs and live acts played across the island, with Azymuth’s concert as the highlight. The crowd sang along and raised their arms to a band that had meant so much to us.
The Brazilian jazz-funk pioneers had shaped our musical tastes, and inviting them to our own event paid tribute to O MATO’s roots in Brazil. We wanted a new generation of listeners to hear how music made decades earlier, on the other side of the Atlantic, could still feel immediate and inspiring.
O MATO developed the concept, curated the lineup and handled programming and promotion. Stage production was delivered with specialist partners, while the island’s restaurant provided the food and bar service.
