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Jazzahead! BREMEN, GERMANY 22-25 April
Each spring many in the jazz world turn their attention to Bremen, where the expo Jazzahead brings together artists, labels, promoters and fans for a few days of music and conversation. There is a Swedish theme this year. Artists appearing in the official 2026 showcase programme are Abase, Agnas Bros., Aksel Rønning Trio, Andrii Pokaz & Magnus Öström, Bitoi, Bonsai, Britta Virves Trio, Crutches, Daniel Karlsson Trio, Genevieve Artadi, Hederosgruppen, Jasmine Myra, Jeremy Ledbetter Trio, Joel Lyssarides Trio, Knobil, Knower, Kossi Mawun, Kristina Brodersen, Langendorf United, Laura Jurd, Louis Cole, L’Antidote, Malika Zarra, Michael Pipoquinha, Nana Rashid, Nine Sparks Riots, Norrbotten Big Band, Peter Somuah Group, Re:Calamari, Richard Koch, Sahad, Sara Decker, Sharon Mansur Trio, Sol Jang Trio, Sorvina, Sydney Mavundla Quartet, Tonina, and Wajdi Riahi Trio. Beyond the showcases, jazzahead also includes a busy trade fair and conference programme. And then there is a strand called clubnight, when venues across Bremen host dozens of additional gigs late into the evening.
Moers Festival MOERS, GERMANY 21-25 May
WDR Big Band and Nduduzo Makhathini, Chris Corsano, Nate Wooley, Ches Smith, Skylar Tang, Angelika Niescier/Tomeka Reid/Eliza Salem, Witch ‘n’ Monk, Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth, Lakecia Benjamin and more.
Jazz Middelheim, PARK DEN BRANDT ANTWERP, BELGIUM 23-25 May
Includes Annahstasia, Saturday 23 May; Cécile McLorin Salvant, Sat 23; Flea & The Honora Band, Sat 23; Nduduzo Makhathini, Sat 23; Hunee, Sat 23; Cymande, Sunday 24 May 2026; Fred Hersch Trio, Sun 24; Marcos Valle, Sun 24; Danilo Plessow aka MCDE, Sun 24; Billy Cobham’s Time Machine, Monday 25 May 2026; The Buena Vista Orchestra, Mon 25; Chris Potter Trio, Mon 25; Collier plays Coltrane, Mon 25; Theon Cross, Mon 25; The Herbaliser Band, Mon 25.
Morgenland festival OSNABRÜCK, GERMANY 29 May-6 June
Ganavya, Tania Giannouli Trio, Kit Downes & Shiva Feshareki, Yazz Ahmed and more.
Nattjazz, BERGEN, NORWAY 29 May-6 June
Anna Ueland, Ava Mendoza, Beharie, Bit20 Ensemble / Apneseth Trio, Bushman’s Revenge, Chris Potter Trio, Cortex & Hedvig Mollestad, Elephant9, GiddyGang & Vuyo, Hachikō, Hanna Paulsberg, Harold López-Nussa, Himmelskip, Isaiah Collier, Konradsen, Lakecia Benjamin, Miles Davis 100 Years tribute concert, Mitsune, Møster / Bergen Big Band / Garrubo, Nubiyan Twist, Rasmus Lagerberg Quartet, Diket, Susanne Sundfør, Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Petter Molvær, Ellen Andrea Wang, Anja Lauvdal, Veslemøy Narvesen, Eivind Lønning, Kristina Fransson and The Norwegian Radio Orchestra plus others.
Jazzbaltica TIMMENDORFR STRAND NEAR LÜBECK, GERMANY. 25-28 June
Ivan Lins, New York Voices and Danish Radio Big Band, Emil Brandqvist Trio, Norrbotten Big Band feat. Michael Mayo, Arcanum and more
Jazz à Vienne VIENNE, FRANCE 25 June-4 July
Stefano Di Battista, Erik Truffaz, Dekuxe, Too Many Zooz, Samantha Fish, Fantastic Negrito, Chicago Blues Summer, Jeff Mills, Sun Ra Arkestra, Verb, Groundation, Kokoroko, Imany, Molly Johnson, Vincent Peirani, Beirut, Cerrone Disco Symphonic, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Marcus Miller, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Angélique Kidjo, Fatoumata Diawara, De La Soul, Lakecia Benjamin, Jon Batiste, Big Freedia, Buena Vista Allstars, The Get Down, Samara Joy, Maria Schneider & Clasijazz big band, Melissa Aldana & Levi Harvey trio, Vulfpeck, The Fearless Flyers, Ludivine Issambourg, Souleance, Ubaq and more.
Ljubljana jazz festival LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA 1-4 July
Pat Metheny, Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet, Bilal.
Brosella BRUSSELS, BELGIUM 3-5 July
Dhafer Youssef, Adrian Younge, Nneka, Cheikh Lô, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, Joel Ross’ Good Vibes, Amaro Freitas, Greg Foat Trio, Elina Duni & Robin Poft Quartet plus more.
Umbria jazz PERUGIA, ITALY 3-12 July
Elvis Costello, Sting, Paolo Fresu, Francesco Bearzatti & Giovanni Guidi, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jon Batiste, Mark Turner, Steve Coleman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Charles Lloyd, Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane, Joel Ross, Peter Bernstein, Laurie Anderson, Immanuel Wilkins, Jason Moran, Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest, Thomas Morgan, Ethan Iverson, Bill Frisell Trio and Gregory Tardy, Gilberto Gil, Kris Davis trio and many more including Zucchero, Aaron Parks, Kenny Barron and Judith Owen.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival COPENHAGEN, DENMARK 3-12 July
Camille Bertault Quintet, George Garzone, Bremer/McCoy, Bill Frisell trio with Gregory Tardy, Peter Bernstein Quartet, Sarathy Korwar, Adrian Younge, Ibrahim Electric, Fatoumata Diawara, Anton Eger and more.
Jazz à Juan festival, JUAN LES PINS, ANTIBES, FRANCE 9-20 July
Tom Jones, José James feat. China Moses, Dhafer Youssef, Morcheeba, Mica Miller, Seal, Fatoumata Diawara, Marcus Miller, Samara Joy and more.
North Sea Jazz Festival AHOY, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 10-12 July
John Legend, Charlie Puth, Burna Boy, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny, The Isley Brothers, Cassandra Wilson, Robert Glasper, Snarky Puppy with the Metropole Orchestra, Jon Batiste, Esperanza Spalding, Joshua Redman, Questlove & Friends. Jalen Ngonda, Sienna Spiro, Kokoroko and many more.
Molde Jazz MOLDE, NORWAY 13-18 July
Programme includes John Legend, the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Isaiah Collier, Nduduzo Makhathini Trio, Eric Gales Band, Brandee Younger, Cécile McLorin Salvant, artist in residence Esperanza Spalding with Eska & Melissa Hié
Pori Jazz Festival PORI, FINLAND 16-18 July
Seal, Imelda May, Annie and the Caldwells, Matteo Mancuso, Mikko Kuustonen, Sasha Berliner, Sugababes, Tom Odell, SML, Don West, Vesala, Jalen Ngonda, Cécile McLorin Salvant, John Legend, Scissor Sisters, Juanes, Corinne Bailey Rae, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier & Eric Harland, Fred Hersch Trio, Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers, Ricky-Tik Big Band and more.
Jazz in Marciac MARCIAC, FRANCE 20 July-5 August
20 July: Sting, Dea Matrona; 21 July: Fred Hersch, Samara Joy; 22 July: Émile Parisien, Yaron Herman, Prabhu Edouard, Linda May Han Oh, Cécile McLorin Salvant; 23 July: Vincen Garcia, Keziah Jones; 24 July: Bill Charlap, Pat Metheny; 25 July: Imany, Selah Sue; 26 July: Kenny Garrett, Avishai Cohen; 27 July: Youn Sun Nah, Asaf Avidan; 28 July: James Carter, Marcus Miller; 29 July: Anne Paceo, Diana Krall; 30 July: Baptiste Herbin, Nicolas Gardel, Ibrahim Maalouf; 31 July: Kenny Barron, Temple University Jazz Band; 1 August: Chris Minh Doky, Richard Bona; 2 August: Erik Truffaz, Antonio Lizana, Paco de Lucía; 3 August: Feu! Chatterton, Baptiste Trotignon; 4 August: Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Kool & the Gang; 5 August: Roberto Fonseca, Vincent Segal, Thomas Dutronc.
Jazzaldia SAN SEBASTIAN, BASQUE COUNTRY 22-26 July
Carmen Lundy, Julius Rodriguez, Bruce Barth and Vicente Archer, Samara Joy, David Murray, Joe Lovano, Julian Lage, Benito Gonzalez, Nils Petter Molvær, Pat Metheny, Emma-Jean Thackray, Charles Tolliver and Marcus Miller, Diana Krall, Louis Sclavis and more
Nice jazz festival NICE, FRANCE 23-26 July
Programme to be announced.
Ystad Sweden jazz festival, YSTAD, SWEDEN 29 July-2 August
Kurt Rosenwinkel, Nils Petter Molvær, Jan Lundgren, Randy Brecker, Ivan Lins and more.
Oslo Jazz Festival OSLO, NORWAY 9-15 August
Brian Blade, Bugge Wesseltoft feat. Mari Boine, Jaga Jazzist and the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Sven Wunder, Girl Talk, Eivind Aarset 4TET, Tord Gustavsen Trio feat. Arve Henriksen, Karin Krog & The-In-Between-Times, Maridalen & Lars Lillo-Stenberg, Ben Wendel, Ellen Andrea Wang and more
INNtöne Jazzfestival DIERSBACH, AUSTRIA 14-16 Aug
Michael Dotson Chicago Blues, Whirlpool artists chosen by the Vortex, Stéphane Kerecki, Blair Clark & Frank Folgmann’s Backing Crew, Gundhild Carling Ensemble, Lorenzo de Finti, Jumping Jungle, Trio Tikismikis, Krzysztof Kobyliński, Trio Bleu, JD Allen Band, Sarathy Korwar feat. Alex Kranabetter and more.
Saalfelden Jazz Festival, SAALFELDEN, AUSTRIA 20-23 Aug
Chicago Underground Duo, Yvonne Moriel, Yeah No and more. The full programme is published on 27 May.
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