Events
The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals
1These days you can’t throw a stick without hitting a jazz festival. We’re not saying that’s a bad thing, but it does make narrowing down your list of must-visit events infinitely more difficult. Here, we look at 20 of the world’s finest; whether they’re big to-dos with equally big artists, or laid-back affairs with a focus on local talent, all are guaranteed to deliver toe-tapping good times.
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
2Vinterjazz, February – Copenhagen has been home to a happening jazz community since the 1960s. Unsurprising, then, that the city’s jazz festival – running every summer since 1979 – is one of the preeminent annual jazz events in Europe. But why wait until July? Vinterjazz kicks off in the dead of winter, heating up more than 75 venues across Denmark for over 300 concerts across 17 days. Special programme series include Jazz for Kids, Future Sound of Jazz and Jazz’n Poetry. jazz.dk
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
3Eltham Jazz, Food and Wine Festival, February – When it comes to the Victoria jazz festival scene, Wangaratta tends to hog all the attention, but the Melbourne suburb of Eltham puts on a worthy show – with an emphasis on local eats to boot. Expect a warm welcome, a relaxed atmosphere and three stages hosting mostly Aussie acts, plus plenty of fun diversions for the kids. elthamjazz.com.au
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
4Java Jazz, March – While you weren’t looking, Indonesia went and became a premier destination for jazz lovers. Barely 10 years old, Jakarta’s Java Jazz is a force to be reckoned with, naming the likes of Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder and Joss Stone among their previous acts. Performances by international stars Dirty Loops, Jarrod Lawson and Emma-Jean Thackray have been confirmed for 2022, as has a solid lineup of Indonesian artists such as Afgan and Yura Yunita. javajazzfestival.com
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
5Cape Town Jazz Fest, March/April – If the Mother City’s got anything, it’s soul. Cape jazz is an integral part of the local culture, having developed in parallel with American jazz in the early 20th century. Capetonians take their jazz seriously, and this annual event has become a must-do for music fans the world over. In addition to concerts by big-time South African and international names, the festival offers workshops, masterclasses, a golf day, a gala event and a free community concert. capetownjazzfest.com [Photo: André-Pierre du Plessis/Flickr]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
6New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, April/May – In a city synonymous with the genre itself, expect nothing but the best of the best from New Orleans’ annual celebration of jazz. Experience NOLA culture through the Louisiana Folklife Village and special exhibits at The Grandstand, sample the region’s famous Cajun and Creole cuisines, browse contemporary and traditional crafts, then mosey over to the stages to hear performances by chart-topping musicians who are decidedly soulful (Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Norah Jones) and some who are …not so much (The Who, Ludacris, Foo Fighters). nojazzfest.com [Photo: Ray Devlin/Flickr]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
8St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, May – Can’t get enough Caribbean jazz? Between the island’s white sand beaches and verdant mountain peaks, settle in for world-class R&B, calypso and jazz beats in real-life paradise. St. Lucia Jazz Festival
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
9XJAZZ Berlin, May – May marks the beginning of jazz festival season in Europe, where lovers of the genre will be spoilt for choice. We recommend kicking it off with XJAZZ, a young (founded in 2014) festival that emphasises local talent and cross-collaboration. Head to Berlin’s über-cool clubs in the Kreuzberg district to take in original tunes in varying jazz styles, from classic to electronic. xjazz.net [Photo: Ulla C Binder]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
10Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, June – One of the world’s top jazz events, the Montreal jazz festival needs no introduction. Look for literally hundreds of sought-after acts, from Ludovico Einaudi to Pink Martini, Marcus Miller, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Not feeling particularly jazzy? Don’t worry, the festival lineup offers every genre under the sun, plus family-friendly spaces (and kid-friendly anti-noise headsets), jazz cruises, walking tours and plenty of top-notch local cuisine. montrealjazzfest.com
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
11Paris Jazz Festival, June/July – Could summer in the City of Lights get any more magical? If you’re into jazz tunes, it sure can. This open-air event runs every weekend throughout most of June and July, welcoming thousands of guests at the Parc Floral de Paris for free concerts and family-friendly musical activities. parisjazzfestival.fr
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
12Montreux Jazz Festival, July – Another biggie on the European summer circuit, Montreux’s shindig encompasses both free concerts and ticketed performances, as well as music competitions, jazz workshops and live music cruises on Lake Geneva. montreuxjazzfestival.com
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Events
The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
13North Sea Jazz Festival, July – Trade freshwater for the salty sea and head to Rotterdam: for 3 days each summer, this on-trend port city becomes a haven for jazz lovers. More than 1,300 artists strut their stuff on 15 stages, representing jazz from every imaginable era and sub-genre, for a smorgasbord of beats at what bills itself as the”largest indoor music festival in the world”. northseajazz.com [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
14Love Supreme Jazz Festival, July – One of the few jazz events offering a full-on camp-out music festival experience, Love Supreme takes over the picturesque grounds of Glynde Place in East Sussex, UK for 3 days of funk, soul, jazz and family-friendly fun. There’s a wellness area offering pampering and free yoga classes, a kids’ green with carnival-style rides and activities, a swimming pool, after parties and, of course, energetic performances by the likes of Erykah Badu and Gregory Porter. lovesupremefestival.com
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
15Jazz in Marciac, August – If you’ve heard of the tiny town of Marciac in southwestern France, it was quite likely for this very reason. Each year in summer, this sleepy village of 2,000 swells to a bustling musical mecca of 200,000, hosting one of the most important jazz festivals in Europe. In addition to concerts in the giant marquee and the new-ish Astrada concert hall, the idyllic medieval town square serves as a venue for free performances throughout the event, and many local restaurants offer special meals accompanied by live music. jazzinmarciac.co.uk [Photo: Jacques Chiesa/Flickr]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
16Chicago Jazz Festival, September – First organised to honour Duke Ellington following his death in 1974, Chicago’s jazz fest now attracts more than 150,000 music lovers to various events in Millennium Park and the downtown area on Labor Day weekend. There are dozens of performances to choose from, and the best part is: they’re all free. jazzinchicago.org
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Events
The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
17Tokyo Jazz Festival, September – By some estimates, Japan has the highest proportion of jazz fans in the world, and has even developed its own take on the genre known as Japanese jazz – or Jap-Jazz – blending smooth, jazzy melodies and instrumentals with Japan’s culture, history and penchant for producing exceptional musicians. Catch local Jap-Jazz stars, as well as international names, in action at Tokyo’s annual blowout. tokyo-jazz.com [Photos: tokyo-jazz.com]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
18Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, October – Some of the world’s most beloved jazz musicians and over 40,000 of the genre’s biggest fans head to Cork in autumn for an overwhelming array of concerts, street performances, workshops, lectures and more. Some of the headlining events are ticketed, but there’s plenty on offer that’s not. Check out the “Guinness Music Trail”, where free performances are held in pubs and venues across the city, as well as a host of guest appearances and clinics hosted by the jazz luminaries themselves. guinnessjazzfestival.com
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
19Buenos Aires Jazz Festival, November – Bringing globally sought-after artists to the BA stage while providing a home venue for Argentinean talent is one thing, but this event takes it one step further, putting on collaborative performances between local and international acts. A side programme of jazz-themed movies, photo exhibitions, masterclasses, workshops and open interviews make this event a staple on the worldwide jazz circuit. buenosaires.gob.ar/festivaldejazz [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
20Panama Jazz Festival, January – Jam sessions, masterclasses, gala nights, music therapy, concerts, a culture symposium – you name it, Panama’s jazz jamboree has got it. Alongside grooving to the tunes of jazz movers and shakers both past and present, the event invites attendees to explore Panamanian culture and society. panamajazzfestival.com [Photo: Panama Jazz Festival]
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The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
21TramJazz, Year Round – It’s not technically a festival, but it’ll feel like one: your own semi-private jazz concert in a restored historical cable car, complete with candlelight dinner (at a stop in front of the Colosseum) and tram tour of romantic Rome by night. Music, mood, a fine meal and the Eternal City: it’s the stuff of any jazz lover’s dreams. tramjazz.com
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Events
The World’s Top 20 Jazz Festivals.
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