EU Jazz and Blues Festival | September – December 2026!!!
The European musical landscape has once again become a meeting place for extraordinary voices, instrumental virtuosity and distinctive artistic personalities. Across this remarkable programme, jazz, blues, soul, funk, rock and contemporary improvisation have moved freely between traditions, creating a rich panorama of performances that reflects the vitality of today’s international music scene.
From intimate jazz clubs to prestigious theatres, from the expressive power of the blues to the sophisticated architecture of modern jazz, each concert has contributed a different colour to this season’s musical portrait of Europe.
Spain — The Mediterranean spirit of jazz, soul and fusion
Samara Joy — Cartagena, Spain
The Batel Concert and Convention Centre! Cartagena, with its extraordinary Mediterranean atmosphere, ancient Roman heritage and beautiful waterfront, provided an inspiring setting for a performance by one of the most distinguished young voices in contemporary jazz, Samara Joy.
As headliner at El Batel, the multi-Grammy Award-winning vocalist brought an exceptional combination of elegance, interpretative sensitivity and remarkable musical maturity. Her singing represents a beautiful continuation of the great jazz vocal tradition, while possessing a personality and emotional perspective unmistakably her own.
What makes Samara Joy particularly compelling is her ability to inhabit a song rather than simply perform it. Her phrasing is graceful and conversational, her intonation wonderfully precise, and her understanding of harmonic movement allows her to move effortlessly through sophisticated arrangements. She can transform a familiar standard into an intimate personal statement, finding emotional nuances in melodies that have travelled through generations.
Her voice carries the warmth of classic vocal jazz, recalling the expressive heritage of the great singers while communicating directly with a younger generation of listeners. Cartagena’s concert became a celebration of the timeless relationship between melody, storytelling and improvisation.
Patax — Valencia, Spain
La Rambleta | Work in Fusion Tour! The Spanish ensemble Patax brought its extraordinary musical universe to La Rambleta in Valencia with the Work in Fusion tour.
Few contemporary groups demonstrate the possibilities of musical fusion with such rhythmic intensity and imaginative freedom. Patax have developed a distinctive language in which flamenco, jazz, funk, Latin rhythms and Afro-Cuban traditions enter into a continuous conversation.
Their music is built around movement. Intricate percussion patterns, explosive rhythmic exchanges, expressive melodic lines and sophisticated harmonic passages create an atmosphere in which every musician becomes part of a constantly evolving musical organism.
The flamenco element provides emotional fire and dramatic tension, while funk introduces an irresistible physical pulse. Jazz opens the door to improvisation, unexpected harmonic turns and spontaneous musical dialogue.
Valencia was therefore an especially appropriate destination for this performance. In a city where Mediterranean culture and contemporary creativity coexist naturally, Patax offered a concert that celebrated the freedom of crossing musical borders without losing the identity of individual traditions.
Alfa Mist — Madrid, Spain
Teatro Albéniz! Madrid welcomed one of the most distinctive figures in the new British jazz generation, Alfa Mist.
His appearance at Teatro Albéniz represented an important encounter between contemporary European jazz and the musical vocabulary of hip-hop, soul, electronic production and modern improvisation.
Alfa Mist’s artistic language is immediately recognisable. His piano playing often begins with deceptively simple harmonic structures, gradually developing into sophisticated arrangements in which repetition, atmosphere and rhythmic displacement become essential compositional elements.
His relationship with hip-hop is particularly significant. Rather than treating jazz and hip-hop as separate stylistic categories, he approaches them as interconnected forms of expression. The resulting music possesses the reflective character of instrumental jazz, the atmospheric depth of soul and the rhythmic sensibility of contemporary beat culture.
His compositions frequently balance melancholy and movement, introspection and rhythmic energy. The Madrid audience encountered an artist whose music reflects the complexity of modern urban life while maintaining a deep connection with the improvisational spirit of jazz.
Italy — Three different dimensions of musical expression
Judith Hill — Milan, Italy
Blue Note Milano | Two consecutive evening concerts! At the celebrated Blue Note Milano, two consecutive evenings were dedicated to the extraordinary artistic personality of Judith Hill.
An exceptionally versatile vocalist, songwriter and instrumentalist, Hill occupies a fascinating position between soul, jazz, funk, R&B and contemporary blues. Her musical identity is characterised by an impressive vocal range, expressive intensity and an instinctive understanding of rhythm.
Her performances are distinguished by their emotional immediacy. She can move from delicate, almost intimate passages into powerful vocal climaxes, combining the flexibility of jazz phrasing with the intensity of classic soul.
There is also a remarkable instrumental dimension to her artistry. Her musicianship, compositional instincts and understanding of arrangement give her performances a sense of completeness: she is not simply a singer standing before a band, but an artist whose entire musical personality shapes the performance.
The Blue Note Milano, one of Europe’s most recognisable jazz venues, provided an ideal environment for this two-evening encounter. Its intimate atmosphere allows the smallest details of a performance to become meaningful: a change in vocal colour, an instrumental response, a sudden rhythmic shift or a moment of spontaneous communication between musicians.
Paolo Fresu — Monopoli, Italy
Cinema-Teatro Radar! In Monopoli, the musical imagination of one of Italy’s most respected jazz musicians took centre stage. Trumpeter Paolo Fresu presented a special concert at Cinema-Teatro Radar.
Fresu’s artistic personality is deeply connected to the Mediterranean landscape, not only geographically but also emotionally and aesthetically. His trumpet possesses a distinctive lyrical quality: delicate, spacious, often introspective, yet capable of extraordinary emotional intensity.
His sound is characterised by beautiful tonal control, subtle vibrato and an exceptional sense of melodic architecture. Silence is as important as sound in his musical vocabulary. He understands how to allow a phrase to breathe, how to create tension through restraint and how to make a simple melodic statement resonate with extraordinary depth.
Throughout his career, Fresu has demonstrated an openness to diverse musical traditions, from contemporary European jazz to Mediterranean folk influences, chamber music and experimental projects.
His Monopoli appearance was a reminder that jazz virtuosity does not necessarily depend on speed or technical display. Sometimes its greatest achievement is the ability to communicate an entire emotional landscape through a single trumpet phrase.
Norman Beaker Trio — Livorno, Italy
The Cage! Livorno’s The Cage became the setting for an evening devoted to the enduring power of British electric blues, with the legendary Norman Beaker leading his trio.
A member of the Blues Hall of Fame, Beaker represents a generation of musicians whose artistic identities were shaped by decades of performances, collaborations and deep engagement with the blues tradition.
His guitar playing is rooted in the expressive vocabulary of electric blues: carefully shaped bends, articulate phrasing, rhythmic precision and a powerful understanding of dynamics. His approach is never merely technical. Every phrase serves the emotional narrative of the music.
The trio format gives this language its natural freedom. Guitar, bass and drums create a flexible musical foundation in which the leader can explore different shades of blues expression, from restrained, soulful passages to more forceful and energetic improvisations.
The Cage, with its contemporary club atmosphere, offered an appropriate environment for this celebration of blues heritage, where the music’s authenticity is measured not by nostalgia but by the conviction with which it is played.
Sweden — Nils Landgren and the irresistible energy of funk
Nils Landgren Funk Unit — Gothenburg, Sweden
Playhouse Valand! Gothenburg welcomed one of the most recognisable personalities in European jazz, Nils Landgren, together with his celebrated Funk Unit.
Landgren has spent decades developing a musical identity that moves naturally between jazz, funk, soul and rhythm and blues. His trombone sound is immediately recognisable: powerful, warm, expressive and rhythmically agile.
The Funk Unit represents the more physical and energetic dimension of his musical personality. Its performances are built around strong grooves, carefully constructed horn arrangements, infectious rhythmic patterns and the freedom of jazz improvisation.
The group’s musical philosophy is based on communication. The rhythm section establishes a compelling foundation, while the horns add colour, punctuation and melodic energy. Landgren’s trombone becomes the central voice in this conversation, moving between melodic statements, playful exchanges and powerful improvisational passages.
At Playhouse Valand, the atmosphere was shaped by the unmistakable relationship between jazz sophistication and funk’s irresistible dance-oriented pulse. It was a celebration of music that invites both attentive listening and spontaneous movement.
Germany — The many faces of contemporary jazz and blues
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis — Munich, Germany
Technikum | German Tour! At Munich’s Technikum, the British sibling trio Kitty, Daisy & Lewis brought their distinctive combination of traditional blues, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, country and roots music to the stage.
Their artistic identity is closely connected with the sounds of earlier generations. Their music draws from the raw energy of early rock ‘n’ roll, the rhythmic vocabulary of rhythm and blues and the earthy character of traditional American roots music.
What makes the trio particularly appealing is its ability to approach these traditions without turning them into museum pieces. Their performances possess a spontaneous, lively character, with strong rhythms, vintage-inspired instrumental textures and an unmistakable sense of fun.
The Munich concert offered a refreshing alternative to highly polished contemporary productions, celebrating the directness of music created through instrumental interaction, personality and an instinctive understanding of groove.
Steve Baker & The LiveWires — Trossingen, Germany
Kulturfabrik Kesselhaus | Anglo-American Roots Evening! The Kulturfabrik Kesselhaus in Trossingen hosted an evening devoted to Anglo-American roots music, featuring internationally respected harmonica master Steve Baker with The LiveWires.
Baker is widely admired for his technical command of the harmonica and his deep understanding of the instrument’s possibilities. His playing moves beyond traditional blues conventions, incorporating elements of roots music, Americana, rock and contemporary improvisation.
The harmonica is an instrument capable of extraordinary emotional contrasts. It can whisper, cry, growl and sing, sometimes within a single phrase. Baker understands these qualities exceptionally well, combining breath control, rhythmic precision and melodic imagination.
With The LiveWires, his musical vocabulary acquires a broader dimension. The band’s arrangements provide the rhythmic drive and instrumental flexibility necessary for an evening in which traditional blues meets modern roots-rock energy.
Trossingen’s musical heritage made the concert particularly fitting: a city with a longstanding connection to instrument-making and musical craftsmanship became the home of an evening celebrating the expressive possibilities of one of the blues world’s most distinctive instruments.
Kai Strauss & The Electric Blues Allstars — Hamburg, Germany
Nica Jazz Club! Hamburg’s Nica Jazz Club welcomed Kai Strauss and his Electric Blues Allstars for a performance that demonstrated the strength and vitality of the contemporary European blues scene.
Strauss has established an international reputation through his commanding electric-guitar technique, deep blues knowledge and ability to combine traditional influences with a distinctly modern sound.
His playing is built upon a solid understanding of the great electric-blues vocabulary. The influence of Chicago blues can be felt in his phrasing and rhythmic approach, while his own musical personality emerges through the articulation of his solos, his control of dynamics and his instinctive sense of musical development.
The Electric Blues Allstars provide an ideal framework for his guitar work. Their collective strength allows the music to move between tightly structured arrangements and spontaneous instrumental exchanges.
The concert was particularly representative of the European blues tradition at its most confident: respectful of its American foundations, yet entirely capable of developing its own identity.
The Temperance Movement — Berlin, Germany
Columbia-Theater | Let It All Out Tour! Berlin’s Columbia-Theater became the meeting point for British blues-rock energy as The Temperance Movement arrived with their Let It All Out tour.
Their music belongs to a tradition in which blues provides the emotional foundation for rock’s larger expressive possibilities. Strong guitar arrangements, powerful vocals and a dynamic rhythm section form the essential components of their sound.
The blues-rock tradition has always been about more than volume or instrumental intensity. Its strongest expressions depend upon tension, release, emotional sincerity and the ability to transform personal experience into collective musical energy.
The Temperance Movement approach this tradition with a contemporary perspective, combining classic rock influences with blues-oriented songwriting and an expansive live-performance aesthetic.
The Berlin appearance represented the continuing attraction of British blues-rock, a musical language that remains remarkably powerful across generations.
Joe Jackson — Bremen, Germany
Metropol Theater | Hope and Fury Tour! At Bremen’s Metropol Theater, celebrated British singer-songwriter Joe Jackson presented his Hope and Fury tour.
Jackson has always been difficult to classify within a single musical category. His work moves between rock, jazz, pop, sophisticated songwriting, classical influences and rhythmically adventurous arrangements.
His artistic personality is built upon intelligence, musical curiosity and an exceptional sense of composition. The piano often occupies a central position in his music, providing both harmonic sophistication and rhythmic direction.
His blues influences are not necessarily expressed through conventional blues structures. Instead, they emerge through phrasing, harmonic colour, rhythmic emphasis and an appreciation of the emotional directness that defines the genre.
The Bremen performance offered an opportunity to experience an artist whose career has been characterised by constant stylistic exploration and a refusal to remain within predictable musical boundaries.
Belgium — The solitary imagination of Vijay Iyer
Vijay Iyer — Ghent, Belgium
Handelsbeurs Concert Hall | Special Solo Performance! The magnificent Handelsbeurs in Ghent provided an ideal setting for a solo appearance by American pianist and composer Vijay Iyer.
One of the most intellectually adventurous musicians of his generation, Iyer has developed a musical language in which contemporary jazz, rhythmic experimentation, classical composition and diverse cultural influences intersect.
His piano technique is remarkable not simply because of its complexity, but because of the way he organises musical ideas. Rhythm is a central component of his artistic identity. His compositions frequently explore asymmetrical patterns, overlapping rhythmic structures and unexpected accents, creating a sense of movement that is both intellectually stimulating and physically compelling.
Yet Iyer’s music is equally capable of extraordinary lyricism. Beneath the rhythmic complexity lies a profound sensitivity to melody, atmosphere and emotional expression.
The solo format places all these qualities under a particularly revealing light. Without a rhythm section or ensemble, the pianist must create an entire musical environment independently, moving between harmonic foundations, melodic statements, rhythmic structures and moments of silence.
At Handelsbeurs, this format offered an intimate encounter with the imagination of a composer and improviser who continually expands the possibilities of the modern piano.
A season without borders — One European musical conversation
What makes this collection of concerts particularly significant is the extraordinary diversity of artistic approaches represented within it.
Samara Joy reconnects contemporary audiences with the elegance and expressive heritage of vocal jazz. Judith Hill brings the emotional force of soul and R&B into the intimate environment of a legendary jazz club. Paolo Fresu demonstrates the poetic possibilities of the trumpet, while Nils Landgren and his Funk Unit celebrate the physical energy of jazz-funk.
Michael Wollny and Émile Parisien explore the intimate architecture of improvisation, Vijay Iyer transforms the solo piano into a complex rhythmic and emotional universe, and Alfa Mist demonstrates how contemporary jazz can communicate with hip-hop and soul without losing its compositional sophistication.
At the same time, the blues programme reveals the enduring strength of roots music. Norman Beaker, Steve Baker, Kai Strauss, The Temperance Movement and Kitty, Daisy & Lewis represent different generations and interpretations of traditions that continue to inspire musicians across Europe.
And in Spain, Patax remind us that musical identity is never static. Flamenco, funk, jazz and Latin rhythms can coexist in a vibrant artistic language that belongs entirely to the present.
This is the real achievement of the EU Jazz and Blues Festival’s Autumn-Winter 2026 season: not simply bringing international musicians to European stages, but creating a musical geography in which different cultures, generations and artistic philosophies can meet.
From the Mediterranean coast to the northern European cities, from historic theatres to intimate clubs, every performance adds another chapter to a shared cultural experience.
Jazz and blues remain languages without borders. Their greatest strength lies in their ability to preserve tradition while continuously discovering new possibilities.
And throughout this extraordinary European journey, the artistic vision of the festival’s director and organiser, Olivia Peevas, remains central to the season’s identity: a commitment to musical diversity, international exchange and the presentation of artists whose creativity gives contemporary jazz and blues its continuing relevance.
The result is a season that celebrates not only the musicians themselves, but also the cities, venues and audiences that make Europe’s musical life so wonderfully alive.
By Lauren Wulff, Katrin Woods, Daniella Bushler
