November: A New Chapter in Europe’s Great Musical Autumn at Autumn–Winter Jazz – Blues Season EU Jazz & Blues Festival 2026: Photos

Venue: Teatro Albéniz! Madrid opened November with a magnificent encounter between contemporary jazz and the rhythmic soul of Africa. The appearance of Richard Bona and his quintet at Teatro Albéniz, as part of the Villanos del Jazz programme, brought one of the most distinctive musical personalities of the international jazz world to the Spanish capital.

Bona’s artistic language is wonderfully difficult to confine within a single musical category. His bass playing, singing, composing and multi-instrumental abilities come together in a sound that is simultaneously sophisticated and deeply accessible. His music draws upon the rich rhythmic heritage of Cameroon and West Africa, while embracing the harmonic vocabulary, improvisational freedom and instrumental sophistication of contemporary jazz.

The quintet format offered an especially fertile environment for this musical conversation. The reported accompanying musicians included Cuban pianist Jesús Pupo and drummer Ludwig Afonso, alongside guitar and saxophone.

The combination of African rhythmic structures, Cuban musical sensibility and modern jazz improvisation gives Bona’s music its remarkable breadth. His bass is much more than a harmonic foundation. It becomes a melodic voice, a rhythmic engine and an expressive storyteller. His lines move with extraordinary fluidity, shifting between dancing rhythmic figures, lyrical passages and intricate improvisational ideas. His singing adds another dimension: warm, playful, expressive and closely connected to the language and emotional traditions of African music.

The Teatro Albéniz was an appropriate setting for this celebration. Madrid’s theatrical and musical culture provided an elegant European backdrop for a performance whose deepest roots reach across the Atlantic and into the heart of Africa.

This concert represented one of the most compelling opening statements of the November programme: jazz as a universal language that does not erase cultural identities, but allows them to meet, converse and flourish.

Venue: Kings Place – Hall One! London welcomed pianist and composer Bill Laurance for a particularly personal musical occasion: the closing concert of the 2026 London Piano Festival. His solo performance took place on 1 November at Kings Place.

Best known internationally as a founding member of Snarky Puppy, Laurance has developed an extraordinary musical identity that moves naturally between jazz, classical composition, contemporary chamber music and electronic sound worlds. His multiple Grammy Awards with Snarky Puppy testify to his contribution to one of the most influential contemporary instrumental ensembles.

Yet the solo piano reveals another side of his personality. Without the support of a large ensemble, every musical decision becomes more exposed: the placement of a note, the shape of a phrase, the subtle movement between harmony and silence, the relationship between rhythmic momentum and contemplative stillness.

Laurance’s classical training gives his music a strong architectural foundation. His jazz instincts, however, keep that architecture alive, allowing melodies to unfold organically and harmonic ideas to develop through improvisation. The result is music that can be expansive without becoming excessive, intimate without losing its rhythmic energy.

His performance at Kings Place drew upon material from his solo recordings and offered an opportunity to experience the pianist’s individual voice in concentrated form.

Hall One, with its contemporary design and excellent concert atmosphere, was an ideal environment for such a performance. The evening also made a fitting conclusion to a festival dedicated to the piano in its many artistic forms.

For the EU Jazz and Blues Festival, Laurance’s appearance symbolises the importance of artistic openness: the modern jazz pianist is not restricted by traditional genre boundaries, but can move freely between classical discipline, improvisational imagination and contemporary musical expression.

Venue: Jazzland! Vienna’s historic Jazzland offers precisely the atmosphere in which a trumpet summit dedicated to the legacy of Kenny Dorham can come alive. Its intimate club environment, close relationship between musicians and audience, and longstanding connection with traditional and modern jazz make it an especially appropriate setting.

The meeting of Austrian trumpeter Daniel Nösig and American jazz trumpeter Joe Magnarelli brings together two musical perspectives within the same distinguished instrumental tradition.

Dorham was one of the great lyrical architects of hard bop. His trumpet playing possessed a rare balance of clarity, warmth, rhythmic precision and melodic imagination. Unlike players who relied primarily on technical display, he could communicate an entire emotional world through a beautifully shaped phrase.

A programme devoted to his music invites the performers to explore the essential language of hard bop: blues-inflected melodies, sophisticated chord progressions, swinging rhythmic foundations and solos that develop through conversation rather than mere virtuosity.

Magnarelli’s American jazz experience and Nösig’s European perspective offer an especially interesting meeting. Their dialogue can be understood as a conversation between generations and musical environments, united by the trumpet’s expressive possibilities.

The summit also celebrates the trumpet as one of jazz’s most recognisable voices. Its capacity to sound brilliant and commanding, yet intimate and almost vocal, makes it ideal for the combination of lyrical balladry and energetic hard-bop improvisation.

Jazzland’s atmosphere reinforces this historical connection. In a club of this character, the music is not presented as a museum reconstruction of the past. It is a living tradition, continually renewed by musicians who understand its foundations and are prepared to speak through them in their own voices.

Amsterdam, Netherlands – Wynton Marsalis: European Premiere of the Cello Concerto

Venue: Concertgebouw! One of the most significant artistic events in this programme is the European premiere of the Cello Concerto by Wynton Marsalis.

The concert features the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Hannu Lintu, with internationally acclaimed cellist Alisa Weilerstein as soloist.

Marsalis occupies a unique position in contemporary music. A celebrated jazz trumpeter, composer and Pulitzer Prize winner, he has spent much of his career exploring the relationship between African American musical traditions and the broader Western classical heritage.

His compositions demonstrate a deep understanding of orchestral architecture, rhythmic development, thematic transformation and the expressive possibilities of instrumental writing.

The cello concerto offers a particularly interesting meeting between his compositional imagination and the extraordinary expressive range of the cello.

The cello is one of the most naturally vocal instruments in the orchestra. Its register allows it to move between the warmth of the human voice, the gravity of the lower strings and the lyrical brilliance of its upper range.

In the hands of Alisa Weilerstein, these qualities become especially compelling. Her musicianship is known for its emotional intensity, technical command and intellectual engagement with both traditional and contemporary repertoire.

The performance by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra under Hannu Lintu provides the larger musical context. The orchestra’s contribution is especially important because Marsalis’s concerto belongs to a musical world where rhythmic vitality, orchestral colour and the dialogue between soloist and ensemble are essential.

The programme also includes Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. This pairing creates an exceptionally interesting artistic conversation between two composers who, in different historical periods, challenged conventional expectations of rhythm, orchestral writing and musical structure.

Stravinsky’s revolutionary work changed the history of twentieth-century orchestral music. Marsalis’s concerto, in turn, explores the continuing possibilities of rhythmic invention and the meeting of musical traditions.

The Concertgebouw, one of Europe’s most celebrated concert halls, provides an ideal setting for this event. For the EU Jazz and Blues Festival, this performance has particular symbolic importance. It demonstrates that the artistic dialogue between jazz and classical music remains alive, creative and capable of producing major new works.

Horsens, Denmark – Clearwater Creedence Revival UK

Venue: Horsens Ny Teater! The beginning of November also brought a celebration of one of the most enduring musical legacies in American rock and blues: the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Clearwater Creedence Revival UK appeared at Horsens Ny Teater on Sunday, 1 November. The musical world of Creedence Clearwater Revival remains extraordinary in its simplicity and power. Their songs combine blues structures, country influences, rock-and-roll energy and the unmistakable atmosphere of Southern American roots music. They are compositions built around strong melodies, direct emotional communication and rhythms that immediately invite participation.

The repertoire associated with this tradition includes such enduring classics as Proud Mary, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Down on the Corner, Fortunate Son and Bad Moon Rising.

These songs have survived generations because they possess something fundamental: an honest musical identity. Their arrangements do not depend upon elaborate technical constructions. Instead, they rely on the strength of the melody, the expressive character of the guitar and the irresistible movement of the rhythm section.

The British tribute formation has been active for approximately two decades, presenting its interpretation of the classic Creedence repertoire to audiences in Britain and internationally.

Horsens Ny Teater, with its established place in the cultural life of the Danish city, offered a welcoming environment for this celebration of classic roots music.

The afternoon concert was an important reminder that blues and rock traditions are not simply historical chapters. They remain living musical languages, continually rediscovered by audiences of different ages.

Venue: Milûk! The Dutch blues-rock tradition occupied an important place in the opening November programme with the appearance of the Leif De Leeuw Band in Harlingen.

Leif de Leeuw is one of the most accomplished guitarists in the contemporary Benelux blues-rock scene. His playing is characterised by a powerful Southern-rock vocabulary, expressive phrasing, technically impressive improvisation and a strong appreciation of the American blues and jam-band traditions.

His musical personality is particularly interesting because it combines several influences: the blues-rock language of the great American guitarists, the extended instrumental conversations of the Allman Brothers tradition, country and Americana elements, and a modern European approach to composition and ensemble performance.

The band’s artistic development has been recognised through numerous awards. De Leeuw has received repeated recognition as one of the leading blues-rock guitarists of the Benelux, while the group won the Dutch Blues Challenge in 2014 and was named Best Band at the European Blues Awards in 2015.

The band’s characteristic sound is built upon a particularly rich instrumental configuration. Its larger formation features two electric guitars, two drummers, Hammond organ, bass and the expressive voice of Sem Jansen.

This arrangement gives the group an enormous dynamic range. The two drummers can create an expansive rhythmic foundation, while the Hammond organ provides the warm, almost orchestral depth associated with classic Southern rock. The guitars move between melodic exchanges, extended improvisations and powerful blues-rock statements.

The group’s performances are particularly attractive because the music is allowed to develop organically. A composition can begin with a carefully constructed melodic idea and gradually open into an extended instrumental journey.

Harlingen, a historic Frisian harbour town, provides a fitting geographical setting for such a concert. Its maritime atmosphere, old streets and close relationship with the sea create a distinctly Northern European backdrop for music whose roots lie in the American South.

This appearance demonstrated the vitality of the European blues-rock community and the extraordinary ability of its musicians to transform international influences into a distinctive artistic identity.

Venue: Sala Even! Seville brings a different kind of energy to the November programme through the appearance of the Icelandic trio The Vintage Caravan.

The Vintage Caravan have developed a distinctive musical language rooted in the spirit of 1970s hard rock, psychedelic blues and extended instrumental improvisation.

Their sound recalls the adventurous period when rock musicians were discovering new possibilities for electric guitar, bass and drums. However, the trio does not simply reproduce the past. Its compositions possess a contemporary energy, combining vintage tonal colours with modern production and a powerful live approach.

The guitar is central to the group’s musical identity. It moves between heavy blues-rock riffs, melodic solos and psychedelic passages, while the bass provides a substantial foundation and the drums give the music its explosive momentum.

One of the most appealing aspects of The Vintage Caravan is the balance between tightly constructed songs and instrumental freedom. Their music can be direct and forceful, yet it also creates room for extended development, unexpected transitions and improvisational exchanges.

The group’s Icelandic origins add another interesting dimension. Coming from a country whose natural landscape is associated with dramatic contrasts, volcanic energy and extraordinary atmospheric spaces, the trio has developed a sound that feels expansive and cinematic.

At Sala Even, the intimate live-club environment provides an opportunity for the audience to experience the full physical force of this music. The combination of distorted guitar, rhythmic intensity and melodic invention makes the performance a compelling contribution to the festival’s broader blues-rock programme.

Venue: The Golden Hinde! One of the most atmospheric events of the opening November weekend took place aboard The Golden Hinde, the celebrated reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake’s historic sailing ship in London.

On 1 November, singer-songwriter Liz Jones and guitarist John Bruce presented an intimate acoustic roots-and-blues programme. The event was advertised as a return engagement following the success of their previous appearance in December 2025.

This concert represented a particularly valuable aspect of the EU Jazz and Blues Festival’s philosophy: the belief that musical excellence is not measured by the size of the stage or the number of musicians performing.

Sometimes two artists, two instruments and a collection of carefully crafted songs can create a more intimate and memorable musical experience than a much larger production.

Liz Jones brings an individual songwriting personality to the partnership. Her material combines lyrical observation, humour, emotional directness and a distinctive sense of storytelling. Her voice is expressive and characterful, with an ability to communicate the subtle emotional details of a song.

John Bruce contributes a natural blues vocabulary, drawing upon his experience with the Scottish blues group Blues’N’Trouble. His guitar playing provides the musical foundation for Jones’s compositions, combining tasteful phrasing, blues-inflected melodic lines and an instinctive understanding of dynamics.

The Golden Hinde is an extraordinary setting for this kind of performance. Its maritime identity creates an atmosphere of historical adventure, while the intimate scale of the venue encourages a direct relationship between performers and listeners.

The concert’s acoustic character allowed the songs to retain their natural shape. Rather than relying on elaborate arrangements, Jones and Bruce placed their emphasis upon musical communication, lyrical detail and the expressive relationship between voice and guitar.

This was roots music in its most personal form: warm, honest, unpretentious and deeply connected to the storytelling tradition of the blues.

Venue: Wigmore Hall! London’s Wigmore Hall becomes the setting for one of the most intellectually stimulating concerts of the November season.

Pianist and bandleader Emmet Cohen leads an exceptional quintet in a programme celebrating the centenary of two towering figures in jazz history: John Coltrane and Miles Davis.

It also identifies the complete quintet: Emmet Cohen on piano, Philip Norris on double bass, Joe Farnsworth on drums, Tivon Pennicott on tenor saxophone and Benny Benack III on trumpet.

The year 2026 provides a rare opportunity to consider the artistic influence of these two musicians together. Born in 1926, Davis and Coltrane transformed the possibilities of jazz during the second half of the twentieth century.

Their artistic paths intersected during one of the most important periods in modern jazz. Their collaboration in Miles Davis’s groups helped establish a new language of improvisation, harmonic exploration and ensemble interaction.

Davis brought an extraordinary sense of melodic economy, tonal colour and structural imagination. Coltrane, meanwhile, continually expanded the harmonic and spiritual dimensions of improvisation, transforming the saxophone into an instrument of profound exploration.

Emmet Cohen approaches this heritage not as a historical reconstruction but as an opportunity for new musical thought. His programme is conceived around the fundamental questions that shaped the artistry of Davis and Coltrane: the search for meaning, the possibilities of musical expression and the relationship between individual creativity and collective communication.

Cohen is an especially appropriate musical leader for this project. His playing combines deep knowledge of the jazz piano tradition with remarkable rhythmic energy, a sophisticated harmonic vocabulary and an infectious sense of swing.

The quintet’s instrumentation creates a particularly rich musical environment. The trumpet and tenor saxophone provide contrasting melodic colours, while the piano establishes the harmonic architecture. Double bass and drums create the rhythmic foundation from which the improvisations can develop.

Benny Benack III brings the brilliance and articulation of the trumpet, while Tivon Pennicott’s tenor saxophone offers a powerful expressive counterpart. Joe Farnsworth is one of the outstanding contemporary practitioners of the jazz drumming tradition, and Philip Norris provides the essential depth and flexibility of the double bass.

Wigmore Hall is internationally associated with chamber music and attentive listening. Its intimate proportions make it particularly appropriate for a programme that invites audiences to hear the details of musical interaction. The concert is more than a birthday tribute. It is a celebration of jazz as an evolving art form, in which the achievements of the masters continue to inspire new generations of musicians.

Venue: Fasching! Stockholm’s celebrated Fasching jazz club welcomes one of the most distinctive voices of the contemporary American jazz generation: alto saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins.

Wilkins has established an impressive artistic reputation through his recordings for Blue Note Records. His debut album, Omega, introduced a musician whose creative language was already remarkably mature, combining historical awareness with an unmistakably contemporary perspective.

His music is often described through the vocabulary of spiritual jazz, but that description captures only part of its expressive range.

Wilkins is interested in the relationship between sound and narrative. His compositions frequently unfold as extended musical journeys, in which melodic fragments, rhythmic patterns and harmonic ideas develop into larger emotional structures.

His quartet features: Immanuel Wilkins – alto saxophone, Micah Thomas – piano, Ryoma Takenaga – double bass, Kweku Sumbry – drums.

This is a particularly strong ensemble. The musicians possess considerable individual technical ability, yet their greatest strength lies in their collective understanding of musical space.

Micah Thomas contributes a sophisticated harmonic imagination and a sensitive approach to the piano. Ryoma Takenaga provides a flexible and responsive bass foundation, while Kweku Sumbry brings rhythmic complexity and a deep connection to the African American musical tradition.

Wilkins’s saxophone playing is characterised by a remarkable combination of lyrical expression, rhythmic urgency and spiritual intensity. His tone can be warm and almost conversational, before becoming increasingly urgent as the music develops.

The quartet’s international reputation was further recognised by the Deutscher Jazzpreis, which named it Best International Live Act. Fasching, with its long-established role in Stockholm’s jazz culture, is an ideal environment for this music. The club’s intimate atmosphere allows audiences to experience the smallest details of improvisational exchange.

Wilkins’s appearance is an important statement about the continuing vitality of contemporary jazz: music that respects its history while searching constantly for new expressive possibilities.

Venue: Cankarjev dom – Linhart Hall! The centenary of John Coltrane’s birth provides one of the central artistic themes of the 2026 jazz calendar, and Ljubljana is among the European cities participating in this international celebration.

At Cankarjev dom, the project Coltrane 100 brings together an exceptional quintet led by Grammy-winning tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano.

The musicians are: Joe Lovano – tenor saxophone, Melissa Aldana – tenor saxophone, Nduduzo Makhathini – piano, Linda May Han Oh – double bass, Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums.

The artistic idea behind this project is particularly meaningful. Rather than attempting to reproduce Coltrane’s original recordings, the ensemble approaches his compositions as a source of continuing creative inspiration.

This distinction is essential. Coltrane was not simply a great instrumentalist. He was a musician whose search for new harmonic possibilities, rhythmic freedom and spiritual meaning changed the direction of jazz. His work moved through several major periods: the hard-bop language of his early recordings, the extraordinary modal explorations associated with My Favorite Things, the monumental spiritual statement of A Love Supreme, and the increasingly adventurous improvisational worlds of his later years.

Joe Lovano is an especially appropriate leader for such a project. His own musical development has been shaped by an intimate relationship with the great tenor saxophone tradition, including Coltrane’s influence.

Melissa Aldana offers a younger generation’s perspective. Her playing combines technical precision, strong melodic imagination and a highly individual contemporary voice.

The presence of South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini adds another dimension. His music draws upon the spiritual and cultural traditions of South Africa, making him a particularly compelling participant in a programme dedicated to Coltrane’s spiritual legacy.

Linda May Han Oh is one of the most respected bassists and composers of her generation. Her ability to combine rhythmic independence with melodic sensitivity makes her a vital component of the ensemble.

Jeff “Tain” Watts brings extraordinary experience and rhythmic authority. His connection with the wider Coltrane musical family, including musicians from the orbit of Alice and Ravi Coltrane, makes his participation especially significant.

The programme combines interpretations of Coltrane’s classic compositions with original works inspired by his legacy. This approach reflects Lovano’s stated artistic philosophy: to use Coltrane’s music as a starting point for fresh musical exploration rather than as a template to be copied.

Cankarjev dom, one of Slovenia’s major cultural institutions, offers a distinguished setting for this important encounter. The concert is not simply a commemoration of a great musician’s centenary. It is an affirmation of his continuing influence upon the imagination of contemporary jazz.

Venue: Jazzhus Montmartre! Copenhagen’s historic Jazzhus Montmartre provides the setting for a particularly elegant meeting between a legendary pianist and one of the most promising young jazz vocalists of her generation.

This is an important clarification: the event is not a separate Ekep Nkwelle recital devoted exclusively to Barron’s compositions. It is a special Kenny Barron quartet performance with the addition of a vocalist, creating a new dimension in the pianist’s established musical format.

Kenny Barron belongs to the great generation of American jazz pianists whose careers connect the hard-bop and post-bop traditions with the continuing evolution of modern jazz. His playing is distinguished by harmonic sophistication, rhythmic vitality and a beautifully balanced touch. He possesses the rare ability to create music that is technically impressive without ever sacrificing melodic warmth. His piano language is deeply rooted in the history of jazz, yet it is never static. Barron’s improvisations are characterised by elegant harmonic movement, delicate rhythmic variations and an extraordinary sense of melodic proportion.

Ekep Nkwelle brings a fresh vocal perspective to this musical environment. Her appearance alongside Barron offers the opportunity to hear the pianist’s repertoire and musical sensibility through the expressive possibilities of the human voice. This combination creates an especially interesting dialogue between instrumental improvisation and vocal interpretation.

Russell Hall’s bass and Jonathan Barber’s drums provide a flexible rhythmic foundation. Their contribution is essential to the quartet’s musical balance, allowing Barron and Nkwelle to move freely between carefully shaped arrangements and spontaneous interaction.

Jazzhus Montmartre is one of Europe’s most historically significant jazz venues. Its intimate environment has welcomed generations of international jazz masters, making it an especially appropriate place for an artist of Barron’s stature.

The performance represents an encounter between established mastery and emerging vocal individuality, and demonstrates how the jazz tradition remains open to new artistic combinations.

Venue: Jazzland, Vienna! Vienna deserves a special place in this season’s programme because of its extraordinary jazz-club culture. Jazzland, established in 1972, is one of the city’s historic homes of live jazz, where the intimacy of the club environment has long encouraged musical exchange between European and American performers.

The proposed meeting of Austrian trumpeter Daniel Nösig and New York trumpeter Joe Magnarelli is an attractive artistic concept, particularly with its emphasis on the hard-bop tradition and the music of Kenny Dorham.

Dorham was one of the most individual trumpet voices of the post-war jazz generation. His playing combined elegance, rhythmic intelligence and a distinctive melodic imagination. His contribution to the development of hard bop remains important, especially through his work with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and his own recordings.

Joe Magnarelli is a highly respected representative of the contemporary American trumpet tradition. His playing demonstrates an impressive command of bebop vocabulary, blues expression and the harmonic language of modern mainstream jazz.

Daniel Nösig brings considerable European experience to the encounter. His musical background includes performances and collaborations with internationally recognised musicians, including Joe Zawinul, Sam Rivers and Adam Nussbaum.

The trumpet summit is particularly attractive because of the possibilities created by two contrasting instrumental personalities. Two trumpeters can approach the same melodic material from different directions, exchanging phrases, developing complementary improvisations and creating moments of spontaneous musical competition.

The hard-bop tradition is especially suitable for this format. Its rhythmic energy, blues foundation and strong melodic character allow musicians to demonstrate virtuosity while maintaining the collective spirit of the ensemble.

The opening of November demonstrates just how many different musical worlds can coexist within one festival season. There is the African rhythmic imagination of Richard Bona, the architectural sophistication of Bill Laurance’s piano.

There is the enduring energy of Creedence-inspired roots rock, the improvisational freedom of Leif De Leeuw and the psychedelic power of The Vintage Caravan. There is also the historical and spiritual dimension of jazz: the centenary celebrations of Coltrane and Miles Davis, the music of Kenny Barron, the contemporary creativity of Immanuel Wilkins and the extraordinary orchestral possibilities explored by Wynton Marsalis.

These concerts represent different approaches to musical expression, but they share one essential quality: the desire to communicate through sound. The cities themselves contribute to the experience. The historic streets of London, the elegant cultural architecture of Vienna, the Mediterranean character of Madrid, the northern atmosphere of Stockholm and Copenhagen, and the great concert traditions of Amsterdam and Ljubljana create a fascinating European backdrop.

As November progresses, the festival moves further into the winter season. The golden colours of autumn gradually disappear, evenings become longer and concert halls become increasingly important cultural meeting places.

It is precisely in this atmosphere that jazz and blues reveal their special qualities. Their music can be intimate or monumental, joyful or contemplative, traditional or adventurous. It can speak through a whispering piano, a powerful saxophone, an expressive voice or a heavily amplified electric guitar.

The EU Jazz and Blues Festival celebrates all these possibilities. November is not simply another month in the festival calendar. It is a celebration of Europe’s musical diversity, the international jazz community and the enduring emotional power of live performance.

It brings together the international stature of the performers, the individual character of the venues, the musical significance of the programmes and, above all, the vision of Olivia Pievas in one coherent European cultural story.