EU Jazz and Blues Festival | September – December 2026!!!
The November programme of the EU Jazz & Blues Festival 2026 offers a particularly fascinating musical journey across Europe, bringing together distinguished international jazz masters, innovative contemporary musicians, soul performers and passionate blues artists.
From Berlin to Paris, from Copenhagen to Milan, from Vienna to Oslo, from Luxembourg to Bath and from Galicia to the German jazz clubs, this programme reflects the extraordinary geographical and artistic diversity of Europe’s musical life.
What makes this selection especially compelling is the dialogue between generations and traditions. The Brazilian musical imagination of Hermeto Pascoal, the sophisticated improvisational language of European jazz, the expressive power of American saxophone masters, the warmth of soul-jazz and the irresistible energy of traditional blues and boogie-woogie all become part of one continuous European cultural narrative.
The concert reports
Berlin, Germany — Hermeto Pascoal’s Mothership: A musical legacy that continues to fly
11 November 2026 · Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), Miriam Makeba Auditorium!
One of the most emotionally significant events of this November programme is the tribute to the extraordinary Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist and musical visionary Hermeto Pascoal.
Following his death in 2025, the musicians who shared his artistic journey have continued to carry his extraordinary musical universe forward. The Berlin concert brings together Hermeto’s long-standing ensemble, Nave Mãe, known as Hermeto’s Mothership, and the Berlin-based Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Glatzel.
The Mothership musicians include Itibere Zwarg, Fabio Pascoal, Andre Marques, Ajurina Zwarg and Jota P., with flautist Mariana Zwarg joining them. The latter, Hermeto’s goddaughter and Itibere Zwarg’s daughter, represents a particularly meaningful personal connection to the composer’s musical heritage.
This is a meeting between two distinctive musical worlds. Hermeto’s language was never confined by conventional genre boundaries. His compositions could embrace Brazilian popular music, folkloric rhythms, jazz, experimental orchestration, chamber music, spontaneous improvisation and sounds inspired by everyday life.
He possessed an almost limitless imagination, transforming unexpected sonic materials into sophisticated musical architecture.
The Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra offers an ideal partner for this repertoire. Its international membership and openness to different musical traditions create opportunities to reinterpret Hermeto’s compositions with new colours, unusual instrumental combinations and an expanded orchestral perspective.
The most fascinating artistic aspect of this encounter is the relationship between freedom and structure. Hermeto’s music frequently moves between intricate rhythmic patterns and moments of seemingly spontaneous invention. A melody can emerge from a complex ensemble texture, a percussion figure can become a compositional foundation, and a seemingly unpredictable instrumental conversation can develop into a beautifully organised musical statement.
The HKW concert is therefore more than a conventional tribute. It represents the continuation of a living musical philosophy. The original Mothership musicians preserve the knowledge, humour, rhythmic imagination and expressive spirit they acquired through decades of collaboration with Hermeto, while the Andromeda musicians bring fresh perspectives to the material.
There is something especially moving about this performance taking place in Berlin, a city whose contemporary cultural identity has always embraced experimentation, artistic independence and international exchange.
The message of this concert is beautifully simple: Hermeto Pascoal’s physical presence may be gone, but his music remains an open universe. The Mothership continues its journey.
Nevers, France — Émile Parisien: FLOATING and the art of musical imagination
11 November 2026 · D’Jazz Nevers! The appearance of Émile Parisien at the D’Jazz Nevers Festival represents another important chapter in the contemporary European jazz story.
Parisien is one of the most distinctive soprano saxophonists of his generation. His artistic personality combines exceptional instrumental technique, an adventurous improvisational imagination and a remarkable capacity to move between lyrical expression and complex rhythmic structures.
His FLOATING project brings together an international quartet featuring: Émile Parisien — soprano, saxophone, Yaron Herman — piano, Linda May Han Oh — double bass, Prabhu Edouard — tabla and percussion.
The project creates a particularly interesting meeting of musical cultures. The soprano saxophone provides the principal melodic voice, while Herman’s piano introduces harmonic sophistication and an adventurous approach to improvisation. Linda May Han Oh contributes an exceptionally flexible bass foundation, and Prabhu Edouard expands the rhythmic vocabulary through the subtle colours and intricate patterns of Indian percussion.
FLOATING suggests an artistic environment in which music is constantly changing its shape. Rather than relying exclusively on conventional jazz structures, the ensemble explores movement, atmosphere, rhythmic transformation and the interaction between contrasting instrumental languages.
Parisien’s soprano saxophone is particularly well suited to this concept. Its clear, penetrating sound can become lyrical and almost vocal in character, then suddenly develop into energetic, sharply articulated improvisations. His playing often combines an extraordinary sense of melodic direction with rhythmic unpredictability.
Herman’s contribution is equally important. His piano can provide delicate harmonic landscapes, but it can also become a source of powerful rhythmic energy. The relationship between piano and soprano saxophone creates a fascinating dialogue, while the bass and percussion establish a constantly evolving foundation.
The D’Jazz Nevers setting offers an appropriate home for such an adventurous project. The festival has long represented the openness of the French jazz scene to contemporary European and international musical ideas.
The artistic importance of FLOATING lies in its refusal to remain within a single musical language. It is a conversation between traditions, individual personalities and different approaches to improvisation.
Gentofte, Denmark — Lars Danielsson and Cæcilie Norby: An intimate dialogue between voice and strings
12 November 2026 · Gentofte Kino, Gentofte Jazzklub! The meeting of Swedish bassist and composer Lars Danielsson and Danish vocalist Cæcilie Norby brings a different kind of beauty to the festival programme.
Unlike the larger ensembles featured elsewhere in this season, this performance is built around intimacy, sensitivity and the expressive possibilities of two musical personalities who understand one another deeply.
Norby possesses a remarkably versatile voice. Her interpretation combines jazz phrasing, emotional immediacy, subtle dramatic expression and a natural ability to move between sophisticated arrangements and direct, heartfelt communication.
Danielsson is one of Europe’s most respected bassists and composers. His instrumental personality is distinguished by lyrical sensitivity, a warm sound and a remarkable understanding of melody. Whether playing double bass or cello, he approaches his instrument as a complete musical voice rather than simply a rhythmic or harmonic foundation.
The programme includes jazz standards, popular songs from different decades and original compositions, presented through the duo’s own arrangements. The organisers also describe a combination of pre-recorded backing elements and spontaneous duo improvisations.
This creates an opportunity to explore the relationship between a human voice and the expressive resonance of strings. The most beautiful moments in such a performance often emerge from restraint. A pause can become as meaningful as a phrase; a sustained note can carry an entire emotional landscape; a simple melodic line can reveal unexpected harmonic possibilities.
Norby’s voice can move from a delicate whisper to a powerful statement, while Danielsson’s bass and cello provide melodic responses, counterpoint and atmospheric depth. The intimacy of Gentofte Kino is particularly appropriate for this kind of musical experience. Rather than overwhelming the listener with volume or virtuosity, the duo invites the audience to concentrate on musical detail, communication and emotional nuance.
This concert represents one of the most lyrical dimensions of the Autumn–Winter season: the art of making a small musical setting feel like an entire world.
Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany — Matthieu Saglio Quartet: The cello discovers new horizons
11 November 2026 · Jazzclub Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Abrahams Eventlocation! French cellist and composer Matthieu Saglio brings an unusually rich instrumental vocabulary to contemporary European jazz.
His quartet’s music is built around a fascinating idea: the cello can occupy a position traditionally associated with several different instruments, moving between melodic leadership, harmonic support, rhythmic articulation and almost vocal expression.
For this German appearance, the quartet features: Matthieu Saglio — cello, Léo Ullmann — violin, Steve Shehan — drums and percussion, Christian Belhomme — piano.
The ensemble’s musical identity is shaped by the meeting of classical training, jazz improvisation, Mediterranean atmosphere, flamenco, African rhythms, folk traditions and Arabic influences.
Saglio’s cello possesses a particularly expressive character. Its deep register can create a contemplative atmosphere, while its higher melodic lines can become extraordinarily lyrical. The instrument’s ability to sustain notes, articulate rhythmic figures and create expressive slides makes it especially effective in music that moves between classical chamber traditions and jazz.
The violin adds another dimension. The relationship between cello and violin creates an almost conversational texture, with the two instruments exchanging melodies, contrasting registers and occasionally developing intricate unison passages.
Christian Belhomme’s piano provides harmonic architecture and rhythmic movement, while Steve Shehan’s percussion introduces a wide range of colours. The rhythm section does not simply maintain a steady pulse; it helps shape the atmosphere and dramatic development of each composition.
The result is a form of chamber jazz that feels both intimate and expansive. Rheda-Wiedenbrück’s Jazzclub provides an especially appropriate setting. Its Abrahams event space, known within the club’s programme as a jazz temple, offers an environment in which the audience can experience the subtle instrumental detail and expressive interaction of the quartet.
This concert demonstrates that contemporary jazz does not require the traditional saxophone-trumpet-piano configuration to achieve depth and improvisational freedom. Saglio’s music opens another door, one through which European chamber music and the wider world of jazz meet naturally.
Milan, Italy — David Murray Quartet: The commanding voice of modern jazz
12 November 2026 · Blue Note Milano, Milan! The presence of American saxophone legend David Murray at Blue Note Milano is one of the most significant jazz appointments of this programme.
Murray belongs to a generation of musicians who fundamentally expanded the possibilities of modern jazz. Emerging from the adventurous New York loft-jazz environment of the 1970s, he developed a highly individual voice that embraces the blues, gospel, free improvisation, African and Caribbean musical influences, soul and the great traditions of jazz.
As co-founder of the influential World Saxophone Quartet, he helped redefine the possibilities of ensemble saxophone performance. His extensive discography, which includes more than 150 recordings, reflects an extraordinary artistic curiosity and a career built on continual exploration.
The programme is primarily based on original compositions, giving Murray considerable room to interact with the younger musicians. Murray’s tenor saxophone is immediately recognisable. His sound possesses a remarkable physical presence: broad, resonant, sometimes almost orchestral in its depth, yet capable of extraordinary tenderness. His improvisations can begin with a blues-inflected phrase and develop into complex melodic architecture. He is equally capable of creating a powerful, rhythmically charged solo or exploring a lyrical passage in which every note seems to carry its own emotional weight.
The presence of Marta Sanchez at the piano offers an especially interesting dimension. Her harmonic language and improvisational imagination provide a stimulating counterpart to Murray’s expansive saxophone voice. Luke Stewart’s bass and Russell Carter’s drumming establish a flexible rhythmic foundation, allowing the music to move naturally between swing, blues, contemporary improvisation and more exploratory passages.
The addition of Francesca Cinelli’s spoken-word contribution introduces another artistic possibility, bringing language and musical expression into the same performance environment.
Blue Note Milano is an ideal venue for such an encounter. Its intimate atmosphere and strong international identity make it one of the most recognisable destinations on Europe’s jazz club circuit.
The concert represents a meeting between the historical experience of a major American jazz innovator and the creative energy of a new generation.
Bath, England — Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra: A celebration of boogie-woogie, swing and rhythm & blues
12 November 2026 · The Forum, Bath, United Kingdom! A completely different musical atmosphere awaits audiences in Bath, where pianist and bandleader Jools Holland brings his celebrated Rhythm & Blues Orchestra to The Forum.
Holland has built a distinctive musical identity around the piano traditions of boogie-woogie, rhythm and blues, swing and early rock and roll. His performances combine the precision of an accomplished pianist with the exuberance of a natural entertainer and the musical richness of a large ensemble.
The 2026 Autumn–Winter tour features a particularly impressive group of guest artists: Jools Holland — piano and bandleader, Roachford — special guest vocalist, Ruby Turner — vocals, Louise Marshall — vocals, Sumudu Jayatilaka — vocals, Joe Webb — opening pianist, Rhythm & Blues Orchestra — ensemble.
The official Bath programme confirms that Joe Webb opens the evening, while Roachford joins the tour as special guest. Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka also feature in the concert programme.
This is music that celebrates rhythm in its most direct and communicative form. Boogie-woogie piano has always possessed a special ability to transform a concert hall into a place of shared energy. Its rolling left-hand bass patterns create a powerful rhythmic engine, while the right hand develops melodic variations, syncopated accents and virtuosic flourishes.
Holland’s approach connects these traditions with the larger language of swing orchestration. The result is a sound that can move from intimate piano passages to full-band arrangements featuring powerful brass, rhythmic precision and rich vocal harmonies.
Ruby Turner brings a remarkable gospel and soul dimension to the programme. Roachford contributes his distinctive British soul voice, while Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka add further vocal colour.
Joe Webb’s participation is also important. His approach connects contemporary British piano improvisation with the classic jazz idiom, offering a particularly appropriate introduction to the evening.
The Forum, situated in the historic city of Bath, provides a fitting backdrop for this celebration. Its concert atmosphere allows the orchestra’s large-scale sound to unfold while retaining the warmth and spontaneity of a traditional rhythm-and-blues performance.
This is a programme that reminds us that jazz and blues are not only traditions of artistic sophistication; they are also music of movement, celebration, communication and joy.
A Coruña, Galicia, Spain — Henri Herbert: The explosive energy of boogie-woogie and rock & roll
12 November 2026 · Sala Mardi Gras, A Coruña! The Spanish stop introduces one of the most energetic personalities in contemporary piano-driven blues and rock & roll: Henri Herbert.
A small but highly respected venue, Sala Mardi Gras in A Coruña has developed a strong reputation for presenting live music with an independent spirit and a close relationship between musicians and audiences.
Herbert’s musical background is rooted in the great traditions of boogie-woogie and early rock & roll. His piano playing reflects the influence of figures such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Albert Ammons, Fats Domino and Pete Johnson, while demonstrating an individual style developed through years of live performance.
His history with The Jim Jones Revue is particularly important. During his time with the group, he co-wrote and recorded material for the album The Savage Heart, before concentrating on his own musical career after the band’s separation in 2014.
The beauty of this musical language lies in its directness. There is no need for elaborate production or complicated conceptual framing. The piano itself becomes the centre of the performance, capable of creating an entire rhythmic universe. His style is particularly suited to a venue such as Mardi Gras, where the proximity between artist and audience can intensify the concert experience.
The atmosphere promises to connect the historical roots of American boogie-woogie with the vitality of contemporary European rock and blues culture.
Luxembourg — Renaud Lesire Blues Trio: The authentic spirit of Chicago blues
12 November 2026 · Liquid Bar, Rue Münster, Luxembourg City! The blues programme of the EU Jazz & Blues Festival finds one of its most authentic expressions in the appearance of the Renaud Lesire Blues Trio.
For more than three decades, Belgian bluesman Renaud Lesire has developed a reputation through performances across European stages. His musical approach is deeply connected to the traditional language of Chicago blues, where emotional honesty, rhythmic intensity and instrumental communication are essential.
The trio features: Renaud Lesire — guitar and vocals, René Stock — bass, Tom Lehnert — drums.
The Chicago blues tradition is built upon a powerful relationship between guitar, voice and rhythm section. It combines the expressive language of the blues with an electrified sound that emerged from the urban musical environment of Chicago.
Lesire’s guitar playing is rooted in this tradition, balancing expressive bends, rhythmic chord patterns, melodic responses and the distinctive phrasing of traditional blues.
The vocal element is equally important. Blues singing is not simply a matter of delivering lyrics; it is a way of communicating lived emotion. The voice can be rough, vulnerable, humorous, powerful or deeply reflective, often changing character within a single song.
René Stock’s bass and Tom Lehnert’s drums provide the rhythmic framework. Their role is to create the flexibility necessary for the music to breathe, allowing the guitar and vocals to move freely without losing the essential groove.
The Liquid Bar offers an appropriate environment for this kind of performance. Its setting encourages direct contact between musicians and listeners, preserving the informal atmosphere that has always been central to blues culture.
This concert represents the festival’s commitment to the living blues tradition: not merely remembering its history, but presenting musicians who continue to perform it with conviction and individuality.
Évry-Courcouronnes, France — Bill Pierce Quartet: American jazz tradition meets the French scene
12 November 2026 · CMDL Jazz Club Didier Lockwood, Évry-Courcouronnes! The appearance of American tenor saxophonist Bill Pierce adds another major jazz personality to the November programme.
Pierce is particularly well known for his association with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, one of the most influential ensembles in the history of modern jazz. His career has also brought him into contact with such distinguished musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Williams, Max Roach, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard and Branford Marsalis. His musical language is firmly connected to the great tradition of American hard bop, while remaining open to contemporary harmonic and improvisational ideas.
For the Évry-Courcouronnes concert, Pierce is joined by three established French musicians: Bill Pierce — tenor saxophone, Olivier Hutman — piano, Thomas Bramerie — double bass, Jean-Pierre Arnaud — drums.
The programme combines original compositions with music associated with George Coleman, Barry Harris, Benny Golson and Joe Henderson. This repertoire creates an excellent opportunity to explore the relationship between the historical hard-bop tradition and the contemporary European jazz scene.
Pierce’s tenor saxophone possesses the authority and warmth associated with the great American school. His phrasing is grounded in blues expression, swing and melodic clarity, but his improvisations also demonstrate the harmonic sophistication required by modern jazz.
Olivier Hutman’s piano offers a particularly important partner for the saxophonist. The piano can establish the harmonic framework, respond to melodic ideas and create new directions during the improvisational exchanges.
Thomas Bramerie and Jean-Pierre Arnaud provide the essential rhythmic foundation. Their task is not simply to accompany the soloists, but to create a flexible musical environment in which the quartet can develop its collective identity.
The CMDL Jazz Club Didier Lockwood is a particularly meaningful venue for this event. Located at the Centre des musiques Didier Lockwood, it represents an important connection between jazz education, artistic development and live performance.
The concert also demonstrates one of the strongest principles of the EU Jazz & Blues Festival: international exchange should not be limited to bringing foreign artists to European stages. It should create genuine artistic encounters between musicians from different musical backgrounds.
Vienna, Austria — Myles Sanko: Soul, jazz and the search for inner light
12 November 2026 · Porgy & Bess, Vienna! The Vienna appearance of British-Ghanaian singer and songwriter Myles Sanko brings a particularly warm and emotionally engaging dimension to the season.
Sanko has developed an international reputation through a musical language that combines soul, jazz, funk and elements of hip-hop, while incorporating rhythmic influences connected to his Ghanaian heritage.
His vocal approach is characterised by sincerity, warmth and an expressive understanding of melody. He does not rely solely on technical vocal display; instead, he builds an intimate relationship with the listener through carefully shaped phrases, emotional interpretation and thoughtful songwriting.
His 2026 album I See My Light, released on 11 September through his independent label 213 Music, represents an important new chapter in his artistic development. The album follows Let It Unfold and continues a deeply personal exploration of self-acceptance, healing, independence and personal transformation.
The Vienna concert features: Myles Sanko — vocals, Gareth Lumbers — tenor saxophone and flute, Tom O’Grady — piano, Fender Rhodes and synthesizer, George Chasmore — guitar, Jon Mapp — bass, Ric Elsworth — drums and percussion.
This ensemble provides a rich musical palette. The Fender Rhodes and synthesizer can introduce atmospheric textures, while guitar and bass create the foundation for the songs’ rhythmic and harmonic development.
Lumbers’ saxophone and flute offer melodic responses to Sanko’s voice, while Ric Elsworth’s drumming and percussion maintain the fluidity between soul grooves and jazz improvisation.
The choice of Porgy & Bess is especially appropriate. Vienna’s celebrated club has established itself as an important European destination for international jazz, contemporary soul and adventurous musical projects.
The venue’s combination of intimacy and artistic openness creates ideal conditions for Sanko’s performance.
At the heart of his music lies an understanding that soul is more than a genre. It is an attitude, a way of communicating personal experience through melody and rhythm. This performance represents one of the most human and emotionally direct elements of the festival programme.
Oslo, Norway — Kendrick Scott with Chris Potter Trio: The rhythmic architecture of contemporary jazz
12 November 2026 · Nasjonal Jazzscene, Victoria, Oslo! The final concert in this selection takes us to Oslo and the distinguished Nasjonal Jazzscene, where drummer Kendrick Scott appears as part of the Chris Potter Trio.
The trio features: Chris Potter — saxophone, Matt Brewer — double bass, Kendrick Scott — drums.
The ensemble represents a particularly compelling combination of contemporary jazz personalities. Chris Potter is one of the most influential saxophonists of his generation. His improvisational language combines sophisticated harmonic thinking, rhythmic flexibility and an extraordinary command of the instrument.
Matt Brewer provides the double-bass foundation, bringing a strong sense of melodic development and rhythmic sensitivity. Kendrick Scott is one of the outstanding drummers of contemporary American jazz. His playing is distinguished by its architectural approach to rhythm. He does not merely maintain time; he creates musical environments through subtle changes in dynamics, complex subdivisions, carefully shaped accents and an unusually sensitive relationship with the soloist.
His work with Blue Note All-Stars and his own ensembles has demonstrated an ability to combine technical precision with emotional depth. In this trio, Scott’s contribution is particularly important because the absence of piano places greater emphasis on the relationship between saxophone, bass and drums.
The saxophone can move freely through melodic and harmonic ideas, while the bass provides both foundation and counterpoint. Scott’s drumming creates the atmosphere around them, sometimes offering a powerful rhythmic statement and sometimes leaving space for the other musicians to develop their ideas.
The Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria is one of Norway’s most important jazz venues. Its commitment to contemporary jazz and international artistic exchange makes it an excellent location for this performance.
This concert provides a fitting conclusion to the selection: an example of modern acoustic jazz in which individual virtuosity serves a larger collective musical vision.
The artistic leadership of the festival — Olivia Peevas
Director and Organiser of the EU Jazz & Blues Festival 2026
At the heart of the EU Jazz & Blues Festival’s Autumn–Winter 2026 season stands its director and organiser, Olivia Peevas, whose vision and leadership represent the organisational and artistic foundation of this ambitious European undertaking.
A festival connecting musicians, audiences, concert halls and cultural institutions across numerous European countries requires much more than an attractive programme. It demands artistic sensitivity, international understanding, organisational discipline and an ability to recognise the cultural significance of music beyond geographical boundaries.
Olivia Peevas‘s work represents an important commitment to these principles. Her festival vision is built around a particularly valuable idea: Europe should be understood not simply as a collection of separate national music scenes, but as a shared cultural space in which artistic traditions can communicate, influence one another and develop together.
The November programme illustrates this philosophy exceptionally well. The tribute to Hermeto Pascoal in Berlin connects Brazilian musical heritage with the contemporary European orchestral scene. Émile Parisien brings the adventurous spirit of modern European improvisation to Nevers. Lars Danielsson and Cæcilie Norby demonstrate the beauty of Scandinavian musical intimacy, while Matthieu Saglio expands the expressive possibilities of European chamber jazz.
In Milan, David Murray represents the continuing importance of the American avant-garde and hard-bop traditions. In Bath, Jools Holland celebrates the enduring vitality of rhythm and blues. Henri Herbert brings the energy of boogie-woogie to Galicia, while Renaud Lesire keeps the authentic Chicago blues spirit alive in Luxembourg.
The programme’s international character continues with Bill Pierce in France, Myles Sanko in Vienna and Kendrick Scott in Oslo. These are not simply eleven separate musical appointments. Together, they form a cultural journey through different artistic identities, generations and musical philosophies.
Olivia Peevas — a commitment to artistic excellence
One of the most important qualities of Olivia Peevas‘s leadership is the breadth of musical perspectives represented in the programme.
She recognises that jazz and blues are living traditions. Their significance comes not only from their historical achievements but also from their ability to inspire new generations of musicians.
The festival therefore gives space to established masters whose artistic contributions have shaped musical history, while also presenting contemporary performers who are creating new directions.
Equally important is the inclusion of different performance environments. The programme moves between internationally recognised jazz institutions, intimate clubs, independent music venues and major cultural centres.
This diversity is essential to the festival’s identity. Jazz belongs in prestigious concert halls, but it also belongs in small clubs, where musicians and audiences can experience the immediacy and spontaneity of live performance. Blues belongs on major stages, but its deepest emotional qualities are often revealed in intimate rooms where every guitar phrase and vocal inflection can be felt directly.
Olivia Peevas‘s organisational role is to bring these different environments into one coherent European programme.
Such an undertaking requires dedication, persistence, communication and an exceptional appreciation of music’s cultural importance. Her contribution deserves particular recognition because international festivals are built not only by the musicians who appear on stage, but also by the people whose vision makes those encounters possible.
Olivia Peevas represents the spirit of cultural cooperation, artistic curiosity and European musical solidarity that gives this festival its distinctive character.
The Autumn – Winter Jazz – Blues Season 2026 is an expression of a wider ambition: to bring Europe closer through music, to encourage international artistic relationships and to create opportunities for audiences to discover extraordinary performers. For this commitment, Olivia Peevas deserves our sincere appreciation and recognition.
A European season united by music
From the monumental cultural spaces of Berlin to the intimate atmosphere of Vienna’s Porgy & Bess, from the historic concert environment of Bath to the independent blues clubs of Luxembourg and Galicia, the November programme offers a compelling portrait of Europe’s musical diversity. It celebrates the great masters, welcomes new creative voices, honours musical heritage and encourages artistic experimentation.
Above all, it demonstrates that jazz and blues remain essential components of contemporary European cultural life. The EU Jazz & Blues Festival 2026, under the direction and organisation of Olivia Peevas, continues to embody an inspiring idea: music has no borders, artistic excellence has no nationality, and the language of jazz and blues belongs to everyone.
By Daniella Bushler, Olivia Lomberd, Lauren Wulff
