Showcase concerts from 23 to 25 April – full schedule announced

‘Jazz music is the power of now,’ trumpeter Wynton Marsalis once said. This spring, visitors to jazzahead! in Bremen will see the ‘now’ in all its multi-faceted glory. Essential, jaw-dropping acts from more than 20 countries will enliven the venues of the world’s largest industry gathering.

On the last weekend in April, jazzahead! will showcase 38 international acts which span generations, criss-cross continents and defy the notion of genres. In Bremen, jazz happily rubs shoulders with Latin, hip hop, metal, folk, funk, electronica, singer-songwriter jazz and experimental sounds. Here is the schedule online. 

The showcases were selected from a huge number of applicants in a process involving several stages by international juries. One specific focus is on bands from 2026 partner country, Sweden.

In addition to Europe, artists and bands from countries rarely seen at European festivals will once again be making their mark and building visibility: Senegal, South Africa and Togo. There will also be acts from Brazil, Canada, the USA and Israel.

The showcase festival will open on Thursday, 23 April at 2 p.m. with a 30-minute concert by the Joel Lyssarides Trio from Sweden. The pianist has achieved a massive following on streaming platforms; he thrills audiences not just with his hooky and melodic songs, but also with his subtle interplay with bass and drums. Lyssarides will present songs from his new album – its release is just before the festival.

One of the stars of the evening will undoubtedly be New York-based artist Tonina, who combines a wide range of musical influences in her bass playing. As a vocalist she has been compared to Billie Holiday, and she performs songs in Spanish, English and Italian.

The grand finale on Thursday will be provided by Berlin-based Hungarian producer/keyboardist Szabolcs Bognár and his quartet. As Àbáse he is championed by DJs/influencers such as Gilles Peterson, and he also combines modal jazz with electronic music and sounds and rhythms from all over the world.

The Showcases on the Friday – the date falls just under a month before Miles Davis’s centenary – have a strong theme around three outstanding yet very different trumpeters.

Berlin-based trumpeter/composer Richard Koch will present his quintet Rays of Light, which, alongside him, features the unusual combination of violin, accordion, bass and frame drum. The lightness and the fun of their songs is an ideal antidote to the gloom of current political developments.

Trumpeter Laura Jurd, now based in the West of England, increasingly draws on the rich seam of the folk music from the British isles. Her quintet – with viola, electric guitar, bass and drums – also operates in a fascinating and genre-less environment.

The jazzahead! focus ‘Jazz from Africa’ presents one band from the continent every day from Thursday to Saturday. Among the star acts is the Sydney Mavundla Quartet from South Africa. It has been said of the Johannesburg jazz veteran that the sheer beauty of his ballad playing can “really rip your heart out.”

Other instrument families than wind and brass will also be taking centre stage. Late at night, bass phenomenon/singer Michael Pipoquinha explores his Brazilian identity with his quartet in a style he calls ‘Afro-Groove’.

Saturday begins with a set by Italian violin phenomenon Anaïs Drago. Drago was a Downbeat Magazine Rising Star in 2023. With acoustic and electric violin and various effects devices, she moves between pop, jazz and new music.

Sharon Mansur’s trio combines jazz with the energy of rock and Middle Eastern sounds in a way which is colourful and amazingly coherent. The Israeli pianist/keyboardist, known for her provocative and entertaining live concerts, is now with the ACT label.

Artists from 2026 partner country Sweden will open and close the festival. Trombonist Kristian Persson is involved in the jazzahead! Grand Opening on Wednesday as a member of the Norrbotten Big Band. His sextet Nine Sparks Riots combines funk and neo-soul in the spirit of Snarky Puppy – and will convey pure euphoria in the Schlachthof on the closing night.

Earlier in the evening, saxophonist Lina Langendorf and her band Langendorf United, which promises ‘funkified, psychedelic Ethio-Jazz Fusion’, will perform in a similarly cross-genre style. In the afternoon, the Britta Virves Trio, led by one of the most sought-after pianists in Swedish jazz will play her compositions centred around meditations on the wonder of nature.

Discover all the other impressive artists – here is a document with information and links.

All photos can be found in our digital press kit. It also includes the latest press information, additional photos, logos and a social media kit:

ja!26_Press_kit

Password: ja!26_Press_kit

You can download images from the following links:

Photo 1: Joel Lyssarides Trio © Nicolas Stankovic

Photo 2: Tonina © Chauncey

Photo 3: Àbáse © Sztaniszlav Bendarzsevszkij

Photo 4: Sydney Mavundla Quartet © Sydney Mavundla

Photo 5: Anaïs Drago © Emanuele Meschini

Photo 6: Britta Virves Trio © Elvira Glänte

Copyright press photos:
Press photos may only be used for editorial purposes in connection with M3B GmbH events. The copyrights are held by M3B GmbH/photographer. Utilisation and exploitation rights are held by M3B GmbH. Press photos that are used for editorial purposes must be labelled with the corresponding source. Printing and publication of the press photos is free of charge. We ask print media for a specimen copy and electronic media (Internet) for a brief notification. Commercial use of the press photos requires prior written authorisation.

LISTEN TO THE SHOWCASE ARTISTS. Our Spotify playlist has songs from all participating acts in the order in which they will perform.

We are happy to arrange interviews with the participating artists.

Please register using the accreditation form.

Tickets are available online here.