Jazzfest Berlin

The 63rd edition of Jazzfest Berlin runs from 29 October to 1 November 2026 at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and in its neighbouring venues A-Trane, Quasimodo and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The concert programme features 24 acts, including four world premieres, two European premieres and five German premieres. In total, over 130 artists from more than 25 countries, including international voices from the Berlin scene, are coming together to celebrate the global jazz community.

The focus on community is also reflected in the cross-generational programme. The award-winning short film DREAM BABY DREAM – shot as part of last year’s JazzfestCommunity Week with 60 children, teenagers and adults – premiered in Washington D.C. in late April and is screening at numerous music and film festivals both in Germany and abroad as well as at the opening of Jazzfest Berlin 2026 at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. 

Once again the line-up welcomes audiences to make new discoveries and features outstanding representatives from a variety of scenes, spanning a highly diverse cultural and musical landscape. At the same time, it celebrates two pioneering voices – Anthony Braxton and Alexander von Schlippenbach – who have shaped the global scene for decades including a regular presence at Jazzfest Berlin.

And so 50 years after his JazzfestBerlin debut and seven years after his impressive Sonic Genome at Gropius Bau, Braxton is back at the festival: in addition to the opening concert at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele with the Anthony Braxton Septet – formed especially for this occasion – he will also be leading a workshop over the course of several days for students at the Jazz Institute Berlin (JIB). Under the guidance of this style-defining composer and multi-instrumentalist, the students will come together to form the Creative Music Orchestra, and their concert in the Georg-Neumann-Saal at the JIB will be a highlight of this year’s Jazzfest Community Week. 

Alexander von Schlippenbach, who foundedthe groundbreaking Globe Unity Orchestra in 1966 following a commission to compose for what was then called Berliner Jazztage, will bring the festival to a splendid close on Sunday at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele with an anniversary concert 60 years later – in the old formation, but with a new line-up of musicians including George Lewis, Aki Takase and Evan Parker.

With

Alexander Hawkins Willow Music (European premiere)
Amir ElSaffar New Quartet 
Anthony Braxton Septet (World premiere)
Camila Nebbia Large Ensemble: the darkness, overwhelming and imposing, compelled me to light my own fires (World premiere)
Ches Smith: Clone Row
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND Duo
Christian Lillinger’s Open Form For Society II (World premiere)
Elin Forkelid Plays For Trane (German premiere)
EROSÃO PERCUSSION TRIO
ganavya 
Globe Unity Orchestra: Apokalyptische Nabelschau
Graewe / Jones / Drake (German premiere)
Immanuel Wilkins Quartet
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Exit) Knarr (German premiere)
Karoline Wallace: Eon (German premiere)
Laura Jurd: Rites & Revelations
Matthias Muche BONECRUSHER: Densities – 12 trombones and percussion
Melting Pot with HarounIqbal, HeidiKvelvane, MikolajNowicki, RaigaHayashi
Otomo Yoshihide New Jazz Quintet
Sheen Trio: Transitory
The Tomeka Reid Quartet: dance! skip! hop!
Twin Talk: Delights (World premiere)
Wendy Eisenberg: Wendy Eisenberg (European premiere)
i Ya Voy !: Miraflores (German premiere)

Building on the idea of jazz as a unifying force and a space for exchange, this year’s Jazzfest Community Week, running from 26 October to 1 November, will once again feature numerous free events in the neighbouring Moabit district: two Jazzfest ImproLabs for children, several lunch concerts and neighbourhood sessions, a Creative Music Workshop with Anthony Braxton and students from the Jazz Institute Berlin, and a closing community weekend. The opening of the Jazzfest Community Week will once again take place on 26 October at PAS Berlin (Petersburg Art Space).

Partners of the Jazzfest Community Week:
JazzInstitut Berlin | Kallasch& | KUKUMU | KulturfabrikMoabit | Mullewappe. V. & Miriam-Makeba-Grundschule | MoabiterRatschlag e. V. : OTTO-Spielplatz, KulturmanegeMoabit |  PAS | SOS-KinderdorfBerlin: Familienzentrum / Mehrgenerationenhaus | Theodor-Heuss-Gemeinschaftsschule and many more

The Jazzfest Community Week is funded by Berliner Sparkasse.

Thanks to the cooperation with the ARD radio network and Deutschlandradio, this year it will once again be possible to experience the festival on air through a series of live concert recordings and the ARD Jazznacht.

As of 2.7.2026, programme is subject to change