The delegate for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, has officially presented JAZZMADRID 2026, the International Jazz Festival organized by the Madrid City Council. The event, scheduled from October 2 to November 30, will transform the Spanish capital into one of the continent's major jazz centers, bringing together renowned international artists, national talents, and emerging musicians across various venues and neighborhoods in Madrid.
Rivera de la Cruz highlighted the festival's significance, calling it part of Madrid's "cultural identity" and a "major event" on the cultural calendar. The delegate expressed her hope that this edition will help maintain Madrid as a place where jazz "finds audiences, stages, and new forms of expression."
True to its founding philosophy, JAZZMADRID 2026 aims to bridge tradition and innovation, history and the future. The program will feature projects that engage with the legacy of great masters alongside avant-garde proposals from the international scene. A prominent thread will be the commemoration of the centenaries of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, celebrating the creative diversity of contemporary jazz.
The edition will showcase prominent figures in contemporary jazz, including the collaboration between singer Kurt Elling and the band The Yellowjackets in a tribute to Weather Report. Also featured will be Cécile McLorin Salvant, accompanied by pianist Sullivan Fortner, the legendary clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, and the influential saxophonist David Murray.
Spanish creation will play a significant role with projects such as Va y Ven, uniting pianists Moisés P. Sánchez and Marco Mezquida, and the joint performance of Rita Payés and Lucía Fumero, representing a new generation that brings jazz closer to new audiences.
The centenary of Miles Davis and John Coltrane will be honored through several concerts. Pianist Emmet Cohen will open with ‘Miles & Coltrane at 100’, James Carter will present ‘Trane: A Centennial Supreme’, Jason Miles will offer ‘100 Miles for Miles Davis’, and Emma-Jean Thackray will perform ‘Dear Miles: A Love Letter’. Antonio Serrano and Kaele Jiménez will revisit Coltrane's legacy in ‘Jazz CaLó for Coltrane’.
The lineup is further enriched by top-tier international artists such as pianists Kenny Barron and Shai Maestro, saxophonist Chris Potter, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, bassist Richard Bona, guitarist Al Di Meola, Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez, and French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf. Voices like Samara Joy, Lizz Wright, Andrea Motis, Judith Hill, Leonor Watling, and Leo Sidran will also perform, alongside pioneers of new musical languages such as Mark Guiliana, Nate Smith, Emma-Jean Thackray, and Camilla George.
JAZZMADRID will take place in municipal venues including the Teatro Fernán Gómez. Centro Cultural de la Villa, CentroCentro, and Contemporánea Condeduque. Additionally, it will collaborate with cycles such as ‘Villanos del Jazz’, kicking off on October 2, ‘Jazz Círculo’ at the Círculo de Bellas Artes, 21 DISTRITOS, and ‘Jazz de Ciudad Lineal’. The Teatro Albéniz and the Institut Français de Madrid are also joining the program.
The ‘Impulso’ cycle will explore the most innovative currents, featuring artists like Shabaka Hutchings, Mansur Brown, Takuya Kuroda, Kamaal Williams, Isaiah Sharkey, Michael Mayo, and Yuley Díaz, exploring the boundaries between jazz, soul, electronic music, Afro-Cuban influences, hip hop, and urban music.
National talent holds a prominent position with names such as Daniel García, Raynald Colom, Diego Amador, Javier Vercher, Andrés Coll, Caminero, Lucía Rey, Albert Vila, Perico Sambeat, and the reunion of CMS Trio (Colina, Miralta, and Sambeat). Musical education is further supported by the Big Band del Conservatorio Arturo Soria and the Soler Jazz Band.
The festival reaffirms Madrid's commitment to music in freedom and the nurturing of new generations. Tickets and the full program details are available on the festival's website. The poster for this edition was created by Madrid-based illustrator Jorge Arévalo.
