Belgrade Jazz Festival, Serbia’s oldest and most internationally acclaimed jazz event, marks a new decade of development with its 41st edition, held October 22–25 under the slogan “On the Jazz Path.” Audiences can expect premiere performances, top artists from Serbia and around the world, and fresh, exciting musical projects. Staying true to its four-decade-long artistic vision, the Festival continues to promote excellence, musical exploration, and dialogue with contemporary jazz trends, creating a space where tradition meets innovation in the spirit of authenticity at the core of jazz.
This year’s program is conceived as a meeting point between the European jazz scene and the United States, and will take place at Dom omladine Beograda (Belgrade Youth Center)—the Festival’s organizer—and Kolarac Hall.
Among the highlights, Wadada Leo Smith, a titan of American avant-garde jazz, will make his Belgrade debut in a duo with Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier. Returning to the Festival is James Brandon Lewis, a leading figure of today’s jazz scene, performing with his quartet.
The European lineup features renowned names, many of them appearing at the Festival for the first time: Roberto Ottaviano Eternal Love (Italy/UK), Louis Sclavis & Benjamin Moussay (France), the Henri Texier Trio (France), and Marta Sanchez Trio (Spain/USA), among others.
The Serbian lineup includes the RTS Big Band led by Stjepko Gut, with a program prepared specially for the Festival, as well as two projects: Bosque Sound Community, led by bassist Miloš Bosnić, and the quartet of saxophonist Rastko Obradović, joined by special guest Jasper Høiby (Phronesis). Both groups will present music from their latest international releases.
