Cologne Jazzweek

Germany's Most Important Jazz Week

Cologne Jazzweek has been Germany's most important jazz festival since 2021 – and was voted "Festival of the Year" at the German Jazz Award 2023. The 6th edition will take place from Saturday, September 5th to Friday, September 11th, 2026: over 250 musicians from 18 nations, around 50 concerts, 21 venues spread across Cologne.

The Venues 2026

Cologne Jazzweek simultaneously uses Cologne's most important concert halls – from institutional mainstream venues to avant-garde stages:

• Stadtgarten – the headquarters of Cologne's jazz scene, Venlöer Straße
• LOFT – Hans Lüdemann's intimate improv club
• WDR Sendesaal – classical acoustics for large ensembles
• Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal – radio studio that also records concerts
• Kölner Philharmonie – the grand stage for star acts
• Other smaller stages: Agnes-Kirche, MAKK, MUSEUM LUDWIG, Studio 672, among others.

Program 2026 – The Highlights

The 2026 lineup combines stars of the international scene with curated discoveries:

• Avishai Cohen – the Israeli bassist and his trio
• keiyaA – soul singer from New York
• Sam Gendel – the LA saxophonist with a genre-crossing sound
• Evan Parker – the British improv sax pioneer
• Peter Evans – trumpet at the forefront of the contemporary avant-garde

In addition, focus programs on Amsterdam Jazz (Teis Semey, Perselí Trio, Alessandro Fongaro, Sun-Mi Hong), accordion (Anatole Muster), and harp (Kathrin Pechlof) – Cologne Jazzweek consciously focuses on genre-crossing between jazz, improv, pop, and classical music.

Festival Pass and Tickets

Festival Pass: €140–€180 – valid for most concerts (except special events). Day Passes: September 9th €29–€38, September 10th €23–€30. Single tickets depending on the venue via the tickets page. Early birds and students receive a discount.

Cologne as a Jazz City

Cologne has been one of Europe's most important jazz cities since the 1970s – shaped by the ECM-adjacent improv environment, the WDR Big Band, the Stadtgarten, and a distinct improv scene. Cologne Jazzweek bundles this identity once a year into a festival week that showcases improvised music in its full breadth – from mainstream to avant-garde, from solo to big band.