jazzahead! Festival
International Jazz Trade Fair and Festival in Bremen – 20th Anniversary with Sweden as Partner Country
About jazzahead!
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20 Years as the World Capital of Jazz
Since 2006, jazzahead! in Bremen has become the world's most important meeting place for the international jazz industry. What began as a trade fair is now a hybrid of a B2B industry meeting, festival, showcase platform, and major cultural event. Every year, promoters, labels, agencies, media, and musicians from over 50 countries flock to the Hanseatic city to negotiate the trends, talents, and business of modern jazz under one roof.
Showcases, Clubnight, and the German Jazz Award
At the heart of the festival are the 38 showcase concerts – curated performances by emerging and established acts in Hall 7 of Messe Bremen and the Schlachthof cultural center. These form the musical backbone of the festival. In addition, there is the Grand Opening, the presentation of the German Jazz Award – one of the most prestigious accolades in the German jazz landscape – and the educational program "Impro & Jazz for Kids," which introduces young audiences to improvised music.
The Clubnight: Bremen Dances
The emotional highlight each year is the Clubnight: spread across the entire city, dozens of bars, clubs, concert halls, and cultural centers transform Bremen into a single, dancing jazz stage. In 2026, the Clubnight will be extended to two nights for the first time: Friday in Bremen, Saturday in Bremerhaven – with a combined ticket.
Bremen, Hanseatic City, and Jazz
It's no coincidence that the Hanseatic city of Bremen has become home to Europe's most important jazz festival: the city combines a strong jazz-affine scene (Schlachthof, Sendesaal, Glocke), a central North German location, and Messe Bremen as an experienced organizer. In the anniversary year 2026, Sweden is the partner country – a sign that Scandinavia is one of Europe's most dynamic jazz regions.
jazzahead! — edition 2026
The anniversary year 2026 coincides with perhaps the biggest programmatic expansion in the festival's history: for the first time, the legendary Clubnight will extend over two consecutive nights and two cities. On Friday, dozens of venues in Bremen will transform the city center into a jazz mile, and on Saturday, the Clubnight will move on to Bremerhaven – with a combined ticket for both nights.
The focus of the showcase concerts in 2026 is on the partner country Sweden, one of Europe's most vital jazz nations. 38 carefully curated acts from Germany, Europe, and overseas will perform in Hall 7 of Messe Bremen and the Schlachthof cultural center. The grand finale on April 25 will be the presentation of the German Jazz Award, one of the most important accolades in the German jazz scene.
Programme jazzahead! 2026
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
- Grand Opening with the opening of jazzahead! 2026 and the start of the trade fair (Messe Bremen)
Thursday, April 23, 2026 - Swedish Showcases
Eight acts from the partner country Sweden in Hall 7 of Messe Bremen and at Schlachthof:
- Agnas Bros.
- Bitoi
- Britta Virves Trio
- Daniel Karlsson Trio
- Hederosgruppen
- Joel Lyssarides Trio
- Langendorf United
- Nine Sparks Riots
Friday, April 24, 2026 - German Jazz Expo
Eight acts from the German jazz scene:
- Abase
- Bonsai
- CRUTCHES
- Kristina Brodersen - KRISTINA 4
- RE:CALAMARI
- Richard Koch - Rays of Light
- Sara Decker - Expand
- Sorvina
Evening: Clubnight Bremen – dozens of venues in Bremen's city center become a city-wide jazz stage (bars, clubs, concert halls, cultural centers).
Saturday, April 25, 2026 - European Jazz Meeting and Overseas Night
European Jazz Meeting (14 acts), including:
- Aksel Ronning Trio
- Jasmine Myra
- Laura Jurd
- and other acts from Europe
Overseas Night / Africa (8 acts):
- Jeremy Ledbetter Trio
- Kossi Mawun
- Malika Zarra
- Michael Pipoquinha
- SAHAD
- Sharon Mansur Trio
- Sydney Mavundla Quartet
- Tonina
Evening: Clubnight Bremerhaven – the second Clubnight takes place for the first time, with venues in Bremerhaven; included in the combined ticket with Friday.
Accompanying and Supporting Program
- Presentation of the German Jazz Award – one of the most prestigious accolades in the German jazz landscape
- Trade Fair continuously from Wednesday for accredited industry representatives (promoters, labels, agencies, media from over 50 countries)
- Impro & Jazz for Kids – educational program for young audiences
- Jazz 'n' the Movies and Afterglow Jazzride – thematic specials
- ARD Live Stream: All showcases will be live-streamed from April 23, 2:00 PM, to April 26, 1:00 AM
Highlights jazzahead! 2026
- 20th anniversary with Sweden as partner country
- First-ever two-day Clubnight (April 24 Bremen, April 25 Bremerhaven) in a combined ticket
- 38 showcases: 8 Swedish, 8 German Jazz Expo, 14 European, 8 Overseas/Africa – including Joel Lyssarides Trio, Daniel Karlsson Trio, Laura Jurd, Jasmine Myra, Malika Zarra, Tonina
- Presentation of the German Jazz Award
- Grand Opening on April 22
- Impro & Jazz for Kids program for young audiences
- ARD live stream of all showcases
Prices jazzahead! 2026
Practical information — jazzahead!
Getting There
Messe Bremen, Findorffstraße 101, 28215 Bremen. A 10-minute walk from the main train station or take tram line 6 to Messezentrum. Schlachthof: Findorffstraße 51, opposite the exhibition center.
Tickets
Concert, day, and festival passes are available online via jazzahead.de. A combined ticket for the Clubnight Bremen + Bremerhaven is available. Trade visitor tickets are available via the Messe's online portals.
Organizer
M3B GmbH / Messe Bremen, jazzahead.de
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a jazzahead! al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place jazzahead!
Messe Bremen, Halle 7 & Kulturzentrum Schlachthof
Findorffstraße 101, 28215 Bremen