XJAZZ! Weekender Berlin

XJAZZ! — Berlin Reimagines Jazz

Founded in Kreuzberg in 2014, the XJAZZ! Festival has since become a defining voice of the young European jazz scene. Unlike traditional jazz festivals held in concert halls and philharmonic venues, XJAZZ! deliberately takes place in Berlin clubs, galleries, and off-spaces, consistently reimagining jazz as a fusion of genres with electronic music, hip-hop, soul, improvisation, and global club music.

The 2026 Weekender — Compact Comeback Format

After a pause in the regular festival in 2025, XJAZZ! returns in 2026 with the XJAZZ! Weekender: four festival days from May 28th to 31st, 2026, curated by XJAZZ! GbR, featuring concerts, community programs, and afterparties at multiple venues in Kreuzberg.

Venues and Sound

The main venue is Festsaal Kreuzberg (Am Flutgraben 2, in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district / postcode 12435 in Alt-Treptow). Other afterparties, such as the SHUSH afterparty, will be held at Marmor Bar. The sound remains typically XJAZZ!: improvisation-heavy, beat-oriented, often with an electronic or soulful Afrobeat foundation.

2026 Program Highlights

• Moses Yoofee Trio — Virtuosic jazz-hip-hop from Berlin
• Gilles Peterson / LOVEDANCIN' — DJ set by the British jazz tastemaker
• Kit Downes & Delphine Joussein — Opening concert on May 28th
• Sorvina — Soul concert on May 29th
• Sera Kalo Ex. II — Live set on May 29th
• Afrobeat Academy: Tribute to Ebo Taylor — May 29th
• Refuge Worldwide Takeover — Radio live sessions on May 29th
• SHUSH Afterparty at Marmor Bar on May 30th and 31st

XJAZZ! in Berlin's Festival Landscape

With the Weekender, XJAZZ! in 2026 consciously adopts a compact format, positioned between a festival and a long club night. This aligns the festival with a Berlin jazz festival tradition where Jazzfest Berlin, Jazzwoche, and Karneval der Kulturen also contribute annually to improvised music — however, XJAZZ! remains the program with the most distinct club and beat focus.