Written by Our 2025 Festival Round Up brings you concise but vivid snapshots of this year’s most compelling jazz gatherings across Europe. Writer Steven James distills the essence of our full-length festival reviews, highlighting standout performances and fresh sounds from Vilnius to Reykjavik, Utrecht to the Canary Islands, and beyond. These summaries capture the spirit, innovation, and vibrant scenes that keep European jazz alive and evolving. For deeper dives and the full stories, check out the complete reviews hear on website.
Vilnius Jazz 2025
Original Review by Written by Christoph Giese
Vilnius Jazz celebrated its 38th edition this year with a programme focused on French improvised music and US avant-garde jazz, showcasing the festival’s continued commitment to adventurous and diverse sounds. Prominent was the French ensemble Bonbon Flamme, led by cellist Valentin Ceccaldi, whose Mexico-inspired performances juxtaposed evocative quiet moments with intense, fiery improvisations, underscored by Luís Lopes’ sharp guitar work.
Luís Lopes & Valentin Ceccaldi | Photo by Vygintas Skaraitis
The Lithuanian Improdimensija Orchestra, a collaborative project featuring saxophonist Liudas Mock?nas and pianist Arnas Mikalauskas, presented compositions blending structure and improvisational freedom, enhanced by guests like French guitarist Marc Ducret and trombonist Samuel Blaser. Their set captured the energy and variety defining the contemporary European avant-garde.
Intimate duo performances by Dominique Pifarély and François Couturier unfolded musical narratives that merged elements of jazz, classical, and folk, offering deeply poetic interpretations including Jacques Brel’s ‘La chanson des vieux amants’. Meanwhile, American avant-garde luminaries Wadada Leo Smith and Sylvie Courvoisier created moments charged with blues, silence, and complex harmonic interplay.
The Llaki Trio, paired with guest musicians Luka Žabric and Flavia Huarachi, invigorated the festival with a raw, punk jazz energy, characterized by wild interplays and hypnotic grooves. The festival closed dramatically with The Young Mothers, a sextet blending jazz, prog rock, rap, and electronic elements into a cohesive and vigorous finale.
Vilnius Jazz Young Power marked its 20th anniversary, underlining the festival’s focus on fostering new jazz talents. With a rich combination of concerts, film screenings, and late-night club sessions, Vilnius Jazz 2025 proved once more its status as a vibrant hub for contemporary jazz innovation.
Reykjavik Jazz 2025 Iceland
Original Review Written by Angela Balhorn
The Reykjavik Jazz Festival, held in late August, offers both a showcase for Iceland’s vibrant local scene and a platform for international collaborations. As reviewed by Angela Balhorn, the festival revealed the varied and rich textures of Icelandic jazz, set against a backdrop of limited local opportunities for musicians but sustained by a strong community spirit.
Fermented Friedship | Photo by Angela Balhorn
One highlight was the Cuban band Barrio 27, who energized the Harpa Concert Hall with youthful exuberance and salsa rhythms, their performance enhanced by dancers energizing the entire space. Keyboardist Tómas Jónsson of ADHD, joined by 81-year-old Þórir Baldursson on Hammond organ, brought a fiery and soulful set, bridging generations and styles with palpable warmth.
The duo Fermented Friendship, featuring pianist Magnús Jóhann and saxophonist Óskar Guðjónsson, demonstrated an intimate, delicate musical conversation, contrasted by striking solo performances such as guitarist Róberta Andersen’s electronic-infused set.
Norwegian ensemble BLISS Quintet presented mature compositions with compelling soloists, while Polish band O.N.E overcame personnel changes to deliver a tight, energetic performance. The festival also featured the Icelandic group C4therine, showcasing cross-cultural integration.
Organ sounds permeated the festival, an emblematic Icelandic touch, seen also in Sara Magnúsdóttir’s latest album showcase and Sigmar Matthiasson’s band’s evocative outdoor concert. International guests like Australian trio Brekky Boy and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant—the festival’s grand finale despite her slight illness—added further depth and range to the programme.
Additional noteworthy acts included trumpeter Arve Henriksen and bassist Skúli Sverrisson. Throughout, Reykjavik Jazz 2025 celebrated the creativity, diversity, and resilience of Iceland’s jazz community, offering moments of intimacy, exuberance, and thoughtful innovation.
Festival Review: Orange Jazz Days
Original Review written by Andrew Read
The inaugural Orange Jazz Days festival took place from October 3rd to 5th at Utrecht’s iconic TivoliVredenburg, marking a significant milestone as the first Dutch festival dedicated exclusively to local jazz artists and residents. Reviewer Andrew Read noted the festival’s sold-out status as proof of jazz’s strong foothold in the Netherlands and praised its rich and varied programme.
The festival opened with the Nu-Jazz Orchestra premiering much of their new album, “The Tivoli Sessions,” performing with precision and without a conductor. Saxophonist Tineke Postma’s solo on “Still Another Day” was a standout. Vernon Chatlein’s ensemble brought Curaçaoan rhythms into a modern jazz framework, creating a compelling fusion of jazz and Caribbean traditions.
Bassist Zack Lober and his band NO FILL3R launched their album “So We Could Live” with energetic group interplay and memorable solos, while the nine-piece collective Parra.dice closed the first night with an infectious blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and North African influences.
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Last modified: May 5, 2026
