Live Review

Reporting on live jazz from around the globe.

Jazzfest Berlin 2026

by John Sharpe
November 11, 2026

Jazzfest Berlin Haus der Berliner FestspieleGermany October 29-November 1, 2026 IntroJazzfest Berlin remains one of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. It brings together historical continuity, contemporary experimentation, international collaboration and community engagement, while retaining a substantial audience. The 2026 edition maintained that breadth, presenting 135 musicians from more than 25 countries in 23 concerts, several featuring world or European premieres. Among the highlights were landmark appearances by the Globe Unity Orchestra and ...

Floating with Emile Parisien at 1000jazz 2026

by Daniel Mège
November 8, 2026

Emile Parisien FloatingThéâtre de l'heure bleue1000Jazz, Third EditionLa Chaux-de-Fonds, SwitzerlandOctober 25, 2026 “If you did not like this, the record is really different!" quips Emile Parisien in a mock-desperate attempt to promote Floating (ACT Music, 2026), released the month before (reviewed by AAJ). Fair enough, but what if we did like? It is true that the concert ran almost twice as long as the digital and CD editions, which themselves include two ...

Christ-Stéphane Boizi at Pizza Express Live London

by Mike Raggett
November 6, 2026

Christ-Stéphane Boizi PizzaExpress Live Album launch London November 3, 2026 There's an old saying, purportedly from as far back as 1773, that “the Devil has the best tunes." Well, God obviously held some back and sent them to Christ-Stéphane Boizi, bandleader, composer and trombonist, who introduced his gig with a statement that his music was inspired by his deep Christian faith. A brave move for a young man in front of a ...

OJKOS plays the Music of Tuva Halse at the Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene

by Daniel Mège
November 3, 2026

OJKOS Plays: Tuva HalseVictoria Nasjonal Jazzscene OsloOctober 21, 2026 Mountain Jazz: Identity and RootsIn the steep valley of Eikesdalen, in the Norwegian municipality of Molde, wild hazelnuts fall from the tree in September or October. Every hazelnut is destined to fall once it is ripe, and the same holds true for Panorama, by Tuva Halse, who also comes from Molde. It was only a matter of time: it arrived on October 21, 2026, at 7:00 ...

Charles Tolliver Quintet At Miner Auditorium

by Steven Roby
November 1, 2026

Charles Tolliver Quintet Miner Auditorium Charles Tolliver Presents Africa/Brass: Trane Forever San Francisco, CA October 25, 2026 Charles Tolliver had plenty to communicate at Miner Auditorium on Sunday night. He clapped to summon the brass, pointed a section toward its entrance, and pulled his hands back as though tightening reins on the ensemble's gathering force. A sharp downward gesture silenced the horns while the rhythm section pressed ahead. His hands seldom lacked something to ...

The Bad Plus Farewell Tour at the Cleveland Museum of Art

by C. Andrew Hovan
October 26, 2026

The Bad Plus Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, OH October 7, 2026 After a 26-year run, The Bad Plus are calling it quits, going out with a series of musical fireworks. Having been on the road since the spring, the group still has more than 30 shows to go, with a four-night stand at Minneapolis' Dakota over the Christmas holiday marking the finale. Gabe Pollack, director of performing arts at the ...

Ruthie Foster at The Tin Pan

by Konstantin N. Rega
October 26, 2026

Ruthie Foster The Tin Pan Richmond, VA October 20, 2026 It's usually a bad thing when people are talking during a live show. However, if it's blues singer and guitarist Ruthie Foster, that's just fine. Her solo set at the Tin Pan in Richmond, Virginia, was a memorable night of songs and stories. Switching between older material, covers, as well as tracks from her recent release, Just Say Yes (Sun Records, 2026), Foster ...

Lila Downs At Miner Auditorium

by Steven Roby
October 24, 2026

Lila Downs Miner Auditorium San Francisco, CA October 18, 2026 Before Grammy-winning Mexican American singer Lila Downs sang a note at SFJAZZ last Sunday, the audience was offered something practical: a reminder to know their rights. In a video projected above the stage, Downs spoke in Spanish about the challenges facing her community and encouraged listeners to stay informed about changes affecting their families and neighbors. She directed them to resources from the ...

Nubya Garcia Red Hot At Blue Note London

by Mike Raggett
October 23, 2026

Nubya Garcia Blue Note London October 17, 2026 Blue Note London has had some hot tickets in its opening months, but none hotter than British saxophone legend Nubya Garcia. Her residency at the club in October 2026 encompassed six sold-out shows. Accompanied by Lyle Barton on piano and assorted keyboards, Max Luthert on bass, and the ever-present Sam Barrell Jones on drums, Garcia presented music from her back catalog while trying out some new ...

Ron Carter and Bill Frisell at Birdland

by Paul Reynolds
October 23, 2026

Ron Carter and Bill Frisell Birdland Ron Carter Annual Residency New York, NY October 15, 2026Ron Carter and Bill Frisell have sustained a thirty-year mutual admiration society, praising each other in a way that goes beyond the usual platitudes spouted by artistic collaborators. The veteran bassist--now 89--has said of the singular guitarist that “he listens closely, experiments freely, and consistently finds ways to surprise. His work rewards patience and deep listening." Frisell--who's now 75--has described Carter ...