Valencia has a summer full of world-class culture ahead of it and the 29th Festival de Jazz de València is one of the highlights. Running from 24 June to 26 July 2026, this month-long celebration of jazz, soul, gospel and Latin music transforms the Palau de la Música and the gardens of the Passeig de l’Albereda into one of the most exciting live music destinations in Europe. With four Grammy-winning artists on the bill, six free outdoor concerts and tickets starting from just €7, this is one festival that genuinely has something for everyone.
A Lineup That Means Business
This year’s programme is headlined by some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz. The bill features four Grammy winners: Maria Schneider, Esperanza Spalding, Joe Lovano and Włodek Pawlik — and both Schneider and Spalding will be making their Valencia debuts on consecutive nights, which alone makes this edition historically significant for the city.
Maria Schneider, with seven Grammys and fourteen nominations across jazz, contemporary classical music and rock, including an arrangement for David Bowie, arrives for the first time in Valencia with her orchestra on 6 July at the Sala Iturbi. The following evening, 7 July, Esperanza Spalding, singer, double bassist and bassist, who in 2011 became the first jazz artist in history to win the Grammy for Best New Artist, took the same stage. Two consecutive nights, two once-in-a-generation talents with the kind of programming that puts Valencia firmly on the international jazz map.
Lizz Wright, one of the most distinctive voices at the intersection of jazz, gospel and contemporary soul, performs on 4 July with a perfect opening to what promises to be an extraordinary week of music. And on 8 July, American saxophonist Joe Lovano, Grammy winner for 52nd Street Themes and with fourteen nominations to his name, performs accompanied by the trio of Antonio Faraò, Ira Coleman and Jonathan Blake.
Rounding out the international lineup is José James on 12 July, with a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You, one of the greatest soul albums in history accompanied by the brilliant China Moses. And the Polish pianist Włodek Pawlik, Grammy winner in 2014 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, performs with Damian Kostka and Adam Zagórski on 5 July in the more intimate Sala Rodrigo.
The Valencia Jazz Tradition
One of the things that makes this festival special is its genuine commitment to the local jazz scene, not just as a warm-up act but as a central part of the programme. On 1 July, the València Jazz What a Wonderful World Band brings together the leading figures of Valencian jazz on one stage: Cristina Blasco, Bárbara Breva, David Pastor, José Luis Granell, Joan Monné, Ximo Tébar, Víctor Merlo and Igor Tavan, performing their own arrangements of the great international songbook. It’s a celebration of homegrown talent that holds its own alongside any of the international headliners.
The opening night itself, 24 June, sets this tone immediately. The Jove Big Band Sedajazz, along with Perico Sambeat and vocalist Sara Dowling, open the festival with the best Valencian-style jazz — and it’s completely free. The following evening, the Banda Sinfónica Municipal de València joins the Pepe Rivero Quintet, the Cuban jazz pianist, under the direction of Cristóbal Soler, for another free outdoor concert in the Jardines del Palau.
Something Genuinely New
This year’s edition also introduces something the festival has never done before. The programme will include its first ever gospel concert, with Gospel Factory under the direction of Dani Reus, on 9 July. It’s a welcome expansion of the festival’s musical reach, opening the programme to an audience that might not typically think of themselves as jazz fans.
Free Concerts in the Barrios
The festival also reaches into the city’s neighbourhoods with four free concerts. On 18 and 19 July, the Isaac Romagosa Quintet and Adriano Tortora Quartet perform at the Polideportivo Castellar-L’Oliveral, while on 25 and 26 July, FocusYear Band and Le Dancing Pepa take the stage at the Alquería Coca in La Torre. These neighbourhood concerts are part of the festival’s long-standing commitment to making jazz accessible to all of Valencia, not just those who can make it to the Palau de la Música.
Education and the Next Generation
Running alongside the main programme is the 26th Sedajazz Jazz and Latin Music Seminar, which forms the educational backbone of the festival and its commitment to generational renewal in jazz. Taking place 14–17 July at the Conservatorio Municipal Iturbi, it’s an integral part of what makes this festival more than just a concert series, it’s a living institution for the art form.
Tickets and Practical Info
The festival takes place at the Palau de la Música, the Jardines del Túria and the neighbourhoods of Castellar-L’Oliveral and La Torre, with ticket prices ranging from €10 to €35. The Palau de la Música is located at Passeig de l’Albereda, 30, reachable by metro (L5, L7) or bus (lines 18, 19, 94, C3). Tickets are available through the Palau de la Música box office and online. The six outdoor concerts are free and require no ticket.
Whether you’re a lifelong jazz devotee or just looking for a memorable summer evening out, the Festival de Jazz de València 2026 delivers the full spectrum from Grammy-winning legends to free neighbourhood concerts under the Valencia sky. With a programme this strong, the only mistake would be missing it.
Report by Faith Callaway
Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’
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