BANSKO JAZZ FESTIVAL 2025

🎷 Bansko Jazz Festival

Bansko Jazz Festival, held every August in the picturesque mountain town of Bansko at the foot of the Pirin Mountains. Celebrating its 27th edition from August 3 to 10, 2024, the festival transforms the city into Bulgaria’s jazz capital .

This international event unites jazz legends, rising stars, and passionate audiences across multiple stages — from the iconic open-air venue at Nikola Vaptsarov Square to intimate daytime concerts in parks, community centres, and even street “Jazz Points” .

Highlights include:

• Main evening concerts (Nikola Vaptsarov Square from 8 PM) featuring artists from over 18 countries.

• Daytime jazz: starting at 11 AM daily with young talents on the park stage, and evening “Jazz Points” improvisations from 6 PM .

• Late-night jam sessions at Ginger Bar, beginning at midnight .

• Bansko Jazz Academy: masterclasses, workshops, and performances by emerging musicians supported by the Ministry of Culture .

• Side attractions: Jazz BBQ, family games, “Meet the Audience”, the Jazz Museum exhibition, and the new Jazz Alley — sculptural tributes in the town centre .

🎵 Full Festival Programme

Saturday, August 3 – “Jazz & Legends”

• Camellia Todorova & Vassil Petrov with the National Music Academy Big Band led by Mihail Yossifov (Bulgaria)

• Michel Sajrawy Trio (Israel): blending Western jazz with Middle Eastern rhythms

• Jason Miles Lisbon Electric 4tet (USA–Portugal): led by Grammy-winning producer/composer Jason Miles
  

Sunday, August 4

• Ceren Temel Quartet (Turkey): spirited jazz standards infused with Istanbul flair

• Eastern Passage (Doykin & Karparov Quartet, Bulgaria): dynamic Bulgarian jazz ensemble

• Camilla George (Nigeria/UK): visionary saxophone compositions
  

Monday, August 5

• Anna Arco (Sweden): introspective pieces inspired by the soul of anarchism

• Peter Bernstein Quartet (USA): veteran New York City jazz guitarist’s group

• Emmet Cohen Trio (USA): led by acclaimed pianist and composer Emmet Cohen
  

Tuesday, August 6

• The Storytellers (Cenk Erdogan & Antonio Forcione, Turkey–Italy): musical narratives and interplay

• Eastern Eye (Switzerland–Greece–Bulgaria): fusion of Mediterranean and Alpine jazz

• AJS Quartet (Albania): powerful instrumental energy from Albania
  

Wednesday, August 7

• Modern Tiny Wind Orchestra (Bulgaria): Dimitar Liolev’s innovative compositions merging Western and Eastern influences

• Sketchbook Quartet (Austria): surprises in form and structure

• Yo–Yo Band (Bulgaria): Hristo Yotsov’s fresh ensemble with Mihail Yosifov
  

Thursday, August 8

• Spectrum & FreePlay a cappella (Bulgaria–Canada): genre-crossing vocal ensemble

• Vicky Almazidou (Greece–Bulgaria): a tribute to Sarah Vaughan on her centennial

• Mirla Riomar (Brazil): soulful Brazilian rhythms and song
  

Friday, August 9

• Zhlehtet (Slovenia): collective led by pianist/composer Rok Zalokar

• Theodosii Spassov Jazz Quartet (Bulgaria–Luxembourg–Switzerland): featuring world-class kaval

• Cinzia Tedesco Quartet (Italy): blending vocal and instrumental jazz
  

Saturday, August 10

• Vertigong (Indonesia): boundary-bending contemporary jazz

• Theo Croker (USA): innovative trumpet artistry from the heart of modern jazz

• Alune Wade (Senegal/France): virtuosic bass performances with global depth