The festival, which will be held for the 35th time under the motto “The City’s Jazz Mood,” has announced the eagerly awaited new names. Grammy Award-winning Brazilian pianist and vocalist Eliane Elias will take the stage with a performance that combines Brazilian music and jazz with her impressive voice and virtuosity. Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), the pioneer of the “stretch music” style, which embraces an independent and limitless fusion of musical genres, will take listeners on a journey into the future of jazz with his trumpet playing, production, and compositions.
Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and percussionist Pedrito Martinez will take the stage with performances that combine jazz with Afro-Cuban musical traditions, percussion, and vocal styles. Nilüfer Verdi, Turkey’s first female jazz pianist and an artist known for her activism, will perform “songs for peace” with her trio.
Raúl Refree, known for his experimental and modern approach to flamenco and his collaborations with artists ranging from Rosalía to Lee Ranaldo, will bring his album El Espacio Entre to the stage, blending acoustic instruments with samplers and various textures. Önder Focan & Yavuz Darıdere’s “Legendary Hammond Trio,” which brings together guitar, Hammond organ, and drums in a unique jazz trio format, will offer listeners a colorful jazz evening with its musical richness, accompanied by young guest musicians. Master percussionist Adam Rudolph’s “Invisible Threads” project brings together musicians from different regions, including master musicians Okay Temiz and Hacı Tekbilek, to showcase the healing effect of collective music across cultures.
The festival will host Indian-born DJ and producer Jitwam’s DJ set, featuring hip-hop, house, and soul-influenced selections, for an All Night Jazz gathering where the tempo will not drop throughout the night, with plenty of dancing. Prior to that, Grup Ses will take listeners on a journey through genres such as jazz, funk, krautrock, psychedelic, and post-punk with records selected from its archive.
Polish group Niechęć will share tracks from their new album, woven with dark, cinematic, and electronic sounds in a jazz-noir aesthetic, with Istanbul audiences for the first time. Multi-instrumentalist Dilan Balkay, one of the most notable names on the local alternative scene, will deliver an impressive performance with emotional melodies centered around trumpet and vocals. Drummer Ömercan Şakar, who has built his musical career between New York and Istanbul and is known for his powerful compositions, will take the stage at Jazz Clubs Night with Project OM 4.0, one of his projects that continues to reflect his commitment to the unifying power of sound. The Sinem İslamoğlu Group, which has successfully combined jazz and theater for years, will feature modern sounds blending neo-soul with jazz, as well as a wide repertoire and original interpretations.
Program
Nilüfer Verdi Trio Playing Tunes for Peace
September 27, 2025 // Yeldeğirmeni Art Center
Refree Presents “El Espacio Entre”
September 28, 2025 // Yeldeğirmeni Art Center
Joel Lyssarides & Georgios Prokopiou
October 1, 2025 // ARTER
Chief Adjuah
October 2, 2025 // Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage
Niechęć “Distaste”
October 2, 2025 // Frankhan
All Night Jazz: Jitwam (DJ Set), Grup Ses (DJ Set)
October 3, 2025 // Frankhan
Enji
October 4, 2025 // Salon İKSV
Önder Focan & Yavuz Darıdere “Legendary Hammond Trio” and Guests
October 5, 2025 // Bağlarbaşı Cultural Center
Jazz Clubs Night: Dilan Balkay
October 7, 2025 // Bova
Jazz Clubs Night: Ömercan Şakar “Project OM 4.0”
October 7, 2025 // Nardis
Jazz Clubs Night: Sinem İslamoğlu Group “Neo-Soul Vibes”
October 7, 2025 // Pera 77
RYMDEN (Bugge Wesseltoft, Dan Berglund, Magnus Öström)
October 8, 2025 // Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage
Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez
October 8, 2025 // Babylon
Adam Rudolph “Invisible Threads”
October 9, 2025 // ARTER
Jaubi
October 9, 2025 // Salon İKSV
Eliane Elias
October 10, 2025 // Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage
Kinga Głyk
October 10, 2025 // Frankhan
The Brandee Younger Trio
October 11, 2025 // Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage
Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore
October 11, 2025 // Borusan Music House
Aaron Parks Little Big
October 12, 2025 // Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage
