24th Athens Jazz | Read on for the full line-up! | Updated
Jazz shows off its audacious side at Technopolis City of Athens! From May 26 to June 1 , the 24th edition of Athens Jazz , the city’s biggest jazz festival, returns to take over the stage of Technopolis City of Athens, offering an eclectic mix of captivating sounds, addictive beats and explosive energy with free entry right at the heart of the city. This year, the festival is back with a fresh perspective, bringing you jazz at its most audacious and exhilarating. If you love music that breaks the mold, moves the body and feeds the soul , join us and kick off the summer festival season in style!
Throughout the week, 21 bands from 19 different countries from all over the world will be taking the stage at Technopolis City of Athens to deliver unpredictable live sets that break rules and bend genres. From funk, afrobeat and electro grooves, to punk vibes, rave beats, psychedelic solos and crazy-cool attitudes, there is no element that can’t be transformed into a mind-blowing musical experience through the alchemy of jazz, with delirious saxophones, statement trombones and energizing trumpets delivering a blast of amped up brass that runs through you like an electric current. The 24th Athens Jazz launches the past of jazz into the future and celebrates its present with a party full of fresh sounds and big surprises.
Jazz might be in constant flux, but what never changes is our commitment to the Greek jazz scene. As always, the opening day of the festival is reserved for three local bands chosen by the festival’s artistic committee. On Monday May 26 , the Yiorgos Bereris Trio , stand-outs in the category for new musical discovery , will open the festival with their multicultural sound, fusing together Nordic jazz, son cubano and Balkan influences. Next, the festival welcomes Modified Dog , a flexible trio that merges elements of jazz, electronica and post-rock to create a unique experimental sound that perfectly embodies the multifaceted approach of the Jazz+ category. The night closes with Valia Calda , whose uncompromising sound merges the musical tradition of Epirus with DIY punk and psychedelic jazz in a guerrilla-style sonic universe that has been praised by major music media and played by famous radio stations worldwide. As the festival’s official Greek entry , the band provides the perfect intro into the international lineup that follows over the rest of the week.
On Tuesday May 27 , Athens Jazz starts revving up with three bands that love to defy expectations. The Norwegian band Phønix , known for the near-religious experience of their live performances, blend jazz with krautrock, prog, avant-garde and pop to create an unpredictable sound that bounces between explosive riffs, heavy grooves and psychedelic outbursts. They are followed by Mohs. from Switzerland , who blur the line between the electronic and the acoustic, playing with jazz conventions to produce a musical paradox: an intricate, atmospheric sound delivered with raw energy. Finally, the explosive Toot Ensemble from the Czech Republic take over the stage to close out the night. The festival’s most unconventional philharmonic is a 9-piece, non-stop brass band that smashes together EDM and analogue sounds, merging the physicality of dance music with the frenetic rhythms of drums and brass in an intoxicating mix that will make you dance till you drop!
On Wednesday May 28, Karja/Renard/Wandinger from Estonia blend free form jazz with contemporary composition and influences ranging from old silent movies to broken machines for a fresh take on improvisation that appears equal parts spontaneous and premeditated. New Fossils , a rising force in the Hungarian jazz scene, will take the stage next with their mix of grooves, melodic hooks and the DIY logic of a new generation of artists that dare to think outside the box. To close out the night, AYYUKA from Turkey will send us on a mesmerizing journey full of psychedelic oriental melodies, afro-beat, surf rock riffs and funky grooves. With their ear to the past and their eye on the future, AYYUKA put together a unique feast for adventurous music lovers.
On Thursday May 29 , the Argentinian band BI will become the first act from Latin America to appear on the stage of Athens Jazz. Formed by the talented Ravasi brothers, BI blend Latin vibes with jazz spontaneity to deliver an intense sound that is fluent in the international language of contemporary jazz but stays true to the band’s Latin roots. Next up, it’s time for Purple is the Color , the endlessly inventive band from Austria that love to break the rules. Their fresh, innovative sound mixes nu-jazz aesthetics, modern world influences and a discreet lyricism, defying categories and setting them on their own singular musical path. The night ends with a touch of Italy , as the great Enrico Rava , one of the major figures of European jazz, brings his new project Fearless Five to the Technopolis City of Athens stage. The legendary trumpet player handpicked four fresh faces of the Italian jazz scene to form an unexpected quintet that brings together in perfect harmony the mastery of experience and the energy of youth.
Friday May 30 opens with Tele-Port from Luxemburg , an electrifying band rooted in jazz, but bound for outer space! Their artistic restlessness transforms their live performances into an intergalactic experience of groove-driven chants, improvisational explosions and pure cosmic energy. More introspective but equally bold, Krúe from Cyprus take the stage next. Inspired by world rhythms and their own origins, the trio weaves musical narratives that merge electronic soundscapes, vocal experimentation and jazz improvisation. The most underground act in the entire Athens Jazz lineup rounds out the night. Concombre , the best-kept secret of the French jazz scene, like to keep a low profile off-stage, but when they play live, they’re a force of nature. Their single “Konkombre 2000” is just a taste of the explosive energy they bring to the stage for a set packed with dirty synths, intense beats and epic saxophone riffs. Their minimal digital presence and rare live appearances give them an air of mystery, building buzz for what promises to be an unmissable experience.
Saturday May 31 opens with the melodies of the Svante Söderqvist Trio from Sweden , a band that brings together the depth of classical music, the simplicity of Scandinavian folk and the lyricism of contemporary jazz in a cozy, atmospheric set infused with stories and emotions. Next come EABS from Poland to light up the stage with their unique, diverse sound. Inspired by the past but embracing the future, these festival darlings mix hip-hop, electronic beats and traditional Slavic elements to become one of the most avant-garde bands in the European jazz scene. To close the night, the explosive Smag På Dig Selv from Denmark crank up the volume for a high octane set guaranteed to drive you wild! Two saxophones, one drummer: that’s all they need to take the stage by storm and deliver an unbelievable live experience somewhere between punk spunk, hip-hop grit and rave euphoria, making jazz sound cooler than ever. Mark your calendars for one of the must-see events of the summer festival season!
Sunday June 1 , the last day of the festival, opens with Norman & Corrie from the United Kingdom , who will take us on a journey to the primal melodies and pagan lore of their home country, Scotland and the Shetland islands. They blend drones, electronic elements and dynamic rhythms into mystical soundscapes full of emotional intensity that float somewhere between reality and dream. Next up, the festival welcomes Moisés P. Sánchez from Spain , a charismatic pianist and composer whose atmospheric melodies bring out jazz’s more human dimension. His compositions, a seamless mix of easy flows and fierce eruptions, captivate the audience with their exhilarating variations and mounting tension without losing the intimacy of the deeply personal. The band closing out the night and the festival is Kessoncoda from the United Kingdom . The duet strikes a perfect balance between piano and drums to evoke a cinematic atmosphere, crafting a sound equal parts delicate and powerful, nuanced and intense. Their debut Outerstate (2024) has been described as an elegant work of art, setting Kessoncoda on an exciting artistic trajectory and providing the festival with the ideal closing act. What better way to say goodbye to this year’s festival than a dreamy journey into the future of jazz!
From May 26 to June 1 , the 24th Athens Jazz will prove once again that jazz has no barriers, no boundaries, no limits. Jazz is everywhere and it’s waiting for you at Technopolis City of Athens! Stay tuned for more announcements of side events that will complement this year’s festival experience.
Athens Jazz is brought to you by Johnnie Walker, Festival Major Sponsor την Cosmote, Technopolis City of Athens Major Sponsor την Athenian Brewery , Technopolis City of Athens Sponsor AEGEAN Official Air Transport Sponsor Kindly sponsored by the Nakas Music Store. .
Find high-resolution photographs for all live acts on the Athens Jazz 2025 line up here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/otwogosjazonp8utysfpn/h?rlkey=94vsc832b7amywfqu4c51fk3j&dl=0
Athens Jazz 2025 | Line up
Monday 26.05
21:00 | Yiorgos Bereris Trio (GR – New musical discovery)
22:00 | Modified Dog (GR – Jazz+)
23:00 | Valia Calda (GR – Official Greek Entry)
Tuesday 27.05
21:00 | Phønix (NO)
22:00 | Mohs. (CH)
23:00 | Toot Ensemble (CZ)
Wednesday 28.05
21:00 | Karja/Renard/Wandinger (EE)
22:00 | New Fossils (HU)
23:00 | AYYUKA (TR)
Thursday 29.05
21:00 | BI (AR)
22:00 | Enrico Rava “Fearless Five” (IT)
23:00 | Purple is the Color (AT)
Friday 30.05
21:00 | Tele-Port (LU)
22:00 | Krúe (CY)
23:00 | Concombre (FR)
Saturday 31.05
21:00 | Svante Söderqvist Trio (SE)
22:00 | EABS (PL)
23:00 | Smag På Dig Selv (DK)
Sunday 01.06
21:00 | Norman & Corrie (SCOTLAND, UK)
22:00 | Moisés P. Sánchez (ES)
23:00 | Kessoncoda (ENGLAND, UK)