World’s Best Jazz Festivals

By Tim Johnson

Jazz lovers unite from Cape Town to Copenhagen and beyond.

Originating a little more than a century ago, deep in the American South, jazz – with its flowing improvisation, freewheeling melodies and swinging beats – has morphed, shifted and, taken on a broad spectrum of local variations. Crossing continents and oceans, it has become a favourite, in its various forms, all around the world. Here are some of the best places to enjoy it, in amazing destinations hosting some of the top jazz festivals on earth.

SAXOPHONIST

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE JAZZ DE MONTRÉAL June 25-July 4, 2020

This list wouldn’t be complete without this festival, the largest in the world. Founded back in 1980, it now attracts as many as two million people to see 3,000 performers from 30 countries perform across the downtown core of the city. Take in a cozy show at a club or join one of the massive outdoor concerts – past artists have included major international stars, as well as Canadian favourites Walk Off the Earth and Norah Jones.

COPENHAGEN JAZZ FESTIVAL July 3-12, 2020

This festival traces its roots back to the 1950s and 1960s when a number of jazz artists made Copenhagen their home and transformed it into the European jazz capital. Take in a show at the Royal Danish Theatre or in the fresh air along the harbour, or at a free show at one of the city’s many funky coffeehouses. The festival also offers an official line-up called Something Else, which includes a variety of music from other genres.

TOKYO JAZZ FESTIVAL September 2020

Who knew that Japan loves jazz? The country has even developed its own form of music, known as Japanese Jazz, which blends smooth stanzas with homegrown cultural and historical elements (and artists). Held in the district of Shibuya – home to the famous Shibuya Crossing intersection, lit up at night by a million lights and scramble-crossed by thousands every day – the Tokyo Jazz Festival includes a line-up that mixes the local form of the genre, international stars, and everything in between.