Athens, April 17, 2026 – The Athens Jazz Festival is gearing up for its milestone 25th edition, promising a week-long celebration of music, rhythm, and energy. From May 25 to May 31, 2026, Technopolis City of Athens will host the event, which, as always, offers free admission to all attendees.
A Quarter Century of Jazz in Athens
For 25 years, the Athens Jazz Festival has been a cornerstone of the city’s musical landscape. This year’s anniversary celebration will bring together artists and groups from Greece and abroad to showcase the freshest sounds in contemporary jazz. In addition to the main performances, a series of parallel activities will complement the festival experience.
A major highlight of the 25th anniversary is a special tribute on the Greek day, dedicated to the festival’s journey over the past two and a half decades. This year, the Greek day will not feature the traditional open call for three opening acts, a practice that will resume next year. Instead, it will be a night of remembrance and creation, exclusively designed to honor the festival’s history, its people, collaborators, and the moments that have made it a benchmark for the local and international jazz scene.
The Greek Day: A Tribute and a New Beginning
On Monday, May 25, two Greek ensembles will take the Technopolis stage, delivering captivating performances that encapsulate the spirit of this special anniversary. These acts symbolize a blend of artists and collaborators who have been integral to the Athens Jazz Festival, bridging generations and artistic directions. This curated musical offering celebrates the creative evolution of Greek jazz and its continuous dialogue with international sounds.
The first performance will be the Stavros Lantsias Quartet with their project “My Ennio Morricone.” This project pays homage to George Charonitis, a pivotal figure in the Athens Jazz Festival as a member of its artistic committee since 2015, who had a deep connection to the work of the great Italian composer Ennio Morricone, whom he considered his “spiritual father.”
Following this, the Greek Cooking Band, a unique ensemble formed specifically for the 25th edition, will perform. This group will activate a living network of previous winners and creators from the Athens Jazz Greek day, transforming the stage into a meeting point of history and the present. The Greek Cooking Band draws inspiration from the distinctive 1967 album “Greek Cooking,” re-examining the collaboration between saxophonist Phil Woods and bouzouki player Iordanis Tsomidis through a contemporary jazz lens. The band’s lineup includes past Athens Jazz participants, creating a dynamic collective that reinterprets the past while forging new paths through improvisation and collective expression.
The Stavros Lantsias Quartet: From Silver Screen to Technopolis Stage
On May 25, the Stavros Lantsias Quartet will open the 25th Athens Jazz Festival with “My Ennio Morricone.” Renowned pianist and composer Stavros Lantsias, along with his quartet, will creatively interpret the works of the iconic Italian composer, bringing the magic of some of cinema’s most characteristic sounds to the Technopolis stage. Melodies that have marked the big screen will reappear through contemporary jazz orchestrations and improvisational journeys, creating a sonic landscape that balances nostalgia and vibrant creation. Lantsias will be joined on stage by Andreas Polyzogopoulos, Michalis Kalkanis, and Michalis Kapilidis, in a performance that acts as a bridge between cinema, memory, and contemporary improvisation.
The Greek Cooking Band: A Unique Collaboration
The evening will culminate with the Greek Cooking Band, an ensemble specially formed for the 25th Athens Jazz celebration. This project re-examines the material from the collaboration between saxophonist Phil Woods and bouzouki player Iordanis Tsomidis through a contemporary jazz perspective, highlighting the timelessness and transformative power of Greek musical identity. The band’s lineup acts as a living
