Back
THURSDAY 12 TO SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2026
Guimarães Jazz 2026
In 2026, Guimarães Jazz celebrates its 35th anniversary—a history that began in the early years of the final decade of the twentieth century, a period of apparent stability, and continues its process of growth and expansion into the third decade of the twenty-first century, a time of evident upheaval. The occasion will be marked by the publication of a retrospective book covering the festival’s most recent editions, a direct successor to Novembro, which documented its first 25 years. Despite this celebration, Guimarães Jazz has always been guided by the principle that what matters most is what lies ahead, rather than what has already been achieved. It is therefore on the present that our attention should remain focused. That present is embodied in the edition we now present: an eclectic programme that reflects a commitment to exploring diverse musical experiences, focusing not on the affirmation of movements or aesthetics, but on understanding the subtleties of creative processes.
The first noteworthy aspect of the programme for the 35th edition of Guimarães Jazz is that, with the distinguished exception of vocalist Kurt Elling—returning to the festival accompanied by the National Jazz Orchestra of North Macedonia under the direction of Dzijan Emin, who also returns to this stage—all the remaining projects and their respective leaders will be making their festival debuts. This remarkably balanced line-up, in terms of artistic stature and international recognition, includes Peter Evans, one of the most influential trumpeters in contemporary jazz, performing in a quartet with Joel Ross, Nick Jozwiak and Tyshawn Sorey; Kurt Rosenwinkel, a guitarist with close ties to Portugal whose appearance in Guimarães has long been overdue, leading a quintet featuring an outstanding ensemble of musicians; and the all-female supergroup Artemis, comprising five exceptional instrumentalists—Ingrid Jensen, Nicole Glover, Noriko Ueda, Allison Miller and pianist Renee Rosnes, who also serves as the group’s musical director.
The remaining concerts in the Main Auditorium reflect the festival’s ongoing commitment to presenting original productions. In this regard, both the appearance of the legendary Brazilian guitarist and vocalist Toninho Horta—who will open the festival in a quartet performance accompanied by the Guimarães Orchestra—and that of Guimarães-born composer and pianist Pedro Emanuel Pereira, presenting his project Beyond Miles alongside, among other distinguished Portuguese musicians, accordionist João Barradas, exemplify the festival’s commitment to creating performances with distinctive and unrepeatable artistic identities. Also within the scope of these original productions, the festival’s long-standing partnerships with ESMAE and Porta-Jazz will feature, respectively, a New York-based quintet led by pianist Lex Korten and including Argentine-German vocalist Sabeth Pérez, who will also host the festival’s jam sessions, and Filigrana, a project led by pianist Miguel Meirinhos in collaboration with visual artist Joana BC.
The programme for this 35th edition is completed by two concerts of very different artistic character and intent, both taking place in the Small Auditorium yet deserving special attention for the excellence of the musicians involved. On the festival’s first Saturday, a trio comprising three key figures from Chicago’s musical scene over the first three decades of the twenty-first century—Dave Rempis, Jason Adasiewicz and Chris Corsano—will present their distinctive postmodern approach to jazz and improvisation, one that continues to resonate strongly in today’s musical landscape. On the Saturday of the festival’s second week, as part of the partnership with Sonoscopia, Dutch composer and cellist Ernst Reijseger will return to Guimarães twenty-five years after his first appearance at the festival. An original and idiosyncratic musician with a distinguished career that includes composing film scores for acclaimed director Werner Herzog, Reijseger will perform in a trio with pianist Harmen Fraanje and Senegalese vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mola Sylla, his long-time creative collaborator.
Finally, a reference to the third chapter of Guimarães Jazz’s partnership with the Jazz Studies Centre of the University of Aveiro. In 2026, this collaboration will include not only a concert by the winner of the institution’s jazz competition—the João Tavares Quintet—but also the presentation of the exhibition Body & Soul, featuring a selection from the Centre’s archive and paying tribute to collectors and jazz advocates José Duarte and Manuel Jorge Veloso, whose collections together offer a compelling synthesis of the history of jazz in Portugal.
PROGRAMME
Thursday, 12 November, 9:30 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
Toninho Horta Quartet with Guimarães Orchestra
Friday, 13 November, 9:30 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
Beyond Miles – Pedro Emanuel Pereira
Saturday, 14 November, 4:00 pm
CCVF / Small Auditorium
CEJ – Guimarães Jazz
João Tavares Quintet
Saturday, 14 November, 6:00 pm
CCVF / Small Auditorium
Rempis/Adasiewicz/Corsano Trio
Saturday, 14 November, 9:30 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
Artemis
Sunday, 15 November, 5:00 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
ESMAE Jazz Orchestra / Guimarães Jazz Project
Directed by Lex Korten Quintet
Monday, 16 November, 9:30 pm
CIAJG / Black Box
Porta-Jazz / Guimarães Jazz Project
Filigrana, Miguel Meirinhos and Joana BC
Thursday, 19 November, 9:30 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
Kurt Rosenwinkel Quintet
Friday, 20 November, 9:30 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
Being & Becoming
Peter Evans Quartet
Saturday, 21 November, 4:00 pm
CCVF / Small Auditorium
Sonoscopia Project / Guimarães Jazz
Reijseger/Fraanje/Sylla Trio
Saturday, 21 November, 6:00 pm
CCVF / Small Auditorium
Lex Korten Quintet
Saturday, 21 November, 9:30 pm
CCVF / Francisca Abreu Main Auditorium
National Jazz Orchestra of North Macedonia with Kurt Elling
------------
PARALLEL ACTIVITIES
Thursday, 12 to Saturday, 14 November, 11:59 pm – 2:00 am
Convívio Associação Cultural
Jam Sessions
Lex Korten Quintet
Tuesday, 17 to Friday, 20 November (17 November: 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm | 18, 19 & 20 November: 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm)
CCVF
Jazz Workshops
Lex Korten Quintet
Thursday, 19 to Saturday, 21 November, 11:59 pm – 2:00 am
CCVF / Café-Concerto
Jam Sessions
Lex Korten Quintet
Ages 6 and up