25th Athens Jazz

The city’s longest-running music festival hits a major milestone this May, marking 25 years of transforming Technopolis City of Athens into a sprawling jazz joint. For a quarter of a century, Athens Jazz has pushed the boundaries of the genre, and this anniversary edition is no different. With 20 acts from Greece and abroad, the week-long marathon aims to shred every cliché about what jazz "should" sound like. You can expect a lineup that leans into the "street" side of the sound, blending spiritual jazz and afrobeat with analog techno and hip-hop pulses. It remains one of the city's most beloved traditions: world-class music in an iconic industrial setting, completely free for everyone.

Daily Highlights

25 May: The Anniversary Special A curated Greek lineup honours the festival’s legacy and late collaborator Yiorgos Haronitis with the Stavros Lantsias Quartet and the specially formed Greek Cooking Band.

26 May: Electro-Organic Vibes Experience the hypnotic, "future jazz" loops of Germany’s Conic Rose alongside the innovative nu-jazz of Denmark’s OTOOTO.

27 May: Spiritual Spoken Word UK standout Alabaster DePlume brings his raw, vulnerable truth to the stage through fragile saxophone melodies and powerful narration.

28 May: Cosmic Beats and Hip-Hop The Hungarian trio Jazzbois takes the stage with a high-groove sound inspired by the likes of J Dilla and Thundercat.

29 May: Afro-Futurist Freedom Get ready for an expansive, soulful journey as Gianluca Petrella’s Cosmic Renaissance channels the legacy of Sun Ra.

30 May: Analog Techno Mastery Witness the incredible precision of Austria’s Elektro Guzzi as they create driving techno live on stage without a single computer or looper.

31 May: Global Rhythms Finale The festival concludes with a euphoric blend of Brazilian afrobeat from Esdras Nogueira and the avant-garde traditions of France’s Lagon Nwar.