Festival events will stretch across Valletta in Ta’ Liesse, City Theatre, MUŻA and Spazju Kreattiv
The Malta Jazz Festival, produced by Festivals Malta, features yet another stellar lineup. From July 8th to July 13th, audiences will be treated to a musical experience featuring an eclectic mix of renowned international artists and emerging local talent at various locations around the city of Valletta. The festival will reach its culmination at Ta’ Liesse (Quarry Wharf) in Valletta, with the city’s Grand Harbour as its backdrop.

Joe Smith
The Malta Jazz Festival is one of the oldest running music events in Southern Europe. It was created in 1991 by Charles Gatt, and his successor Sandro Zerafa took over the curatorship in 2009. Over the years, it has hosted some of the most important exponents of jazz music, some of whom have now passed into the annals of jazz history - Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Charlie Haden, Betty Carter, Elvin Jones, Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Roy Haynes, Paul Bley, to name a few.
While the trend in the major jazz festivals nowadays is to stray away from jazz and water down the jazz content in their line-ups, the Malta Jazz Festival strives to do the opposite, always achieving a balance between the erudite and popular aspects of this music. This year’s line-up is a clear example of the eclectic content the festival has become renowned for.
This year, this highly anticipated festival will be headlined by Grammy-winning American Trumpeter Chief Adjuah, Walter Smith III Quartet, Something Else!, and TRIO GRANDE, on the main stage at Ta’ Liesse Valletta, promising a diverse range of styles and influences to delight jazz enthusiasts of all tastes. Concerts at The City Theatre include leading Brazilian vocalist Mônica Salmaso, guitarist and band Tom Ollendorff Trio, and pianist with accompaniment Philippe Soirat Quartet.
In addition, the festival will feature captivating midday concerts at MUŻA, the Museum of Fine Arts, showcasing the exceptional talent of local musicians. The festival will also cater to younger audiences with Julie Erikssen’s special project for children, providing a fun and interactive introduction to the world of jazz at Spazju Kreattiv, Studio B (Music Room).

Therese Debono
The Malta Jazz Festival is organised by Festivals Malta, supported by The Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government (Kultura), Visit Malta, and sponsored by GSD Marketing Ltd.
Will you be attending the Jazz Festival this year?