The 46th Festival International De Jazz De Montréal Announces Lineup

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM), presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Rio Tinto, announced the 2026 lineup, featuring more than 350 concerts, two-thirds of which are free from June 25 through July 4.

The lauded festival strikes a balance between honoring the traditions of the format and still providing a platform for contemporary jazz discovery.

Anticipated highlights from the free concerts on the TD Stage include international artists Patrick Watson, Angine de Poitrine, Willow and Saint Levant. The Festival also offers a chance to catch rising jazz stars like Mohini Dey, Mei Mohini, Mei Semones, Annahstasia and Destin Conrad. The 2026 festival includes centennial birthday celebrations for Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Tony Bennett – who were all born in 1926 – as well as celebrating the careers of UZEB and the late J Dilla.

“The programming for the 46th FIJM is a testament to the great jazz family tree, which has flourished for more than 100 years,” stated Maurin Auxéméry, Director of Programming, FIJM in the announcement. “Across its many branches, we celebrate the genre’s pivotal moments and living legacy, while introducing the artists shaping its future. Montréal remains a vital hub for jazz, and this is an event you won’t want to miss.”

Also appearing on the main stage is indie-folk group The Barr Brothers, performing tracks from their latest album Let It Hiss; blues-rock sister act Larkin Poe, who are making their FIJM debut; Naïka, the up-and-coming Franco-Haitian singer who blends her global influences with western pop, R&B and soul; Smino, the futuristic funk and soulful rap artist whose collaborations include Doechii; and festival favorite, the London-based group KOKOROKO, who blend the jazz fusion with afrobeats.

Legendary trumpeter Miles Davis will be honored during the concert “We Want Miles – A Miles Davis Centennial Celebration,” featuring Marcus Miller, Davis’s final musical director, at the Maison Symphonique. Meanwhile, trumpeter Ron Di Lauro will perform the iconic album Kind of Blue on stage at Le Gesù (Jazz Dans la Nuit in collaboration with Radio-Canada). In the same series, the Ciné-concert: Ascenseur pour l’échafaud revisité par Rémi Cormier Quintet will bring to life Davis’ 1958 soundtrack for the Louis Malle film.

Coltrane’s legacy will be celebrated with “Modes of Coltrane” by the Christine Jensen Sextet at the Club Montréal Loto-Québec Stage, followed by Isaiah Collier, who will perform A Love Supreme in its entirety at the Place des Arts’ Théâtre Jean-Duceppe (Jazz Beat in collaboration with CBC Music).

The tributes continue with “John Pizzarelli sings Bennett,” featuring the American jazz guitarist and singer honoring the late Tony Bennett at Place des Arts’ Théâtre Maisonneuve (Les Grands Concerts Rio Tinto in collaboration with The Beat 92.5).

Two decades after the untimely passing of J Dilla and the 2006 release of his legendary album Donuts, DJ Jazzy Jeff will pay him homage during the “Donuts 20th Anniversary Celebration Party” with the Montréal Loves Dilla collective at Club Soda (Les Couleurs in collaboration with The Gazette).

The festival also marks the 50th anniversary of the group UZEB with the premiere of the documentary “UZEB en fusion,” as well as performances by Alain Caron and Michel Cusson at Le Gesù (Les Concerts Intimes in collaboration with La Presse).

Festival goers can also experience artists like Craig Taborn, the Brooklyn pianist and recent MacArthur “genius grant” recipient, performing at Pub Molson, and the Jean-Michel Pilc Trio at Le Studio TD (Entrée Libre TD), a group known for both honoring and deconstructing jazz rhythms.

Théâtre Maisonneuve will host the pairing of Christian McBride & Julian Lage, two tastemakers of the current jazz scene (Les Grands Concerts Rio Tinto in collaboration with The Beat 92.5); and Lorraine Desmarais, recipient of the 2002 Oscar Peterson Award, will present a concert at Place des Arts’ Théâtre Jean-Duceppe (Jazz Beat in collaboration with CBC Music). The festival is also welcoming duo GENA for the first time with Liv.e and Karriem Riggins at Le Studio TD (Entrée Libre TD).

The lineup also spotlights French-American duo DOMi & JD BECK, returning to MTELUS (Les Rythmes Molson) three years after an impressive performance on the Place des Festivals and their stint opening for Herbie Hancock. On the Rogers Stage, Montréal audiences are invited to discover the Louis Cole Big Band, a viral future-sonic-funk ensemble. Also appearing is flutist and singer Elena Pinderhughes, who will perform at Pub Molson.

On the TD Stage, multi-instrumentalist and poet Gabriel Jacoby will be making his first festival appearance and Nubiyan Twist, an ensemble featuring a powerful blend of jazz, afrobeat, dancehall and reggae will be making an appearance on the Rogers Stage. Another not-to-miss highlight will be  Fabiola Méndez, a highly gifted cuatrista known for her unique genre fusions and her collaboration with none other than Bad Bunny.

The Festival will also host format cousins with a rare appearance by the salsa orchestra El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, bringing the party to Place des Arts’ Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.  And Lione Richi and Earth, Wind & Fire will have fans at the Bell Centre on their feet.

“TD Bank Group is proud to support the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, a partnership that has spanned 16 years,” added Abe Adham, Chair, Quebec Market, TD Bank Group. “Every summer, this iconic event transforms the city into a vast open-air stage, bringing together emerging artists, renowned jazz figures, and audiences from all walks of life. Through its rich and diverse programming, the festival creates unique moments of connection, brings communities together, and contributes to showcasing Montreal as a major cultural capital, both at home and internationally.”

Recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest jazz festival on the planet, the festival has been synonymous with musical passion since it began in 1980. Located in the heart of downtown Montreal, closed to traffic and opened until midnight, the Festival site becomes the meeting place for jazz lovers worldwide for 10 days (June 25-July4).