Jazz Festival Fever in Havana

Once a year in Havana, the Cuban capital gets an epic glow up. Musicians and music lovers flock to theatres, clubs, roof terraces and alfresco venues for the eight-day annual jazz festival. Bars, restaurants and clubs are full of partying folk soaking up the vibes.

Like last year, too, the 2026 version heads out to the provinces with performances held in Santa Clara, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba. Ticket prices are ridiculously cheap, too. It’s called the International Jazz Plaza Festival but the boundaries have shifted in two ways. A pre-festival week of music is now staged and audiences can expect more: son, salsa, timba, rumba, rap, choral and orchestral works.

The state runs the show but with each year more private venues get in on the act. Look out for pieces performed in top, leafy artsy el Vedado neighbourhood venues – at Fangio Habana’s wonderful rooftop, the intimate La Bombilla Verde, César Jazz Club, trendy oil-factory turned arts centre, Fábrica de Arte Cubano, the new jazz-centred Bar Saudade, and art space Estudio-Galería Línea y Paseo. Old Havana wouldn’t miss a trick, though, and the trendy rooftop bar of Yarini Habana in a southern barrio of the old quarter, hosts the ground-shaking titan of timba Alexander Abreu and Havana D’Primera.

Homegrown musicians get top billing but musicians from abroad – the US, the Moscow Jazz Orchestra from Russia, and Mexican National Jazz Orchestra will perform, too.

Well-known Cuban names include pianist Roberto Fonseca who plays the National Theatre on Revolution Plaza, accomplished trumpeter Yasek Manzano, pianist and trumpeter Bobby Carcassés, rapper Telmary Díaz, and singer and salsero Alain Pérez y la Orquesta. The Folkloric Choir will fill the humid air with soulful song at the alfresco Jardines del Teatro Mella and up-and-coming young jazz musicians Los Hermanos Abreu perform at the San Francisco Convent in Old Havana.

Talented pianist Aldo López-Gavilán plays, and the mesmerising Malpaso Dance Company also take to the stage at the Sala Covarrubias in the National Theatre. Don’t miss outstanding pianist Ernán López-Nussa on January 30 or any of Alexander Abreu’s electric performances. On the same night cherished, long-standing rumba group Los Muñequitos de Matanzas will play and that’s not a regular occurrence so don’t miss it. On the 31^st, at the small theatre inside the Museum of Fine Arts, mesmerising percussionist Ruy Adrián López-Nussa will wow audiences. The following night, cancel everything else, to witness Rodney Barreto on the drums with Jorge Luis Pacheco and Friends.

Missed it this year? Plan for next. The Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza is always held the last week of January. Now with a week-long preamble in place that’s two weeks of Cuban soul and international tunes. The weather is sublime at this time of year, too.