Following a sold-out debut in 2025, the Polish Jazz Festival returns to London this September with its most ambitious programme to date, spanning jazz, folk, classical music and multimedia performance, and bringing together some of Poland’s most distinctive artists and creative voices.
For more than two weeks, some of London’s leading cultural venues will become a showcase for contemporary Polish culture, presenting jazz legends, internationally acclaimed artists and the next generation of Polish jazz talent. Highlights include the first-ever live performance of Wstęp Wzbroniony – the influential collaboration between the late Tomasz Stańko and Andrzej Trzaskowski – presented by EABS, alongside appearances from Urszula Dudziak, Leszek Możdżer, Wojtek Mazolewski, Kayah, Warsaw Village Band, Marcin Masecki and Kosmonauci.
As the UK’s only festival dedicated exclusively to Polish jazz, it offers a rare opportunity to experience a musical tradition that has played a significant role in shaping European jazz for more than half a century. Across concerts and special events at Cadogan Hall, Kings Place and Union Chapel, the festival presents internationally recognised artists alongside a new generation of musicians whose work reflects the breadth and vitality of Poland’s cultural landscape today.
Since the 1950s, “Polish Jazz” has become a recognised cultural movement in its own right, producing internationally influential artists whose work helped define a distinctly European approach to jazz. From the pioneering achievements of Krzysztof Komeda, Tomasz Stańko and Michał Urbaniak to contemporary artists including Leszek Możdżer, Wojtek Mazolewski and Marcin Masecki, Polish jazz has maintained a distinctive voice within the international jazz community while continually evolving through new generations of musicians.
Yet despite its influence, Poland’s contribution to European jazz remains less familiar to many UK audiences than the scenes of France, Germany or Scandinavia. The Polish Jazz Festival was established to help address that imbalance, creating a platform not only for leading Polish musicians but also for a wider celebration of Polish culture and artistic exchange.
Festival Director Łukasz Droździel:
“The aim of the festival is not simply to present Polish artists in London, but to place Polish jazz within a wider international conversation. It is a tradition with a rich history and a distinctive voice, yet one that remains less familiar to UK audiences than many other European jazz traditions. Through this programme we want audiences to discover both the music itself and the wider cultural context from which it emerges.”
Following a sold-out and critically acclaimed inaugural edition, the festival returns in 2026 with a programme that reflects both the depth of Poland’s jazz heritage and the increasingly diverse directions taken by contemporary artists. Bringing together several generations of musicians – from pioneering figures such as Urszula Dudziak to internationally acclaimed contemporary artists and emerging voices including Kosmonauci – the festival presents a broad survey of one of Europe’s most enduring musical traditions.
The opening gala at Cadogan Hall on 11 September will feature acclaimed collective EABS performing “Wstęp Wzbroniony”, the influential collaboration between Tomasz Stańko and Andrzej Trzaskowski, in what will be the first live presentation of the work in its history. The evening will also feature the Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet, one of the leading forces in contemporary Polish jazz, premiering new material alongside special guests.
Urszula Dudziak, whose career spans more than six decades and collaborations with Herbie Hancock, Sting and Bobby McFerrin, will make a rare London appearance on 12 September. The subject of the acclaimed 2023 documentary Ula, she remains one of the most distinctive voices in European jazz. Internationally renowned pianist Leszek Możdżer will perform a tribute to Krzysztof Komeda, the influential composer and pianist whose scores for Roman Polanski’s Knife in the Water and Rosemary’s Baby helped introduce his music to international audiences.
Beyond jazz, the festival embraces a wider spectrum of Polish musical culture, from Kayah’s jazz-focused “Jazzayah” project and the internationally acclaimed Warsaw Village Band to Chopin Residue, an ambitious multidisciplinary reinterpretation of the music and legacy of Frédéric Chopin.
The festival will also present Warsaw Jazz Takeover, a special evening celebrating the city at the heart of Poland’s contemporary jazz scene through performance and discussion. Featuring HVMBLE, Marcin Masecki Trio and Warsaw Village Band, the event reflects Warsaw’s long-standing role as a centre for musical innovation and cultural exchange, building on a legacy established by internationally renowned festivals such as Jazz Jamboree and Warsaw Summer Jazz Days.
Together, the programme provides a broad perspective on contemporary Polish culture, placing today’s artists in dialogue with a rich musical tradition that continues to evolve.
