The 38th Tallinn International Festival Jazzkaar will take place from 24 April to 1 May 2027. The first artists announced include internationally acclaimed composer and trumpeter Marquis Hill with his ensemble, and Brazilian bossa nova superstar Paula Morelenbaum, who will be joined by her daughter Dora Morelenbaum. Jazzkaar 2027 will open with a performance of Marches Rewound & Rewritten by Maria Faust and her ensemble Sacrum Facere. Tickets for these three festival highlights go on sale on 29 October at 12:00, with a 40% discount available to the first buyers.
“Jazzkaar has always been committed to bringing together a diverse range of world-class musicians who embody the spirit of experimentation at the heart of jazz. Maria Faust, Marquis Hill, and Paula and Dora Morelenbaum are all distinctive and acclaimed artists who showcase the remarkable diversity of jazz. I am delighted that they are the first to offer a glimpse of what Jazzkaar 2027 has in store,” says the festival’s Artistic Director Anne Erm.
The spring edition of Jazzkaar opens with Jazz Musician of the Year 2026 Maria Faust and her powerful work Marches Rewound & Rewritten. Together with her ensemble Sacrum Facere, Faust – one of Estonia’s most distinctive artists – explores marching music and, through it, recurring patterns in society: hierarchies, dictatorships, and elements of propaganda embedded in music and lyrics. Marches Rewound & Rewritten is Faust’s most acclaimed work to date, earning her numerous accolades, including the German Record Critics’ Award.
On 27 April, Marquis Hill Blacktet makes its Estonian debut. Led by trumpeter Marquis Hill, who began his musical career in Chicago, the ensemble brings a groovy, soulful and poetic blend of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, neo-soul and Chicago house to Jazzkaar. At Blacktet’s concerts, lyrical trumpet lines and shimmering Rhodes electric piano melodies dance to the pulse of a rock-solid yet supple rhythm section. The New Yorker has described Hill as a sophisticated post-bop musician who steers clear of genre clichés, weaving elements of hip-hop and contemporary R&B into his music. Throughout his career, he has performed alongside many of the jazz world’s leading figures, including Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Boney James, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano and fellow Chicagoan Makaya McCraven.
In 2027, the music world will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Jobim, affectionately known as Tom Jobim. On 1 May, Paula Morelenbaum will perform Jobim’s music at Jazzkaar. Having sung in Jobim’s ensemble for ten years, Paula knows his music inside out. Critics have praised the subtle melancholy of her interpretations, which capture the very essence of bossa nova. She will be joined by her daughter Dora Morelenbaum, who captivated a sold-out audience at Jazzkaar in 2025 and is one of the most exciting young talents at the forefront of Brazil’s new wave of music. Alongside her solo career, Dora is a member of the Latin Grammy Award-winning quartet Bala Desejo.
The visual identity of Jazzkaar 2027 was created by PUTKA / Erik Teemägi. The fresh design features Frukt, a playful typeface created by Estonian type designer Andree Paat, alongside vibrant shades of orange and lilac that will bring a splash of colour to the streets in early spring.
The 38th Tallinn International Festival Jazzkaar will take place from 24 April to 1 May 2027 at Telliskivi Creative City in Tallinn, with concerts also held in other Estonian cities. The full festival programme will be announced in December 2026.
Tickets go on sale on 29 October at 12:00 via Piletikeskus, with a limited number available at a 40% discount for early buyers. Music fans aged 7–20 can enjoy a 50% discount on tickets to Jazzkaar concerts.
The main sponsors of the Jazzkaar Festival are JURA, Jazz Pesulad, and Delfi Kultuur. Annual partners include United Motors, Tallink, and Nordic Hotel Forum. The festival hub is brought to life with the support of Telliskivi Creative City and Fotografiska Tallinn. Jazzkaar is also supported by Seesam Insurance, Viru Keskus, Reval Café, Aktaprint, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Tallinn, a UNESCO City of Music, and the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS).