Panama Jazz Festival 2025

The Panama Jazz Festival is a week-long music extravaganza, alluring 500,000 jazz aficionados to Panama City every January. Star-studded lineups showcased dozens of big names like Kenny Barron, Terri Lyne Carrington, Rubén Blades, Billy Cobham, Nnenna Freelon, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, Joe Lovano, Stanley Jordan, Ellis Marsalis Jr., Dianne Reeves, John Patitucci, Wayne Shorter, Mike Stern, Esperanza Spalding, Chucho Valdés, Lizz Wright, and Randy Weston.

Panama Jazz Festival Highlights

The event program highlights an array of master classes by renowned artists from Berklee College of Music, Berklee Global Jazz Institute, the New England Conservatory, and many other music conservatories, academies, and foundations from across the globe. Famed lecturers bring jazz education to the students of the Republic of Panama, Latin America, and beyond.

2024's Program

This year's Panama Jazz Festival promises to captivate audiences with a rich program of musical events and activities. Highlights include the prestigious Panama Jazz Festival Gala, live concerts, jam sessions, music clinics, and the grand Final Open-Air Concert. The final performance will be held on January 18 at 3 pm at the Central Quadrangle of the City of Knowledge. Admission is free and open to all, ensuring a vibrant and inclusive celebration of jazz.

Lineup

The 22nd Panama Jazz Festival will feature an impressive lineup of artists, featuring Grammy-winning vocalist Ledisi, known for hits like Pieces of Me, and celebrated Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Pérez, who fuses his cultural heritage with jazz and classical music. Three-time Grammy-winning drummer and producer Terri Lyne Carrington brings her innovative jazz artistry to the stage. At the same time, John Patitucci, a highly acclaimed bassist, adds his versatile sound spanning genres. Rounding out the lineup is saxophonist Everette Harp, whose vibrant performances have made him a cornerstone of contemporary jazz.

Festival History

The Panama Jazz Festival was founded in 2003 by Danilo Pérez, an honored pianist and Grammy winner, who aimed at improving people's lives through riveting music. The event runs strong thanks to its Executive Director, managing an impressively huge team of 70 coordinators, 200 collaborators, 300 artists, and 500 volunteers.

Some masters of jazz who visited the event included Kenny Barron, Ran Blake, Brian Blade, Terri Lyne Carrington, Santi Debriano, Regina Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Tia Fuller, Nnenna Freelon, Eddie Gómez, Charlie Hunter, Craig Handy, Stanley Jordan, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, Marco Pignataro, David Sanchez, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Wayne Shorter, Ben Street, Janis Siegel, Steve Turre, Randy Weston, and Chucho Valdés.