The nineteenth edition of the “Jazz Appreciation Month in Montenegro” (JAM) festival will take place from April 1 to April 30, 2026, under the motto “Mediterranean Meets Jazz,” in Podgorica, Kotor, and Cetinje.
We continuously enhance the program of Jazz Appreciation Month in Montenegro by building ever-broader collaborations with artists from Europe and the world. This year’s motto directs us toward the sensibilities of artists hailing from the Mediterranean region or those inspired by it. These include groups such as the trio of harmonica player Ariel Bart, pianist Baki Duyarlar, and the quintet of vibraphonist Lukas Dorado, as well as musicians from our region: drummer Slaven Ljujić, Srđan Ivanović, and vocal artist Maja Rivić. All of them are established composers whose distinctive expressions, conveyed through their own performances, will leave a unique impression and message. The artists will be presenting music from their latest albums.
The festival opens with a tour by the Ariel Bart Trio (April 1–3 in Kotor, Podgorica, and Cetinje). A young artist of international career, composer, and harmonica soloist, Bart will perform compositions from her third album, After Silence, which she is currently promoting on stages worldwide. Alongside pianist Igor Yakovenko and double bassist Fabian Timm, she represents a true rarity in the world of the harmonica—not only as a woman but as a creator of exceptional music. Global critics have hailed her as the successor to jazz harmonica masters like Toots Thielemans and Antonio Serrano, highlighting her rounded tone, superb virtuosity, and a melodicism that is easy to listen to. Beyond her technical prowess, she is an imaginative composer blending diverse influences—from Middle Eastern modes and Western folk to classical music and various shades of jazz. In trio form, she creates a rich yet airy sonic texture, delivering gentle melodies that gradually unfold and lead listeners into emotional musical worlds.
Another renowned artist visiting with his trio is pianist and composer Baki Duyarlar, who will present music from his current album, Jazz Ark (April 14). His work intertwines ancient Turkish forms and makams—inherited from a rich family tradition of musicians spanning seven generations—with contemporary jazz expression, giving the music of ancient civilizations a fresh, modern approach. This unusual trio, featuring double bassist Umut Sel and percussionist Mehmet Akatay, aims to unite the serenity of Turkish classical music, the breadth of European musical expression, and the warmth of the Mediterranean spirit into a singular harmony.
Tribevibers is a contemporary jazz trio consisting of pianist Karim Blal, double bassist Gabriel Pierre, and drummer Slaven Ljujić (April 15). Musicians from three Mediterranean countries formed the trio after a joint gig, realizing they shared an identical sense of humor and a natural flair for swing and groove. Though busy with their individual projects, they view Tribevibers as a natural sanctuary—a space of absolute freedom where their individual voices become an unbreakable whole. They channel their different cultural backgrounds into a modern, honest, and bold sound, demonstrating that diverse cultures, when on the same vibration, are capable of creating authentic art. Their debut album, recorded in Rome, serves as a sonic record of that style.
Blending oriental musical philosophy with the adventurous spirit of jazz, the Blazin’ Quartet led by Srđan Ivanović—a well-known drummer based in Paris—has created a unique sound ranging from melodic to rhythmic, concrete to abstract, and acoustic to electronic (April 16). Surprising audiences and critics since their debut, the quartet has won numerous awards, including victory at the Dutch Jazz Competition as part of the famous North Sea Jazz Festival. Since then, they have performed across Europe, Asia, and America. Following the albums Finding A Way (2010), Jalkan Bazz (2012), La mer, la pierre, la terre, l’oiseau (2017), and Sleeping Beauty (2021), the band released its fifth album, Cosmogonie, in late March, which will have its premiere before the Podgorica audience. The album is a continuous musical journey inspired by ancient Greek creation myths, drawing on mythological imagery to explore themes of origin, transformation, conflict, and renewal. In a time of division and acceleration, the album proposes a shared narrative—an invitation to slow down and listen. It is not a collection of isolated pieces, but a coherent story in which each chapter prepares the next. Alongside Ivanović, the band features some of Europe’s most acclaimed jazz musicians: trumpeter Andreas Polyzogopoulos, guitarist Federico Casagrande, and double bassist Mihail Mihailov.
Multitalented Croatian artist Maja Rivić will present her debut double solo album, Drugo sunce (Second Sun), which has been highly praised by music critics (April 21). Her original singing style is recognizable for its use of extended vocal techniques, allowing her to move seamlessly through a range of genres—from jazz, experimental, and improvised music to traditional and world music. Educated at prestigious institutions in Zagreb and London, she has collaborated with numerous Croatian and London-based musicians and is a member of various ensembles with which she has performed at major festivals and concert halls. She is the distinctive voice of the brilliant Mimika Orchestra (which performed at JAM festival in 2022) and various Zagreb ensembles, and has achieved fruitful collaborations with Darko Rundek and the HRT Jazz Orchestra. The album Drugo sunce is the result of collaboration with some of Croatia’s most prominent jazz musicians. Beside vocalist and composer Maja Rivić, the quintet includes Mak Murtić on tenor saxophone, pianist Hrvoje Galler, double bassist Hrvoje Kralj, and Borko Rupena on percussion.
In the festival’s finale, we will premiere the rising star vibraphonist Lukas Dorado, who arrives with his Paris-based quintet to perform his Latin jazz project, El Sueño (April 29 Podgorica; April 30 Cetinje). He learned Latin American musical styles from his father, an Argentine guitarist, and was educated at the Lausanne Conservatory, graduated from the Berlin University of the Arts, and completed the European Jazz Master program in Copenhagen. His music is featured on numerous albums across genres like jazz, Latin, and pop, such as Parcels (2018), Trio Dorado (2023), and MetaMadera (2024). He won first prize at the Jazz-Vibraphone Competition in Pescara (2017), and with his ensemble El Sueño, he won the Audience Award at the Tonnerre de Jazz competition (2024). Alongside Dorado, the ensemble includes Fabricio Colombo (bandoneon), Gabriel Zamora (guitar), Juan Villarroel (bass), and Sacha Suetre (drums). The album El Sueño represents a musical fusion of two worlds and is a true reflection of Dorado’s sound, which authentically combines Argentine folklore and modern jazz.
Within the framework of the “Jazz on Film” series, we will premiere the film “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” by Belgian director Johan Grimonprez. The film is Oscar-nominated, a winner of several awards at international film festivals, and featured on lists of the most successful documentaries of 2024 and 2025. The year 1960 is remembered as the “Year of Africa,” a turning point when sixteen African nations gained independence, and leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba became symbols of global freedom. Simultaneously, across the ocean, African cries for freedom were heard in the music and activism of American jazz greats like Nina Simone and John Coltrane. It is precisely this unbreakable link between jazz, politics, and the Cold War that Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat explores.
We thank the participants of this year’s JAM festival and our partners for their collaboration: KIC “Budo Tomović,” the Royal Theater Zetski Dom, the “Nikola Đurković” Cultural Center in Kotor, the Secretariat for Culture of the Capital City, the Secretariat for Culture of the Old Royal Capital, the Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro, the French Institute of Montenegro, and the Turkish Cultural Center “Yunus Emre.”
The detailed event schedule for this year’s JAM can be found at the link: JAM 2026 Events.
Come, experience jazz! We are waiting for you.