Back for its 35th edition, Istanbul’s longest-running jazz tradition is pulling out all the stops this autumn, uniting more than 200 musicians and bands across the city. The festival kicks off at Müze Gazhane with İlhan Erşahin & Istanbul Sessions, before rolling out a programme as eclectic as the city itself.

Must-see moments include Brazilian piano-voice powerhouse Eliane Elias (famously a Chick Corea collaborator); RYMDEN, the Scandinavian super-trio founded by pianist Bugge Wesseltoft, bassist Dan Berglund and drummer Magnus Öström of the legendary e.s.t.; harp virtuoso Brandee Younger, who made history in 2022 as the first Black woman ever nominated for a Grammy in the Best Instrumental Composition category; rising Polish jazz star Kinga Głyk; New Orleans-born trumpet star Chief Adjuah, who expands the boundaries of jazz both with his whistling technique and the signature line of horns that he designed; the unlikely yet sublime pairing of piano and bouzouki from Joel Lyssarides and Georgios Prokopiou; and, for something rowdier, an electrifying Jazz Meets Rap night that bridges the old and the new.

But this year is also rich in fresh discoveries. Catch pioneering pianist Nilüfer Verdi raising the flag of international peace with her trio, hear Anatolian folk reimagined by Maya Perest, or let Ahmet Arslan’s soundscapes blur nature and instrumentation. All-female collective Sista Sound bring power and groove, while Pakistani spiritual jazz outfit Jaubi promise to mesmerise with transcendent improvisations.

As always, the festival sprawls across Istanbul’s cultural map: from Müze Gazhane, Yeldeğirmeni Sanat Merkezi, Alan İstanbul, Salon İKSV, Arter, Borusan Müzik Evi, Zorlu PSM, Akatlar Kültür Merkezi, and Bağlarbaşı Kültür Merkezi, to beloved jazz clubs like Nardis Jazz Club, Babylon, Frankhan, Bant Mag. Havuz/Bina, Bova, and Pera 77. In short, if you’ve got ears, the city has the soundtrack.

To see the full program: www.akbanksanat.com