“Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival 2026 – Jazz Across the Water – Mediterranean Bridges”

October 22–24, 2026, in Rhodes

Culture, Education

Μοιράσου

“Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival 2026 – Jazz Across the Water – Mediterranean Bridges”

October 22–24, 2026, in Rhodes

Διαφήμιση

RHODES & SOUTH AEGEAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026

JAZZ ACROSS THE WATER – MEDITERRANEAN BRIDGES

October 22–24, 2026 | Rhodes

Artistic Director: Dimitrios Vasilakis
Organized by: Jazz Democracy NPO

Three nights of international jazz in Rhodes, featuring artists from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Albania, Turkey, Austria, and Cuba, in a program that brings together different generations and musical traditions through the contemporary language of jazz.

The Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival—Jazz Across the Water—continues its mission to build cultural bridges of cooperation in the Mediterranean and internationally, connecting Rhodes with artists, universities, researchers, and music communities from around the world.

This international and intercultural focus has been a timeless core of the RIJF. In 2026, the festival’s artistic scope will expand even further through its connection to academic research, education, improvisation, and contemporary technologies, with the international conference MedMus—Mediterranean Improvisations serving as a central parallel event.

MEDMUS 2026 | MEDITERRANEAN IMPROVISATIONS

International Conference on Music and Improvisation in the Mediterranean

October 23 & 24, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Nestorideion Melathron – Museum of Modern Greek Art of the Municipality of Rhodes

Concurrent with RIJF 2026, the international academic conference MedMus – Mediterranean Improvisations—will take place in Rhodes, fostering a direct dialogue between academic research and live musical performance.

The conference is part of the international research program MedMus (2022–2026) and brings together scholars, academics, researchers, and artists from Greece and abroad.

Organizations and academic institutions participating in the MedMus program and its collaborations include France’s CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), the French School of Athens, IFAO, the University of Ioannina, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA), as well as academics and researchers from European institutions.

The conference will focus on:

the evolution of music in the Mediterranean,
improvisation as a common musical and cultural space,
intercultural musical exchanges,
the relationship between tradition and contemporary creation,
the impact of technology on musical practice and research.

The conference is expected to bring together 24 researchers from 7 countries, who will explore Mediterranean music through diverse academic and artistic perspectives.

Jazz Democracy NPO serves as the host organization and as a bridge between the RIJF’s scholarly research and artistic practice, fostering meaningful synergy between musicology, jazz, improvisation, technology, and cultural dialogue.

The Mediterranean Ensemble’s concert on October 23 is directly linked to the conference’s theme, translating MedMus’s theoretical and research-based approach into live musical performance.

PARALLEL EDUCATIONAL & RESEARCH PROGRAM

Education, creative participation, and the connection between art and research are cornerstones of the RIJF’s philosophy.

The 2026 program includes educational activities that leverage the presence of international artists and academics in Rhodes, creating opportunities for direct interaction with students, college students, educators, children, and families.

Rhodes Music School – University of Cincinnati CCM

Faculty members from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati, including Craig Bailey and Scott Belck, will conduct masterclasses for students at the Rhodes Music School.

The sessions will focus on:

basic jazz improvisation techniques,
functioning and communication within a jazz ensemble,
musical interpretation,
the development of a personal sound and creative musical expression.

Cincinnati CCM’s educational presence is an integral part of the RIJF’s collaboration with the American academic community.

ORFF WORKSHOP

For children and parents: In collaboration with POX and EXR, an experiential Orff workshop for children and parents will be held by music educator Elena Michailou, based on the creative connection between music, movement, speech, and improvisation.

The activity aims to foster the active participation of children and adults through a shared artistic experience, where play, rhythm, movement, and music serve as means of expression and communication.

EKPA – University of Cincinnati CCM

The sessions will focus on:

advanced jazz improvisation techniques,
functioning and communication within a jazz ensemble,
musical interpretation,
the development of a personal sound and creative musical expression.

Cincinnati CCM’s educational presence is an integral part of the RIJF’s collaboration with the American academic community.

AI – JAZZ MAPPING – IMPROVISATION

The research dimension of RIJF is also linked to the work of Dimitris Vasilakis on Jazz Mapping, Artificial Intelligence, and the use of new technologies in musical improvisation.

The research is being conducted in collaboration with academic and research institutions such as the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA), Georgia Tech in the U.S., IRCAM in Paris, and Queen Mary University of London.

The international follow-up to this initiative will take place on November 9, 2026, at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, featuring a presentation on the use of Artificial Intelligence in improvisation.

CONCERT PROGRAM

OCTOBER 22–24, 2026

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 | GRAND MASTER’S PALACE

8:00 PM – SONNY & TRANE TRIBUTE

Fathers & Sons – Two Generations in Jazz

A unique intergenerational gathering dedicated to the legacy of two iconic figures of jazz, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.

Latin Grammy-winning Puerto Rican drummer and percussionist Willy Rodriguez joins two families of musicians on stage: Slovak double bassist Štefan “Pišta” Bartuš with his son, pianist Alan Bartuš, and Greek saxophonists Dimitris and Nestoras Vasilakis.

Two fathers, two sons, and an international guest engage in a musical dialogue through the rich tradition of jazz and the creative freedom of improvisation.

9:00 PM – UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Jazz Faculty Ensemble | USA

Scott Belck – trumpet / Director of Jazz Studies
Craig Bailey – saxophone
Ryan Hamilton – trombone
Brad Thomas Myers – guitar
Sergio Pamies – piano
Aaron Jacobs – bass
Art Gore – drums

A unique academic and artistic collaboration between RIJF and the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati, one of the leading centers for higher music education in the United States.

This seven-member all-star faculty ensemble brings together experienced jazz performers and educators, bringing contemporary American jazz and the strong educational tradition of Cincinnati’s CCM to Rhodes.

Saxophonist and arranger Craig Bailey holds a special place in the ensemble; he was a longtime member of the orchestras of the legendary Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin.

The concert also serves as an important bridge of collaboration between the RIJF and the academic jazz community in the United States.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 | PANAGIA TOU BOURGOU

8:00 PM – NEW GENERATION GREEK JAZZ

FLOWTET | Greece

Konstantinos Nikogiannis – trumpet
Dimitris Kassavetes – guitar
Panagiotis Zarris – piano
Alexandros Kassavetes – electric bass
Henry Chuckuma Onuchucks – drums

Special guest: Nestor Vasilakis – saxophones

Flowtet represents a new and dynamic generation of Greek jazz.

With influences from jazz, funk, and hip-hop, original compositions, and a contemporary improvisational approach, the quintet brings the contemporary sound of the younger Greek scene to the RIJF.

Flowtet’s appearance is part of the RIJF’s ongoing commitment to creating a space for young Greek musicians and strengthening their connection to an international artistic community.

9:00 PM – MEDITERRANEAN ENSEMBLE

Music Across the Mediterranean

Socrates Sinopoulos – lyra | Greece
Eljona Eleni Sinjari – vocals / ancient Greek harp | Albania
Lakis Tzimkas – double bass | Greece
Kostas Anastasiadis – drums | Greece

A special collaboration created as part of RIJF 2026 that engages with the very identity of Jazz Across the Water – Mediterranean Bridges.

Internationally acclaimed lyre virtuoso Socrates Sinopoulos joins forces with Eljona Eleni Sinjari on vocals and the ancient Greek harp, double bassist Lakis Tzimkas, and drummer Kostas Anastasiadis on a musical journey through jazz, improvisation, and the musical traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans.

This concert is in direct thematic dialogue with the international conference MedMus —Mediterranean Improvisations—bringing to life on stage the idea of a Mediterranean connected through its music, shared roots, and improvisation.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 | PANAGIA TOU BOURGOU

8:00 PM – YAREMI KORDOS & ROLAND ABREU

AFRO-CUBAN GROOVES | Cuba

Yaremi de las Mercedes Kordos – vocals / guitar
Roland Abreu – double bass

The voice and musical personality of Yaremi Kordos join forces with double bassist and composer Roland Abreu on a musical journey centered on Afro-Cuban rhythms, the Latin musical tradition, and the freedom of jazz improvisation.

Voice, guitar, and double bass create a direct musical dialogue, where rhythm, melody, and improvisation are intertwined with deep Afro-Cuban musical roots.

A dynamic, rhythmic opening for the final night of RIJF 2026.

9:00 PM – RIJF ALL-STAR INTERNATIONAL BAND

Jazz Across the Water – Mediterranean Bridges

An international ensemble created specifically for RIJF 2026, embodying the philosophy of Jazz Democracy: musicians from different countries, cultures, and generations come together to create on stage through dialogue and improvisation.

Eleonora Rousou, with her distinctive blend of voice and flute, joins Albanian pianist and accordionist Gent Rushi, Greeks Dimitris Vasilakis, Nestoras Vasilakis, Lakis Tzimkas, and Kostas Anastasiadis, Şenay Lambaoğlu, a well-known jazz singer from Turkey as part of the sister-city partnership with the Bodrum Jazz Festival, and the Vienna-born, London-based saxophonist Guido Spannocchi.
The closing concert of RIJF 2026 transforms the Rhodes stage into a truly international meeting place.

Different countries. Different generations. Different musical voices. One common language: jazz.

Digital Presence & Audiovisual Content

Discover our history, innovation, and international reach through the links below:

Jazz Democracy Organization: jazz-democracy.com
RIJF Festival: rhodes-international-jazz-festival.com
Jazz Democracy at the United Nations: Dimitri Vassilakis Jazz Democracy at the United Nations Trailer Intro
Jazz & AI: Pasiphae’s Dance | Dimitrios Vassilakis Quartet & Shimon Robot
YouTube Channel: Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival
Wikipedia Profile: wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitrios_Vassilakis
Dimitrios Vassilakis: https://dimitriosvassilakis.com/

JAZZ ACROSS THE WATER – MEDITERRANEAN BRIDGES

For three days, RIJF 2026 transforms Rhodes into an international meeting place for musicians, researchers, educators, and emerging artists. Through concerts, the international MedMus conference, and educational and research activities, jazz becomes a common language of dialogue that connects different countries, generations, and musical traditions. From the Mediterranean to the world and from the world to Rhodes, Jazz Across the Water – Mediterranean Bridges continues to build bridges through music, improvisation, knowledge, and creative collaboration.

Jazz Democracy NPO
Jazz · Improvisation · Education · Research · Cultural Dialogue