A decade of bringing jazz and its many musical offshoots to Bahrain will take centre stage this year as BNP Paribas Bahrain Jazz Fest returns for its 10th anniversary edition, with a lineup spanning international award-winning performers, emerging sounds and homegrown talent.
Organised by Clockwork, the festival will culminate in a grand finale at the Royal Golf Club on December 4, following a month-long programme of performances across the Kingdom. From blues guitar and Caribbean steel pan to Arabic fusion, New Orleans jazz and Cuban rhythms, the anniversary edition promises a musical journey across cultures and generations.
Headlining this year’s festival is two-time Grammy-winning American blues guitarist Eric Gales, whose work on the soundtrack of the film Sinners earned international recognition.
He will be joined by two-time World Steelband Music Festival winner, Leon Foster Thomas, a steel pan musician from Trinidad and Tobago whose music brings together Caribbean rhythms and contemporary jazz.
Also taking the stage is Kazdoura, the Syrian-Lebanese-Canadian duo whose album Ghoyoum won Global Music Album of the Year at the 2026 JUNO Awards. The duo combines Arabic musical influences with funk, soul, and psychedelic sounds, said the event organiser Clockwork.
From Italy, Cosimo And The Hot Coals will bring the sounds of 1920s swing and New Orleans jazz to Bahrain, combining traditional jazz arrangements with Italian songwriting.
Soulful Groove Collective, featuring musicians from Cyprus and South Africa, will add a mix of jazz, soul, and funk-inspired rhythms to the program, offering audiences a different side of contemporary jazz, it stated.
The lineup also includes Sonora Nueva Vista, led by Marcos Tamayo, performing the music of Buena Vista Social Club and celebrating Cuba’s musical traditions through lively Latin rhythms and melodies, it added.
Representing Bahrain, The DMT Experience will join the international performers, continuing the festival’s tradition of providing a platform for local musicians alongside established artists from around the world.
Jude D’Souza, Managing Director of Clockwork and Founder of Bahrain Jazz Fest, said: "For our tenth edition, we wanted a lineup that shows how many different directions jazz and blues can take."
"Audiences will hear everything from Eric Gales’ blues guitar and Caribbean steel pan to Arabic influences, swing, and Cuban music. It’s also important to us that Bahraini musicians share the stage with international artists, and we hope people leave every show having discovered something new," he added.
Tickets are now available, with Early Bird offers running until 31st October. Full-rate tickets will be available from 1st November, alongside special online group offers and an exclusive offer for BBK and CrediMax credit cardholders. Festivalgoers can also choose from travel packages that include hotel accommodation and festival access, while limited tickets are available for the Jazz Garden premium lounge.
