Welcome to a jazz festival unlike any other…

Jazz à la Villette (The Villette Jazz Festival) is back to kickstart the late-2025 cultural season in Paris with a dozen concerts, the same number of new upcoming faces in their Under The Radar section, lots of special programmes for kids (starting from 3 years old!), and even ten free Jazz After parties, described as “jazz raves, nocturnal grooves and impromptu jams”. 😳

Yep, you know the holidays are over when Jazz à la Villette starts!

This festival’s passion for ‘jazz’ in the large sense of the word has taken it from strength to strength, as is not scared to book acts employing electronic influences and rap in their sets. The section dedicated to upcoming talents (Under The Radar) is well worth investigating and the festival’s eclectic side (like the Jazz Afters) have upped its reputation every year, with attendees coming from all age groups.

Some of the big names playing this year include Salif Keïta (with Sona Jobarteh), Jeff Mills and the Sun Ra Arkestra. The latter two have collaborated under the moniker Tomorrow Comes The Harvest, a project that combines electronic rhythms and hypnotising ‘solar jazz’.

The festival, much like jazz itself, is constantly reinventing itself.

While the related film festival seems to have disappeared this year, the jazz afters at the ‘Petite Halle’ look like they should be investigated. Entrance is free and its seems more or less anything goes, with (depending on the night) hard groove, electro, electronica, dance, funk, afrobeat, trance, house, trap, hip hop, club...

Once again, we are shown that almost all musical genres have been influenced, a little or a lot, by the world of jazz. Choos your evening here.

And for those who go to bed earlier (a lot earlier 👶🏼), the special programme for kids (including a Jungle Book show that looks completely wild) can be checked out here.

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The Villette Jazz Festival Jazz is happening in various venues around La Villette (map here) from 28th August – 7th September 2025

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Une publication partagée par Jazz à la Villette (@jazzalavillette)