46 years of celebration: Montreal International Jazz Festival wraps up spectacular 2026 edition

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 1,000 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

With 46 years of annual performances, the Montreal International Jazz Festival (MIJF) is a must-attend gathering for fans of jazz, blues, funk, soul, and R&B. The international lineup this year also included blends of jazz with Asian, Latin, Arabic, and African music.

“This edition marks a major turning point in the history of the festival, proving that jazz is a unifying force that truly belongs to everyone. It elevates Montréal on the global stage and generates an impact that goes far beyond music,” Maurin Auxéméry, MIJF’s Director of Programming tells YourStory (see our coverage of earlier editions of the festival from 2015 onwards here).

Indoor halls and outdoor stages drew tens of thousands of music lovers, with established and emerging artistes. In this photo essay, we profile 25 performers at the festival, including Indian bassist Mohini Dey, South Africa’s Thanda Choir, Palestinian star Saint Levant, and French-Haitian singer Naïka.

Aja Monet is an American poet, musician and activist whose performances blend jazz, spoken word, soul, and political consciousness. A former Nuyorican Poets Cafe Grand Slam champion, she has become one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz poetry. In her live performance at MIJF, she created an intimate atmosphere where poetry and improvisation were inseparable.

Mohini Dey is an Indian bassist and composer widely recognised as one of the world's most accomplished new electric bass players. A child prodigy, she has collaborated with internationally renowned artists across jazz, fusion, progressive rock, and contemporary music. Her extraordinary technical ability is matched by her melodic creativity and rhythmic precision.

Thanda Choir is a South African vocal ensemble known for its rich harmonies and joyful performances rooted in the country's choral traditions. Blending gospel, jazz, traditional African music, and contemporary arrangements, the choir showcases exceptional vocal precision and vibrant rhythmic energy. Their concert at MIJF celebrated themes of community, hope and cultural unity, creating an uplifting experience for audiences.

Alain Caron is a jazz bassist from Canada and is among the most highly-regarded jazz bassists in the world. At an indoor set in MIJF, he played his trademark fretless and six-string electric bass. In his illustrious career, he has performed with jazz greats such as Billy Cobham, Mike Stern, Dennis Chambers, Tom Harrell, and many others. He has received the Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Angine de Poitrine is a Montréal-based experimental collective known for its playful, irreverent approach to avant-garde music. Drawing from free jazz, punk and theatrical performance, the group embraces spontaneity and absurd humour while showcasing virtuosic improvisation. Their concerts are often unpredictable, blurring the line between performance art and musical experimentation.

Annahstasia is an American singer-songwriter whose style evokes elements of folk, soul, blues, and chamber pop. Her music often explores healing, vulnerability and resilience, delivered through sparse arrangements that allow her expressive voice to take center stage. Her live performance in Montreal brought out her emotional depth and quiet intensity.

Béla Fleck is widely regarded as one of the greatest banjo players in history, having transformed the instrument's role far beyond its bluegrass roots. Throughout his career, he has explored jazz, classical, world music, and fusion, with collaborators such as the late great tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. At MIJF, he performed along with Edmar Castañeda (drums) and Antonio Sánchez (Colombian harp).

Chica Libre is a Brooklyn-based ensemble inspired by the psychedelic sounds of Peru's cumbia scene. Combining electric guitar, Latin rhythms, surf rock, and tropical grooves, the band pays tribute to pioneers while adding contemporary arrangements and improvisation. Their energetic live shows are highly danceable, as seen in their open-door performance at MIJF.

Hania Rani is a Polish pianist, composer and producer known for her atmospheric blend of contemporary classical music, ambient electronics, and minimalist composition. Her music performances at MIJF blended delicate piano melodies layered with synthesizers and subtle textures, creating immersive sonic landscapes accentuated by dazzling light effects.

Izzy Escobar is a Cuban-Canadian vocalist and songwriter whose music blends Latin traditions with jazz, soul and R&B. Now based in Montréal, she has become known for her warm vocal delivery, bilingual repertoire, and vibrant stage presence. Her performance at MIJF celebrated cultural diversity while incorporating heartfelt storytelling, making her a rising voice in Canada's multicultural music scene.

Kamasi Washington is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who has played a pivotal role in bringing spiritual jazz to new audiences. Blending jazz with funk, gospel, hip-hop, classical, and African musical traditions, Washington creates expansive compositions featuring large ensembles and powerful improvisation.

Kazdoura is a Lebanese-Canadian duo that fuses Arabic musical traditions with jazz, funk, disco, and psychedelic influences. Their music combines vintage synthesizers, Arabic melodies, and infectious grooves while drawing inspiration from the golden era of Middle Eastern popular music. Performing in both Arabic and instrumental formats, Kazdoura creates a nostalgic yet contemporary sound across cultures and generations.

Klaus is a Montréal-based jazz and experimental music project recognised for blending jazz with electronic textures, indie influences, and cinematic soundscapes. They showcase intricate musicianship as well as pleasing melodies. At MIJF, their performance shifted fluidly between tightly arranged passages and open improvisation. Their work is yet another reflection of Montréal's diverse and innovative contemporary jazz scene.

KOKOROKO is a London-based Afrobeat collective whose music combines West African rhythms with jazz, highlife, soul, and funk. Formed by musicians connected through London's thriving jazz community, the band is led by trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey. The horn arrangements, hypnotic grooves, and joyful performances delighted audiences with a fusion of musical heritage and modern jazz innovation.

Larkin Poe is an American roots rock band led by sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell. Their music blends Southern rock, blues, Americana, gospel, and country into a powerful contemporary sound. Rebecca's expressive vocals and slide guitar work complement Megan's lap steel and resonator playing. Their energetic live shows have earned them acclaim as one of today's leading blues-rock acts.

Lila Downs is a Grammy Award-winning Mexican singer celebrated for combining traditional Mexican and indigenous music with jazz, folk, blues, and world music. Singing in Spanish, English and indigenous languages, she explores themes of identity, migration, social justice, and cultural heritage. Her performance at MIJF featured colourful costumes and folk dances that reflected deep connections to Mexico's diverse musical traditions.

Los Mirlos are pioneers of Peruvian psychedelic cumbia, having helped define the genre since the early 1970s. Their signature sound combines Amazonian rhythms, electric guitars, surf rock influences, and hypnotic melodies. At MIJF, they regaled audiences with their infectious instrumental grooves and memorable songs. Their influence extends across Latin America and beyond, as seen in their Montreal performance.

Melody Gardot is a US-based jazz vocalist, songwriter and guitarist renowned for her smoky voice, elegant phrasing, and sophisticated songwriting. Following a life-changing accident in her youth, music became an important part of her rehabilitation and artistic journey. Her repertoire blends jazz, blues, bossa nova, and chanson. At her indoor performance, she drew rousing applause for a collaboration with South Africa’s Thanda Choir.

MonoNeon is an American bassist, singer and experimental musician celebrated for his highly original approach to funk, jazz, R&B, and avant-garde music. Instantly recognisable for his colourful clothing and upside-down bass technique, he combines astonishing technical skill with playful creativity. A former collaborator of Prince, MonoNeon's performances feature unconventional harmonies, spontaneous improvisation, and lots of humour.

Naïka is a Haitian-French singer-songwriter whose music blends Afrobeats, pop, reggae, Caribbean rhythms, Latin influences, and global sounds. Singing in multiple languages, including English, French, and Haitian Creole, she creates uplifting songs. Her MIJF performance centered on identity, empowerment and cross-cultural connection. Her vibrant shows reflect her international upbringing and appeal to audiences around the world.

Nicholas Payton is an American trumpeter, composer, pianist, and multi-instrumentalist from New Orleans, who has become one of the leading voices in modern jazz. Deeply rooted in the city's musical traditions, he also embraces contemporary influences. At MIJF, he presented a collaborative outdoor concert with Butcher Brown titled A Supreme Blue, and intimate sets in trio format at an indoor venue.

Saint Levant is a Palestinian-French-Algerian artist whose music blends hip-hop, R&B, Arabic pop, and Mediterranean influences. Raised between multiple cultures and fluent in several languages, he performed at MIJF in English, Arabic and French. His songs explore themes of identity, love, displacement, and belonging, while reflecting the experiences of a globally connected generation.

Solarium is a Montréal jazz collective dedicated to adventurous improvisation and contemporary compositions. Bringing together accomplished musicians from Canada's creative community, the ensemble blends modern jazz language with experimental textures and collaborative interplay. Their performances emphasise communication, spontaneity and exploration, reflecting Montreal’s longstanding reputation as a center for innovative jazz.

Sue Foley is a Canadian blues guitarist, singer and songwriter whose fiery guitar playing and commanding vocals have made her one of the genre's more respected performers. Influenced by Texas blues, Chicago blues, and traditional roots music, she has built an international career spanning a range of recordings. Her MIJF performance showcased her expressive guitar work and authentic songwriting, thus honouring blues traditions while bringing her own distinctive voice.

Tiana Major9 is a British singer-songwriter whose music blends neo-soul, jazz, R&B, and contemporary pop. Her distinctive style shows influences of artists like Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill. Her songs explore love, vulnerability and self-discovery. Her live outdoor performance at MIJF highlighted both her vocal control and stage presence.

(All photographs courtesy Montreal International Jazz Festival.)