Jazzkaar brightens the festive season – the Christmas Jazz 2025 programme is now out! This year marks the 30th edition of Christmas Jazz, inviting audiences to slow down, take time for themselves, and let the music carry them. The festival’s theme is Time for You, Time with Jazz. From 29 November to 9 December, the festival will present 13 concerts featuring internationally acclaimed artists alongside some of Estonia’s brightest jazz talents. The programme highlight this year will be a performance by French jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée at Alexela Concert Hall, where she will present her latest work from the Grammy-nominated album À Fleur de Peau.
“Christmas Jazz began from a happy coincidence – the long-awaited world-class bass virtuoso Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was unable to perform at the spring edition of Jazzkaar, but suggested instead that he could give a concert before Christmas. That unforgettable performance at the House of the Blackheads in Tallinn Old Town was recorded by Danish Television and Estonian Radio,” recalls Jazzkaar’s artistic director Anne Erm. “And so, in 1996, the Christmas Jazz Festival was born, with performances also by the duo Tafenau–Vind and Silvi Vrait. Thirty years of Christmas Jazz have brought memories to last a lifetime! The first that come to mind are Jan Garbarek’s concert with The Hilliard Ensemble, Take 6’s performance at Linnahall, and the debut of Estonian Voices.”
The 30th Christmas Jazz Festival will present international stars from eight countries, reaching from Lebanon to America. On the opening weekend, Estonia will welcome the Rabih Abou-Khalil Group from Lebanon for the very first time. A dazzling oud virtuoso and one of the greats of world music, Abou-Khalil weaves Arabic and Western traditions into mesmerising soundscapes, glowing with warmth and colour. Norwegian multitalent Håkon Kornstad will create a concert where saxophone, opera, and electronics collide and intertwine in unexpected ways, filling the majestic arches of St. Nicholas’ Church with spellbinding sounds. Also making his Estonia debut is American jazz star Sachal Vasandani. With his velvety voice, he will present a programme of beloved jazz standards and songs from his new album Best Life Now, delivered in his signature intimate, storytelling style.
This year’s Christmas Jazz headliner, French vocalist Cyrille Aimée – first introduced to Estonian audiences at Jazzkaar 2022 – will perform at Alexela Concert Hall on 8 December, presenting songs from her Grammy-nominated album À Fleur de Peau. With her radiant, technically masterful voice and irresistible playfulness, Aimée unveils fresh dimensions in even the most beloved classic styles, blending jazz, soul, chanson, and Afro-Latin rhythms into an intimate and deeply emotional musical experience.
The Christmas Jazz programme also highlights inspiring collaborations between Estonian jazz talents and international stars. On 1 December, audiences will be treated to the new album Latent Info by the much-loved bass virtuoso Petros Klampanis, created in collaboration with Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu and drummer Ziv Ravitz. Two concerts will showcase Estonian-Swedish partnerships: accordion virtuoso Tuulikki Bartosik will perform with Swedish bassist Svante Söderqvist’s ensemble, while Maarja Aarma will present her latest work alongside Jana Kütt, Swedish singer-songwriter Oskar Lindwall, and a jazz trio.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Christmas Jazz, the programme will also present special projects by some of Estonia’s most cherished musicians. At the very first Christmas Jazz, Raivo Tafenau appeared in a duo with Meelis Vind. This year, he celebrates 20 years of collaboration with Lauri Saatpalu in their witty programme Just Friends? Liisi Koikson, Marianne Leibur, and Anna Pärnoja will reveal the timeless beauty of Joni Mitchell’s songs. With the festive setting of St. Nicholas’ Church as a backdrop, singer-songwriter Sissi will use her powerful voice to inspire moments of quiet contemplation. The festival will close with the debut of a fresh trio featuring Evelin Võigemast, Jonas Kaarnamets, and Peedu Kass – a performance where blues, folk, and spirituals merge into a shared musical narrative.
The Christmas Jazz 2025 Festival runs from 29 November to 9 December, with concerts not only in Tallinn but also in Haapsalu and Jõgeva. Follow Jazzkaar’s latest updates on the website, on Facebook ja Instagram. Tickets go on sale on 2 October at 9:00, with a limited number available at a 40% early-bird discount for the quickest buyers.
The main sponsors of the Christmas Jazz Festival are JURA, Jazz Pesulad, and Eesti Päevaleht. Annual supporters include United Motors, Tallink, and Nordic Hotel Forum. Concerts in the Nobel Hall are supported by Noblessner. Christmas Jazz is also supported by Reval Café, Aktaprint, Estonian Public Broadcasting, the Ministry of Culture, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, and UNESCO City of Music Tallinn.