Marcus Miller opens 33rd Istanbul Jazz Festival

ISTANBUL

The 33rd Istanbul Jazz Festival opened with a performance by bassist, composer and producer Marcus Miller as part of his “We Want Miles! The Reunion Tour 2026.”

Miller was joined on stage by guitarist Mike Stern, saxophonist Bill Evans, percussionist Mino Cinelu, trumpeter Russell Gunn, keyboardist Brett Williams and drummer Anwar Marshall.

The concert featured selections from the late trumpeter and composer Miles Davis’ later repertoire, with a particular focus on his Grammy-winning 1981 live album “We Want Miles.”

The concert also reunited several musicians who had previously performed with Davis, including Bill Evans, Mike Stern and Mino Cinelu.

On July 7, “Joe Lovano feat. Antonio Farao Trio with Ira Coleman and Johnathan Blake” will perform at the garden of the Italian Consulate General in Istanbul; “+1’li Gece Gezmesi” will take place on July 8 at Moda Sahnesi & Komünite; Ayhan Sicimoğlu Harikalar Band will appear on July 9 at Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus; Selen Beytekin, Hermon Mehari and Tony Tixier will perform on July 10; and Veronica Swift will meet music lovers on July 13 at Swissotel the Bosphorus.

One of the festival’s traditional events, the Jazz Ferry, will depart from Kabataş Transfer Center on July 12.

As part of the Jazz in the Parks program, music lovers will gather in Ataşehir on July 4 and in Kadıköy on July 5. Kumpania Algazarra from Portugal will also join the event series, where groups selected for the Young Jazz+ program will take the stage.

Special workshops for children titled “Jazz with Selen Beytekin: From Music to Painting” will be organized on July 7-8. Children in the 4 to 6 and 7 to 9 age groups will create paintings inspired by the music they listen to.