Must See Sets at Montreal’s Jazz Fest this year.

It’s almost that time of year where Montreal’s Place Des Arts area is taken over by brass instruments, merch kiosks, and jazz enthusiasts. The iconic Jazz festival is celebrating its 46th edition with over 300 acts, and here’s your breakdown on what not to miss.

London-based seven-piece KOKOROKO bring their warm blend of jazz and R&B to the big stage on June 26th. Known for their sun-soaked arrangements and rhythmic subtlety, their latest album Tuff Times Never Last feels built for summer music that flows. Expect a crowd that’s fully locked into groove mode from start to finish.

The famous space-time voyagers Klek and Khn, composing Angine De Poitrine will land down to Earth to play TD Stage on June 27th. After much success from a live session YouTube video, the duo released their second project Vol. II featuring hits like “Fabienk”. Music which could only be described as orchestra Rock Microtonal Dada-pythago-cubist music, expect a big and anticipated crowd for this one.

French-Haitian artist Naïka brings pure summer energy to TD Stage on June 29th. Singing in English, French, and Haitian Creole, she builds music around themes of identity, diversity, and connection. Her debut album ECLESIA blends global pop textures with soulful storytelling, making her set one of the most emotionally warm performances of the weekend.

There’s a chance this might be WILLOW’s first Montreal appearance… or at least her first in a long time. The genre-bending singer, songwriter, and producer closes June 30th on TD Stage with a performance likely to move between jazz, alt/rock, and experimental pop. Her recent work petal rock black continues to blur genre lines entirely, making her set one of the most unpredictable and potentially defining moments of the festival.

The explosive duo DOMi & JD Beck take over MTELUS on July 2nd. Known for their hyper-technical and playful approach to jazz fusion, they’ve built a reputation for making complexity feel like pure fun.

Gaëlle will deliver an intimate club set on June 28th, leaning into mood-driven textures and smooth, late-night pacing—perfect for a more contained, atmospheric moment in the festival schedule.

After the release of her debut EP, Elysia Biro will step into Studio TD on June 29th with a set expected to highlight her refined approach to songwriting and jazz-influenced arrangements, sitting comfortably between subtlety and emotional clarity.

A Montreal crossover moment: Zach Zoya x High Klassified will link up for a joint performance blending rap, electronic production, and local sonic identity. Playing their Misstape EPs, this is a hometown collaboration built for the Club Montreal Loto Quebec stage.

Annahstasia will close out July 2nd on TD Stage with a performance rooted in soulful songwriting and stripped-back emotional delivery, offering a grounded counterpoint to the festival’s larger productions.

A two-set closing day performance from Afternoon Bike Ride brings things into a looser, drifting energy. Less about spectacle, more about atmosphere and motion, a fitting end to a city-wide sonic takeover.

What makes this year’s Montreal Jazz Festival feel distinct isn’t just the lineup… it’s the range between its extremes. From orchestral experimentalism to global pop to straight up jazz, the festival continues to stretch what “jazz” even means, while celebrating every bit of it. See ticket info and full lineup here.