May 11-13, 2026
Peti kupe
Spring Edition of the JazzHR Festival to Take Place at Peti Kupe
The spring edition of the JazzHR Festival 2026, organized by the Croatian Composers’ Society, will be held from May 11 to 13, 2026, at the Zagreb club Peti Kupe. The festival will feature five concerts by Croatian jazz artists, accompanied by daily Vinyl Sessions. This year’s edition focuses on supporting Croatian musicians and compelling original projects, bringing together artists from across the country—from Istria and Dubrovnik to Baranja—while also introducing emerging new names. The festival aims to further stimulate and strengthen the local jazz scene, enhancing its visibility and continuity.
JazzHR Spring: Three Evenings of Diverse Jazz Formats and Collaborations
The festival opens on May 11 at 8 PM with a joint performance by JazzIstra Orchestra and Nola, presenting a fresh fusion of Nola’s songs and big band jazz expression. This collaboration brings together Istrian musicians led by Marijan Jelenić and Gabrijela Galant Jelenić, reimagining a well-known body of work through rich new arrangements.
On the second day, May 12 at 8 PM, Goran Jurić and Zrinka Barić present Metal, a conceptual album that uses jazz as a storytelling medium. Structured as a musical journey in eight chapters, the work guides the listener through a range of sonic textures, colors, and harmonic layers—from improvisation to elements of classical music. The album merges music with cinematic narration, creating the impression of a sonic documentary about imagined worlds and cultures. It was recorded using analog equipment from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. The evening continues with Folkestra, a trio of renowned Croatian musicians and composers—Žiga Golob, Teo Martinović, and Kruno Levačić—who rarely perform together and are known for their blend of free improvisation, precision, and expressive, unpredictable stage presence.
The final evening, May 13 at 8 PM, features a performance by the HGM Jazz Orkestar Next Generation, composed of around forty young musicians under the direction of trumpeter Zvonimir Bajević. He brings the ensemble together, guiding and mentoring them with the aim of fostering their artistic and professional development and deepening their understanding of jazz. The festival concludes that same evening with one of Croatia’s leading vocalists, Valerija Nikolovska, performing with her band and presenting the current EP Green Heart, characterized by a distinctive blend of soul, jazz, and R&B.
Throughout all three festival days, an informal off-program—Vinyl Sessions—will follow the concerts, offering a space for socializing and extended musical experience. Each evening will be curated by a different guest DJ Leo Beslać, DJ CRAZYPACK (Kristijan Beluhan) and DJ Tomo Ricov.
JazzHR’s artistic director, Borna Šercar, emphasized that the festival’s core idea is to support engaging Croatian musical projects and bands—whether established artists, those returning to the scene like Folkestra, or performers from underrepresented regions such as Baranja or Istria, brought to Zagreb for wider visibility. He noted that while Zagreb today offers many opportunities to hear top international musicians, it is equally important to highlight the richness and quality of the domestic scene. The goal is to encourage audiences to discover local authors and bands—not only in Zagreb, but t_hroughout Croatia.
Single-day tickets (€20) and full festival passes (€45) are available in advance via Entrio.