Georgia’s summer concert calendar gains another anchor date as the 19th Black Sea Jazz Festival prepares to return to Batumi. Organisers say the three-day event will run from 10 to 12 July 2026 at the Tennis Club venue, with evening shows starting at 7:00 PM and international acts booked across jazz, funk, R&B and fusion.

The festival has become a fixed point on Adjara’s cultural schedule, drawing local audiences and visitors who combine concerts with the city’s beach season. This year’s edition leans into both legacy and contemporary line-ups, opening with a tribute tied to a jazz centenary and closing with a band known for high-energy live sets.

Opening night: Miles Electric Band

The first evening on 10 July marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Miles Davis. The festival opens with Miles Electric Band (M.E.B.), a group formed to explore the electric period of Davis’s catalogue. Promoters describe the set as a mix of jazz, funk, electronica and rock — reflecting the direction Davis pursued from the late 1960s onward rather than a straight acoustic tribute.

For jazz fans in Georgia and visiting musicians from abroad, the opening slot positions the festival as more than a pop concert series: it frames Batumi as a venue willing to programme historically significant jazz alongside mainstream R&B and funk acts.

Eric Benét and Ghost-Note

On 11 July, American R&B singer Eric Benét takes the stage. Benét built his name on soul-influenced vocals and modern arrangements of classic soul themes, with a catalogue that spans ballads and uptempo material. His booking suggests the festival is aiming for a broad audience beyond dedicated jazz listeners.

Ghost-Note closes the main programme on 12 July. The band merges funk, jazz-funk, Afrobeat and hip-hop, and is often praised for explosive live shows rather than studio-polished sets. That choice fits a festival that sells itself on night-time atmosphere as much as on genre labels.

DJs, afterparties and practical details

Before each headline concert, a DJ set will warm up the crowd. After the main performances, organisers plan afterparties featuring Philip Lassiter, an 11-time Grammy winner, giving each night a second act for those staying late.

The Tennis Club location keeps the event in a familiar central zone for Batumi festivals — accessible for hotels and the waterfront without requiring a separate trip out of town. Ticket pricing and on-sale dates were not included in the initial announcement; promoters typically release those closer to the event.

For residents and summer visitors, the timing in mid-July overlaps with peak tourism on the Black Sea coast. Hotels and restaurants often see higher footfall during festival weekends, and local transport runs later on concert nights. Whether you follow jazz closely or simply want an outdoor summer show, the 19th edition offers three distinct headliners across three evenings — with Davis’s centenary giving the opening night a specific historical hook.