Jazz for Freedom.
Berlin Freedom Week · November 2026

Jazz
for
Freedom.

7-14 November 2026
Seven nights of world-class jazz at Kühlhaus Berlin, anchoring the cultural dimension of Berlin Freedom Week.
Kühlhaus Berlin Presented by Berlin Jazz Kultur e.V. For the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation
I.The Case

Jazz has
always been
the music of
resistance.

Born from struggle. Shaped by Civil Rights. Broadcast by Voice of America into Soviet territories as deliberate soft power.

In the DDR, jazz clubs were rare pockets of autonomy — spaces where the rules of the state lost their grip.

Bringing this music back to Berlin in November 2026, on the 37th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, is not incidental. It is the point.

John Coltrane
“When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something good for people—to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.”
John Coltrane 1926 – 1967
II.The Lineup

Eight acts. Seven nights at Kühlhaus Berlin. One Coltrane centennial. One Miles Davis closing.

Mica Millar
Sat 07 Nov

Mica Millar

Jazz FM Soul Act of the Year — Manchester voice on oppression, empowerment and spiritual freedom.

Joe Lovano
Sat 07 Nov · Centennial

Coltrane 100
Joe Lovano Quintet

The estate-sanctioned centennial tribute to John Coltrane. Lovano's Grammy-winning quintet honours the saxophonist who insisted music must be a force for good.

Theo Croker
Sun 08 Nov

Theo Croker

Grammy-nominated trumpeter and grandson of Doc Cheatham. Recorded at the Berlin Philharmonie with the Philharmoniker.

Nate Smith
Mon 09 Nov

Nate Smith

Grammy-winning drummer-composer. Co-wrote a Michael Jackson hit; one of the most-watched jazz musicians online.

Steve Coleman
Wed 11 Nov

Steve Coleman & Five Elements

MacArthur Fellow. Founder of the M-Base movement. Vijay Iyer ranks him with Coltrane.

Richard Bona
Thu 12 Nov

Richard Bona Quintet

Cameroonian Grammy bassist. Played with Hancock, Corea, Metheny, Quincy Jones.

Pablo Ziegler
Fri 13 Nov

Pablo Ziegler Trio

Grammy pianist. Astor Piazzolla's keyboardist for a decade. Foremost living interpreter of nuevo tango.

Miles Electric Band
Sat 14 Nov · Closing

Miles Electric
Band

The authorised Miles Davis ensemble — fronted by original members of his 1970s electric bands. Jazz's most radical departure from convention.

III.The Bookends

Two ensembles – sanctioned by the estates of Coltrane and Miles Davis – frame the week.

Miles Electric Band
Closing · Sat 14 Nov

Miles Electric Band

The authorised ensemble for Miles Davis's revolutionary electric period — fronted by original members of his 1970s bands. Jazz's most radical departure from convention.

Joe Lovano
Opening · Sat 07 Nov

Coltrane 100 — Joe Lovano Quintet

The estate-sanctioned centennial tribute. Lovano's Grammy-winning quintet honours the saxophonist who insisted music must be a force for good.

IV.The Finances
Total production costs
€195k

For the entire week at Kühlhaus Berlin.

in return
Berlin Freedom Week participation — per night
  • Venue rental — Kühlhaus Berlin€ 2,500
  • Backline — drums, bass rig, amps€ 700
  • Sound system — monitors, digital desk (SC-48)€ 700
  • Sound engineers — FOH + system (8h)€ 660
  • Stage crew — 2 × Bühnenhelfer (8h each)€ 500
  • PA rental — speakers, subs, cables€ 500
  • Event manager — Veranstaltungsleitung (8h)€ 380
  • Steinway concert grand — incl. tuning€ 340
  • End cleaning — Endreinigung€ 250
  • Cloakroom staff — Garderobenpersonal (4h)€ 120
  • Ticketing staff — 2 × Annahme/Ausgabe (4h)€ 60
7 nights × €6,710€ 46,970
Setup & contingency (one-off)€ 3,030
Partnership ask — total€ 50,000
V.In Return

The Foundation is named partner across the entire week – on stage, on record, on the record.

I
Freedom Talks

Curated live conversations before each concert — co-produced with the Foundation, speakers drawn from music, politics, and civil resistance.

II
Live Podcasts

On-site tapings with Media House editorial teams — content that extends the week's reach well beyond the venue and the city.

III
Full Visibility

Named partner across all Freedom Week press materials, press conferences, calendars, and communications — from June 2026 onwards.

VI.The Venue

Kühlhaus Berlin.

A converted Wilhelmine-era cold storage hall in Berlin's Gleisdreieck. Industrial cathedral acoustics, brick walls, room enough for both the music and the conversations around it.

Luckenwalder Str. 3
10963 Berlin · Kreuzberg

Within Berlin Freedom Week

Seven nights of world-class jazz, opening with the Coltrane 100 centennial tribute and closing with the Miles Electric Band. Every concert preceded by a 30–45 minute Freedom Talk.

Let us make this concrete

Eight acts.
Seven nights.
One Berlin.

Warm regards
Dimitrios Christidis
Berlin Jazz Kultur e.V. · Kühlhaus Berlin
For
Axel Springer Freedom Foundation
VII.Contact

Let's talk.

For programme enquiries, partnership and press, write to Dimitrios Christidis at Berlin Jazz Kultur e.V.

AddressBerlin Jazz Kultur e.V.
Hauptstr. 89, 12159 Berlin
Emailinfo@berlinjazzkultur.de
Phone0176 — 81152849