J Balvin and more new names for Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival 2026

We proudly present new names for the upcoming edition, including J Balvin on Saturday, September 5. Newly added to the lineup are Alain Pérez y La Orquesta on Thursday, September 3, and Monty Alexander Jamericana and PJ Morton on Friday, September 4. Also confirmed for Saturday, September 5 are Al Di Meola Ensemble, Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane, and Stephen Marley.

With over 35 million records sold worldwide, J Balvin stands as one of the most influential and globally streamed Latin artists of all time. As his career continues to evolve, he remains at the center of a movement he helped create – one that pushed Latin music beyond regional boundaries into a truly global conversation. A 5x Grammy and 35x Latin Grammy nominee – and a recipient of major honors including Billboard Latin Music Awards, Latin GRAMMYs, and MTV Video Music Awards – the artist from Medellín, Colombia has been instrumental in breaking language barriers and positioning Latin music firmly within mainstream culture worldwide. From headlining landmark festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza to consistently ranking among the most-streamed artists on the planet, J Balvin continues to define Latin music as a dominant global force.

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Alain Pérez is a leading figure in Cuban music, with a career spanning over two decades. Known for his versatility across salsa, flamenco and jazz, he has worked with icons such as Chucho Valdés, Paco de Lucía and Jerry González, and produced for artists including Celia Cruz. In 2021, he won a Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album. With Alain Pérez y la Orquesta, expect an energetic live show full of rhythm, dance and Cuban flair.

Jazz pianist Monty Alexander, born in Kingston, Jamaica, has built an international career spanning decades. A Grammy-nominated artist with more than 75 recordings, his music blends jazz with Jamaican influences such as reggae and calypso, alongside blues and gospel. He has toured worldwide with various projects and will bring his Jamericana trio to the festival.

PJ Morton, raised in a gospel-rooted family in New Orleans, is a singer, songwriter and producer with a strong solo career alongside his role as keyboardist for Maroon 5 since 2010. His major label debut New Orleans (2013) earned a Grammy nomination for the single Only One, featuring Stevie Wonder, with additional contributions from Adam Levine. His work blends soul, gospel and pop, something that comes to the forefront in his live performances, as heard on Watch The Sun Live: The Mansion Sessions (2023).

Legendary American guitarist Al Di Meola will perform on the festival grounds for the first time; he previously performed a pre-show in Brakkeput Mei Mei in 2013. Di Meola first gained international recognition in the early 1970s with Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, earning a reputation for his virtuosic, fast-paced playing and melodic precision. Known primarily for jazz fusion, Di Meola has explored a wide range of styles across his extensive discography. One of his most celebrated projects is the acoustic trio with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía, which led to the influential album Friday Night in San Francisco (1981).

Two jazz greats unite in Curaçao: Grammy-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis and acclaimed vocalist Dianne Reeves. Marsalis built his reputation working with artists such as Art Blakey, Lionel Hampton and Sting, alongside leading his own groups. Reeves, a five-time Grammy winner, is known for her versatility and decades-long career in jazz. Together, they recorded an album in tribute to John Coltrane, marking the centenary of his birth and drawing inspiration from his 1963 collaboration with Johnny Hartman. The project is part of an international tour that now arrives on the island.

Stephen Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, began his career at a young age in The Melody Makers alongside his siblings. With the group, he won early success, including a Grammy for Conscious Party. Since then, Marley has earned eight Grammy Awards across his work as an artist, producer and collaborator. He has worked with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Nas and Erykah Badu, while all his solo albums have topped the Billboard Reggae charts. His latest release, Old Man (2023), features collaborations with Eric Clapton, Jack Johnson and his brothers Ziggy and Damian.