4 minute read
During the last weekend of May, Brussels once again shows its swinging side. The Brussels Jazz Weekend turns the city upside down for three days during the long Pentecost weekend with free concerts - and VIAGE is back in the mix with live music in the iconic CINNA Bar.
From 22 to 24 May 2026, the Lotto Brussels Jazz Weekend takes over the city with hundreds of performances on squares, in cafés, and on surprising stages scattered across the capital. VIAGE goes all in with three consecutive days of free concerts in the CINNA Bar, where live jazz and a relaxed atmosphere find each other effortlessly.
Three Days, Three Vibes
VIAGE is going for variety this year, with three distinctly different acts taking the stage — each with its own character, yet never losing that common thread of swing and improvisation. Where the festival sets the city buzzing outside, VIAGE offers something different. In the CINNA Bar, you're up close with the musicians, feeling every note. That intimacy adds an extra dimension and makes each performance feel personal.
The combination of live jazz, a stylish setting, and the vibrant energy of VIAGE adds up to one sparkling total experience. While the bands play, drinks and conversations flow naturally. VIAGE also keeps the atmosphere going on the casino floor. On Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 8 PM, a Happy Hour runs in the CINNA Bar: buy one drink, get two. On the slot machines and at the gaming tables, exclusive animations with extra chances to win great prizes are up for grabs. New members of the VIAGE Clover Club also enjoy a complimentary Brussels Jazz Weekend menu - just ask the staff on site.
Retro with a Wink
On Friday 22 May at 9 PM, Shuffles From Brussels kick off the weekend. This Ghent-based group is the latest project from The Almost Swinging Jazz Band, bringing together trumpet, banjo, double bass, and snare drum with four-part barbershop harmonies. Rather than serving up familiar jazz melodies, Shuffles From Brussels turns the spotlight on Belgium's biggest pop hits. Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic, Formidable by Stromae, Nothing Really Ends by dEUS - they all get the treatment, dressed up in a unique retro jazzy coat. The band has toured across Europe and even performed at the World Expo in Osaka last year. Think you know the words? Prepare to be surprised.
A Personal Touch
On Saturday 23 May at 9 PM, the Sebi Lee Trio takes over. Sébastien Lee's story begins in 1993, when the sixteen-year-old is bedridden for months following a skateboarding accident. His father hands him a video of Jerry Lee Lewis - and the rest is history. What started as something to pass the time in a hospital bed grew into a lifelong passion. He made his debut in the Brussels bar scene in 1995 and has since criss-crossed Europe, from Belgian festival stages to clubs in California. Along the way, he crossed paths with legends like Toots Thielemans, Linda Gail Lewis, and JD McPherson. This self-taught pianist commands a remarkably wide range - crooner, rockabilly, smooth jazz - stepping effortlessly from one register to the next. In trio formation, flanked by double bass and saxophone, he promises an evening of boogie, swing, and blues that will make the CINNA Bar shake.
Colouring Outside the Lines - Again: Along Comes Mary Rewrites the Classics
Old favourite Along Comes Mary closes out the jazz weekend at VIAGE on Sunday 24 May from 2 PM to 4 PM. Frontwoman Marijke Hulsmans is no stranger to the CINNA Bar - both at previous editions of the jazz weekend and during special entertainment evenings, she has delighted our guests in style. She returns with her regular line-up - guitar, double bass, saxophone, and drums - and the same unbridled energy. The band breathes new life into forgotten gems and timeless classics from the '40s and '50s: from John Lee Hooker to Brenda Lee, from the Andrews Sisters to Doris Day. Taste the bourbon, smell the dust of Sun Studio, and let yourself be swept away on a musical trip to the era when your record player ran at full speed. Dancing is encouraged!
Put on your swingiest outfit, bring your friends, and let yourself be carried away for two evenings and a sunny afternoon of live jazz in the heart of Brussels!
