James Taylor, Van Morrison, Sting, Deep Purple set for 2026 Montreux Jazz Festival

Music News Group3 hours ago

50 1 minute read

James Taylor at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Disney/Eric McCandless)

James Taylor, Van Morrison, Sting and Deep Purple are among the artists booked to play the 2026 Montreux Jazz Festival, taking place in Montreux, Switzerland, July 3-18.

All four artists are booked to play the festival’s Auditorium Stravinski, with Sting performing on July 4, Deep Purple confirmed for July 13, and Taylor and Morrison set for July 18.

Deep Purple, of course, has quite a connection to Montreux. The band’s iconic tune “Smoke on the Water” was inspired by the 1971 fire that burned down the Montreux Casino; the title’s a reference to smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva. They last played the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2024.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday at noon local time.

This year marks the 60th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival. The festival is returning after a two-year hiatus.

A complete lineup and more ticket information can be found at MontreuxJazzFestival.com.