Rabih Abou-Khalil Group

The XXXIV Grand Jazz Gala “Grand Prix Jazz Melomani 2025” will take place on Friday, October 30, 2026, from 7:00 PM at the Grand Theatre in Łódź. This year’s Gala will present jazz awards, and the audience can look forward to two special musical encounters: the first part of the event with Hania Derej and her trio, and the second with Rabih Abou-Khalil, who moves freely between traditional Arabic music, European classical music and free jazz.

During the Łódź gala, Derej will present the aforementioned project together with her trio, featuring Mateusz Szewczyk (bass guitar, double bass) and Gniewomir Tomczyk (drums). The concert will also feature a Łódź guest appearance by Michał Kobojek, a jazz saxophonist associated with Łódź and multiple winner of the Mayor of Łódź Award for Best Łódź Jazzman.

Rabih Abou-Khalil will be honored at the Gala with the Marshal of the Łódź Voivodeship’s Grand Prix of Europe 2025 Award. For the occasion he will perform with his band: Mateusz Smoczyński – violin, Krzysztof Lenczowski – cello, and Jarrod Cagwin – drums. Smoczyński previously won the Artist of the Year 2024 award at the XXXIII Grand Jazz Gala “Grand Prix Jazz Melomani 2024”.

The event will be hosted by the winners of the 2024 Critic/Journalist of the Year award, presented at the XXXIII Grand Jazz Gala “Grand Prix Jazz Melomani 2024” – Agnieszka Holwek and Jerzy Szczerbakow.