Internationally acclaimed Trinidadian trumpeter, composer and bandleader Etienne Charles is preparing to take his distinctive brand of Caribbean-infused jazz across the globe with an ambitious 20-city world tour spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

Announced from Miami on March 9, the tour marks a significant new chapter in Charles’ already illustrious career, bringing his music to several territories for the very first time, including India, Argentina, Colombia, Tunisia and Denmark.

For more than two decades, Charles has built a reputation as one of the most innovative voices in contemporary jazz. Since releasing his debut album in 2007, he has produced eleven critically acclaimed recordings and collaborated with legendary artists such as Roberta Flack, Marcus Miller, Monty Alexander and Chucho Valdes.

A proud musical ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago, Charles has become known for weaving Caribbean history, folklore and rhythm into contemporary jazz, creating a sound that bridges cultures while remaining rooted in the musical traditions of the region.

The tour follows the release of Charles’ latest album Gullah Roots and builds on the success of his acclaimed Creole Orchestra project, which topped jazz charts and further established his reputation as a boundary-pushing composer.

Audiences across the world will experience Charles’ genre-blending approach, which combines jazz improvisation with the rhythmic DNA of the Caribbean, from calypso and Afro-Caribbean percussion traditions to Creole musical influences.

Performing with his Creole Soulband, Charles will present music from across his catalogue, offering listeners a journey through the musical landscapes that have shaped his work.

One of the most anticipated moments of the tour will be Charles’ long-awaited debut in India, where he will perform at Windmills Craftworks in Hyderabad and Bangalore in early April. The performances promise a cross-cultural dialogue between jazz and Indian musical traditions, including a special arrangement of a classic Indian song.

Later that month, Charles will make his Colombian debut at Medellín’s El Club de Jazz on April 30 in celebration of International Jazz Day, a fitting platform for an artist whose work consistently explores the global language of jazz.

Argentina will also welcome Charles for the first time when he performs at Teatro San Martín in Buenos Aires on May 26. The concert will pay tribute to jazz legend Miles Davis in celebration of the centennial of his birth – a musician Charles has frequently cited as a key influence on his artistic style and musical philosophy.

Beyond performance, Charles continues to play an important role in music education and mentorship. During the tour he will appear in Lake Tahoe both as a performer and as a trumpet instructor at the Brubeck Jazz Summit.

His commitment to nurturing emerging talent also extends to his work as Artistic Director of the Jazz Aspen Snowmass – Frost School of Music Afro-Caribbean Big Band Sessions, a full-scholarship programme dedicated to training young musicians in Caribbean musical traditions.

Another landmark moment will come in August when Charles performs at the Tabarka Jazz Festival in Tunisia, introducing North African audiences to the sounds of Caribbean jazz with his Creole Quartet.

The tour will conclude in Denmark, where Charles will collaborate with the Danish Radio Big Band for a three-concert series titled Caribbean Connection. Appearing as soloist, conductor, composer and arranger, Charles will merge Caribbean rhythmic traditions with the powerful orchestral sound of one of Europe’s leading jazz ensembles.

One of the most thought-provoking stops on the tour will take place in Boone, North Carolina, where Charles will present his multimedia project Earth Tones. Combining music, film and storytelling, the work explores the urgent global conversation around climate change – a theme particularly resonant for the Boone community following devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene.

In June, Charles will also return to the iconic Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he will premiere Folklore Vol. 2, a new suite inspired by Haitian and Mexican folklore. The performance forms part of the venue’s Mother Africa season and will also include fresh arrangements from his breakthrough 2009 album.

As the tour unfolds across continents, Charles continues to position Caribbean culture at the heart of contemporary jazz, bringing the rhythms, stories and spirit of the region to audiences worldwide.

For listeners encountering his music for the first time, whether in India, Tunisia, Colombia or Denmark, the tour offers an invitation into a musical universe where Caribbean tradition and global jazz innovation meet in powerful and unexpected ways.