[5] Initiated in 1988 by Musikhuset and local venues, Aarhus Jazz Festival has been an annual summer event in the city since 1989.

From the beginning, the festival has featured many notable and world-renowned international jazz stars and bands such as Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, The Zawinul Syndicate, Clark Terry, Mike Stern and John Scofield – some of them several times – in a mix with more local notables such as John Tchicai, Jesper Thilo, Svend Asmussen, Ed Thigpen, Cæcilie Norby, Sinne Eeg, Marilyn Mazur, Pierre Dørge and Alex Riel.

Alternative musical styles with jazz-influences have been represented by artists such as Nitin Sawhney, Sting, Dr. John, Abdullah Ibrahim and The Roots in a mix with many local, new or unknown names.

[16][17] The 2016 festival took a deliberate focus on the women in jazz, and included international female artists like Melody Gardot, Sarah McKenzie and Lizz Wright and that years poster also featured Hiromi Uehara.

Graphic designer Finn Nygaard, himself from Aarhus and a lover of jazz music, has created many of the festival posters.