On Tuesday, Jambaloo, the DFW music initiative announced the return of its two signature programs for 2027. The initiative, founded in 2025, works to strengthen the North Texas music ecosystem through festivals, awards, venue support and music coverage. The network within Jambaloo comprises of regional music, civic and cultural partners.
Jambaloo was also co-founded and is supported by the law firm, and Dallas Voice office neighbors, Mullen & Mullen Injury Law.
For 2027, the team announced its Free Week Festival will run Feb. 11-21 that brings more than 60 artists to a number of independent venues throughout the Metroplex. All performances are free. The artists, which range from indie, electronic, hip-hop, punk, Americana, soul and other genres, will be announced in December.
Jambaloo’s Music Prize is an annual competition that recognizes an outstanding independent full-length album released by a Dallas-Fort Worth artist and awards its creator $20,000, along with recording, promotional and industry support.
Last year, Denton-based band Smothered was named one of the 10 finalists for the Jambaloo Music Prize. Three of the band’s four members identify as LGBTQ+, a perspective which comes through in their latest release, Dirty Laundry.
Submissions for the 2027 Music Prize opened Sept. 22 at Jambaloo.live. The competition will finish on June 5, at the Longhorn Ballroom where the finalists will perform and the winner will be announced live.
“Dallas-Fort Worth has extraordinary artists and venues, but talent and hard work alone do not guarantee that an album will be heard or that an independent stage will remain open,” Joe Morrison, Jambaloo co-founder and Mullen & Mullen Injury Law attorney said in the press release.
He continued, “Jambaloo Festival brings audiences into the venues where music communities grow, while the Music Prize gives a local artist meaningful resources to keep creating. Together, these programs invest in the people and places that make North Texas music special.”
According to the press release, the 2026 festival drew more than 8,000 attendees across 15 venues and generated an estimated $5 million in economic impact. More than $30,000 was also raised for local arts and nonprofit partners.
This summer saw the quiet launch of the website which also serves as an online music magazine.
Further details to follow on the Jambaloo site.
–Rich Lopez