Jazz
Concert Series

Grammy Award winning vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker, born into musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist/composer/bandleader, and Louis Armstrong's long-time musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist/guitarist/bassist who performed with International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams, and Sy Oliver.

World-renowned guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli has dedicated many of his albums to the great songwriters and performers who have helped to establish the Great American Songbook and the pop music canon: Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, and Duke Ellington, to name a few. With his new album, Pizzarelli and his remarkable new trio cast a wider net to explore other sources for the most immortal songs of the past century: the Broadway stage and the silver screen.

In celebration of the centennial of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, pianist Emmet Cohen brings together an all-star quintet to explore the fundamental questions that shaped their artistry: Why are we here? What are we reaching for? Where does the music take us? Guided by the spirit of the infinite, Cohen continues the journey set forth by the architects of jazz — seeking deeper truths through sound. A dedicated champion of musical community, Cohen believes in jazz as a living, evolving conversation — one that unites people across time and place. Join Cohen and his ensemble for a bold, reimagined experience of the music that forever changed the course of jazz.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis is one of the most influential and revered figures in contemporary music. The NEA Jazz Master, Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee is equally at home performing concertos with symphony orchestras and sitting in with members of the Grateful Dead, but the core of his musical universe remains the Branford Marsalis Quartet.

Honored by The National Endowment for the Arts as a 2010 Jazz Master, Kenny Barron has an unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms. The Los Angles Times named him "one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and Jazz Weekly calls him “The most lyrical piano player of our time.”

Both recognized without dispute as one of the finest jazz interpreters on his instrument, guitarist John Scofield and bassist Dave Holland join forces to present audiences with a new conversation. Performing as a duo, these longtime colleagues bring their diverse musical backgrounds and infinite talents to the stage, each contributing original compositions to the set list and putting their stamp on a selection of jazz standards as well. Those familiar with their individual artistry can expect nothing less than a unique and compelling meeting of their musical minds – virtuosity, enjoyment, and depth. 

Composer, singer, and visual artist, Cécile McLorin Salvant, is passionate about storytelling and exploring connections between vaudeville, blues, folk traditions, theater, jazz, and baroque music. An eclectic curator, unearthing rarely recorded, forgotten songs with strong narratives, power dynamics, twists, and humor. An added bonus of this show with Cecile McLorin Salvant is Grammy Award-winning pianist Sullivan Fortner. Recipient of the 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award, Fortner has garnered international praise as a leader and a fierce collaborator. He earned the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance on Samara Joy’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” and the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album alongside Cécile McLorin Salvant for her acclaimed album The Window, on which he serves as both key player and producer. Fortner also has earned GRAMMY nods for his 2023 release Solo Game and his provocative arrangement of “Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying” from Salvant’s 2022 release Ghost Song.

September 2026 marks the centennial of John Coltrane’s birth. To honor the enduring legacy of one of jazz’s most transcendent voices, the Branford Marsalis Quartet and Dianne Reeves will release a tribute album which revisits Coltrane’s seminal 1963 collaboration with Johnny Hartman (coming in the Fall of 2026 on Blue Note Records), to be followed by a worldwide tour.