Jazz at Lincoln Center swings into Spring with a bold celebration of Mother Africa, featuring a vibrant lineup of concerts in Rose Theater, the Appel Room, and Dizzy’s Club.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, an ensemble of 15 virtuoso instrumentalists, unique soloists, composers, arrangers, and educators, will perform an unprecedented variety of styles and genres with characteristic flair and authority throughout the spring season with a series of thematic concerts that explore the profound ties between jazz, Africa, and its global diaspora.
Concerts led by Ulysses Owens Jr., Michael Olatuja, Bill Frisell, Jazzmeia Horn, Etienne Charles, Hamilton de Holanda and more fully embody Jazz at Lincoln Center’s self-mandated challenge to represent the highest aspirations of jazz.
The season also features world premieres of Jazz at Lincoln Center commissions and special centennial tributes to towering figures in jazz, Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson, paying homage to the enduring influence of Afro-American and African diasporic music across the globe.
Information about Jazz at Lincoln Center concerts can be found on jazz.org. For livestreaming information, visit: jazzlive.com.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s world-renowned Dizzy’s Club, one of the three main performance venues at Frederick P. Rose Hall, produces top-tier jazz performances nightly. Throughout the Spring season, performances include Salsa Meets Jazz, Somi Presents Mother Africa Salon, Randy Weston Centennial Celebration and much more. For the full schedule, visit jazz.org/dizzys.
MARCH
Salsa Meets Jazz
March 3, 2026
7:00 and 9:00 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
Celebrate the electrifying fusion of Latin and jazz traditions with Salsa Meets Jazz, a bimonthly series inspired by the legendary New York scene where salsa bands and jazz greats shared the stage. Curated by Carlos Henriquez and his Latin Jazz Initiative, each performance brings together top musicians from around the world for a night where rhythms ignite, cultures connect, and every note invites you to move.
NYC Flamenco Festival: Dani de Moron with Shai Maestro
March 4-5, 2026 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
Flamenco flair meets jazz freedom as Dani De Morón and Shai Maestro ignite the stage for Flamenco Festival’s 25th Anniversary. Expect sharp rhythmic drive, spontaneous improvisation, and the thrill of two powerhouse artists pushing each other in real time.
Big Band Afrobeats: Ulysses Owens Jr. and Michael Olatuja
March 6-7, 2026
Friday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday sets are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Appel Room
Backed by a full big band, drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. and British-Nigerian bassist
Michael Olatuja present a unique blend of jazz and Afrobeat rhythms in the Appel Room. With their innovative approach and high-octane energy, they’ll take guests on a thrilling musical journey from the evolution of Afrobeat to Afrobeats.
Generous support for Big Band Afrobeat is provided by Jacqueline L. Bradley and Clarence Otis.
SOMI Presents Mother Africa Salon at Dizzy’s
March 6-8, 2026
Friday and Saturday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Sunday sets are at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
Somi returns to Dizzy’s for the second installment of The Mother Africa Salon, continuing her season-long look at how African sound, story, and tradition flow through jazz. With her unmistakable voice and thoughtful, soulful presence, she creates an evening that feels both intimate and expansive. Expect original music, reimagined classics, and moments of surprise as she welcomes audiences deeper into this evolving musical journey.
Family Concert: Who is Louis Armstrong?
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
March 7, 2026 3:00 p.m.
Rose Theater
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra pays tribute to the incomparable Louis Armstrong, one of jazz’s foundational figures, in this lively family concert. Introduce your youngest listeners to “Pops” and his groundbreaking contributions to jazz with a performance that will forever change the way they think about music.
This program funded through the generosity of Mica and Ahmet Ertegun.
African Routes: Danilo Pérez & Godwin Louis
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
March 12-14, 2026 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater
Two stirring new commissions get their debut: Grammy Award-winning Panamanian pianist Danilo Pérez’s The Panáfrica Suite: Echoes from the Isthmus and saxophonist Godwin Louis’ African Roots, Diasporic Routes: Benin, Kongo, and the Music of the Americas. Joined by Grammy Award–winning vocalist Catherine Russell, acclaimed poet and cultural historian Yvette Modestin, and master percussionist Weedie Braimah on djembe, Pérez, Louis, and the JLCO treat audiences to a transatlantic voyage across the history of our music.
This concert is a part of the ARNHOLD INNOVATION SERIES.
Claudia Acuña: Latin American Standards
March 19, 2026 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
A voice of rare warmth and emotional power, Claudia Acuña brings her richly layered sound to Dizzy’s. The Latin GRAMMY–nominated vocalist, composer, and bandleader blends South American folk traditions with jazz and world music, drawing on a career shaped in Chile and refined in New York City. Whether reimagining jazz standards, interpreting beloved Latin American ballads, or infusing Afro-Caribbean rhythms with depth and nuance, Acuña captivates with her burnished bronze tone and expressive storytelling, creating a performance that feels both intimate and deeply moving.
Bill Frisell: 75th Birthday Celebration with Special Guests
March 27-28, 2026
Friday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday sets are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Appel Room
Guitar icon Bill Frisell takes over the Appel Room for a star-studded weekend that looks to the future while renewing the past. On Friday, he continues his “In My Dreams” project with longtime collaborators Jenny Scheinman, Hank Roberts, Eyvind Kang, Tony Scherr, and Rudy Royston. On Saturday, he’s joined by vocalist Petra Haden, drummer Tim Angulo, and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire.
APRIL
Randy Weston Centennial Celebration: African Rhythms Alumni Band
April 3-5, 2026
Friday and Saturday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Sunday sets are at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
April 6, 2026 marks the centennial of NEA Jazz Master Dr. Randy Weston, and this night invites you into the powerful world he created. Weston’s music connects jazz to African rhythm, history, and spirit, blending elegance, groove, and deep cultural pride into a sound that feels both intimate and expansive. From meditative melodies to driving, trance-like rhythms, his work was meant to be felt as much as heard. This centennial celebration honors a cultural warrior whose music continues to bring people together through joy, memory, and movement.
Journey Through Jazz: Overtures to Africa
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra April 10-11, 2026
Friday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday sets are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Appel Room
Overtures to Africa explores Africa’s influence on some of jazz’s greatest legends:
Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and Max Roach. Part of the Journey
Through Jazz concert series, this performance brings the JLCO to the intimate Appel Room, delving into the profound impact of African culture on jazz.
Part of the Lynne and Richard Pasculano Jazz Series, this is a pay what you choose performance.
Birth of the Blues
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
April 17-18, 2026 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater
Embark on a captivating journey through the evolution of blues, starting with W. C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues.” Led by JLCO saxophonist Sherman Irby, this concert traces the blues up the Mississippi River, showcasing its deep roots in American culture and its development into a musical genre that revolutionized the world.
Benny Green Solo Piano
April 17-19, 2026
Friday and Saturday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Sunday sets are at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
Benny Green returns to Dizzy’s Club following last year’s sold-out solo piano shows, inviting audiences into an intimate night of music in one of his favorite rooms. Moving fluidly between original compositions, pianist inspirations, and jazz standards reimagined in the moment, the set unfolds with ease and spontaneity. After more than 30 years leading his trio, Green’s recent solo work feels personal and unguarded, revealing the full range of his voice at the piano.
MAY
Oscar Peterson: A Centennial Celebration
May 8-9, 2026 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater
Piano titan Oscar Peterson looms large as one of the 20th century’s great improvisers. Over the course of his remarkable career, Peterson recorded more than 200 albums, won eight Grammy Awards, and set a new standard for jazz piano through his legendary trios with Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, and Joe Pass. This centennial celebration will feature a star-studded roster of musicians for a fitting tribute to a man who not only mastered the piano but also left an indelible mark on the world of jazz and beyond.
Gil Gutierrez Trio – Miles Y Mas
May 12-13, 2026 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club
Experience the music of Miles Davis through a bold Latin lens in an evening that blends virtuosity, rhythm, and spontaneity. Guitarist Gil Gutierrez leads Miles y Más, reimagining works from Sketches of Spain to Miles’ acoustic and electric eras through a rich mix of classical guitar, jazz, flamenco, and son cubano. Joined by his long-standing Trio with Bob Stern on violin and Dave Rodriguez on bass, Gutierrez creates a sound that feels expansive and dynamic. The night is elevated even further by special guests Cyro Baptista, whose genre-bending percussion has shaped countless iconic recordings, and trumpet master Jon Faddis, bringing his unmistakable voice and fiery energy to this one-of-a-kind celebration.
Sketches of Miles: Miles Davis at 100
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
May 14-16, 2026 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater
The JLCO and special guests commemorates the centennial of one of jazz’s most influential figures, Miles Davis. Featuring the orchestrations of one of Davis’ greatest collaborators, the endlessly inventive Gil Evans, these performances demonstrate why the innovative trumpeter’s big band work was every bit as important as his small group output.
Major support for Sketches of Miles is provided by Angela and Robert Kissane.
Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force
May 29-30, 2026
Friday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday sets are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Appel Room
Grammy Award-nominated and NAACP Image Award-winning vocalist Jazzmeia Horn returns to the Appel Room with Her Noble Force big band. Known for her bold interpretations and fearless improvisations, Horn will present her own music—as well as works from female composers who’ve inspired her—in front of the Manhattan skyline.
JUNE
Etienne Charles: Folklore LIVE Vol. 2
June 5-6, 2026
Friday night sets are at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday sets are at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Appel Room
Trumpeter Etienne Charles, known for his innovative stagings of Caribbean lore, returns to the Appel Room to present Folklore LIVE Vol. 2. Charles unveils new musical stories rooted in various elements of the African diaspora connecting the African diaspora— including, but not limited to, low country Gullah-Geechee rituals, Haitian Vodou, AfroMexican Son Jarocho, and Garifuna rhythms—blending big band textures with dancers, masquerade, and spoken word.
Sounds of Brazil with Hamilton de Holanda
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
June 12-13, 2026 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater
Bandolin virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda joins the JLCO with Wynton Marsalis for a vibrant celebration of Brazilian jazz in Rose Theater. The program brings the iconic music of Moacir Santos, the pioneering composer who helped shape Brazil’s modern sound, to life alongside Holanda’s own electrifying new works.
Kingfish’s Blues Jam with Special Guest Shemekia Copeland
June 18-20, 2026 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater
Back by popular demand, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram returns to Rose Theater to headline Blues Jam, an electrifying night of soul and sound featuring powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland and more, all coming together to celebrate the timeless power of the blues with a bold, modern twist.
Ticket Information
Ticket prices for Rose Theater are $30 and up dependent upon seating section, except as noted below: Jazz for Young People® tickets in Rose Theater are $10, $20, and $25.
Ticket prices for The Appel Room are $55 and up, dependent on seating section for the 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. sets, and $45 and up, depending upon seating section for the 9:00 p.m. set on Saturday.
Ticket prices for Dizzy’s Club start at $30, depending on the seating section and the day of the week the performance takes place.
Please note that a $5.00 Jazz at Lincoln Center Facility Fee applies to ALL ticket purchases, with the exception of $10 Hot Seats. A $7 handling fee also applies when purchasing tickets from CenterCharge or when purchasing tickets online via jazz.org.
All single tickets for The Appel Room and Rose Theater can be purchased through jazz.org 24 hours a day or through CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, Ground Floor.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office hours are:
Tuesday-Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Monday: Closed
About Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 38th season, Mother Africa, delves into the creative spirit that unites African and American musical traditions, and runs through June 20, 2026. The organization’s 2025-26 season includes 19 unique weekends of Jazz at Lincoln Center concerts in the 1233-seat Rose Theater, nine concerts in the 467-seat Appel Room, and more than 350 nights of music at Dizzy’s Club, in addition to webcast performances and in-person and virtual education programs. The 2025-26 season also features tour dates worldwide by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, an ensemble of 15 virtuoso instrumentalists, unique soloists, composers, arrangers, and educators whose mandate is to coalesce and animate an unprecedented variety of styles and genres, in collaboration with noted guest artists and appearances by major figures in jazz and its related genres.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its 2025-26 season partners: Bloomberg Philanthropies, United Airlines, and Hive & Colony
Leadership support for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s concert season is provided by Lynne and Richard Pasculano.
A very special thanks to Jody and John Arnhold for their extraordinary support of Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
We proudly recognize leadership support from Dalio Philanthropies; Joseph DiMenna; Ford Foundation; Angela and Robert Kissane; Mellody Hobson and George Lucas; Michele and Mark Mandel; and the Zou Family Fund.
Major support is provided by the Abrams Foundation; Charina Endowment Fund;
Howard Gilman Foundation, Inc.; Manitou Fund; the Ambrose Monell Foundation; the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Lisa and David Schiff; Seedlings Foundation; and an Anonymous donor.
Generous support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.