DC Jazz Festival Announces 2026 Artist In Residence

Emmet Cohen and Janelle Gill to Lead Year-Long Performances, Education, and Community Engagement Across Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) proudly announces internationally acclaimed pianist and bandleader Emmet Cohen, and distinctive DMV pianist, composer, and educator Janelle Gill as the Festival’s 2026 Artists-in-Residence. The dual residency brings together two generations of jazz innovators for a year of performances, master classes, creative collaborations, and community programs throughout the nation’s capital.

“The DC Jazz Festival has built something rare—a residency that truly serves the broad music community and the jazz audience. Emmet Cohen and Janelle Gill bring imagination, discipline, and spirit to that mission. I’m pleased to stand (and sit) with them as the Festival looks toward its next horizon,” said Ron Carter, NEA Jazz Master and DC Jazz Festival Board Member.

The DCJF Artist-in-Residence Program is a signature initiative of DC Jazz Festival Education, designed to deepen connections between artists, students, and audiences while celebrating jazz as a living, evolving art form.  “It’s a true honor to serve as Artist-in-Residence with the DC Jazz Festival and to keep creating music that brings people together in this extraordinary community,” said Emmet Cohen.

Cohen and Gill will serve as Festival ambassadors and guest curators, leading educational workshops, artist talks, and neighborhood engagements that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Washington, D.C.’s jazz ecosystem.  The residency unfolds as Washington, DC and the nation mark DC250 and America250, highlighting jazz as a living expression of American creativity, dialogue, and community in the nation’s ongoing story.

About the Artists

Emmet Cohen is recognized as one of the most dynamic artists of his generation. A native of Montclair, NJ, he began piano at age three and later trained at the University of Miami Frost School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. Cohen has performed with legends including Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Tootie Heath, and Ron Carter, and leads the celebrated Masters Legacy Series, honoring jazz elders through intergenerational collaboration. His acclaimed digital concert platform, “Live From Emmet’s Place,” has reached tens of millions of viewers worldwide and redefined online jazz performance.

Janelle Gill, a cornerstone of the DC-area jazz community, is celebrated for her lyrical touch and wide stylistic range. Introduced to jazz by NEA Jazz Master Delfeayo Marsalis, Gill studied at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Howard University. She has performed with Oliver Lake, The Blackbyrds, David Murray, and many leading DMV artists, and appears on recordings with Kenny Rittenhouse, Kris Funn, Mauro Marcondes, and others. Her artistry reflects deep roots in the District alongside a forward-looking creative vision.

For any press inquiries, please contact Lydia Liebman, DCJF publicist, at lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com.

Learn more about the DC Jazz Festival and all of our programs by visiting www.dcjazzfest.org.