DC Jazz Festival Announces DCJazzPrix® Finalists
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DCJF’s incomparable annual band competition enters its 11th year of recognizing and supporting top jazz ensemble talent
WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 28, 2026 — The DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) today announced the four bands selected as the 2026 DCJazzPrix™ Finalists, all of whom will perform Saturday, September 5, 2026 during the 11th annual DCJazzPrix Finals at Union Stage, part of the 2026 DC JazzFest. The 2026 DCJazzPrix finalists are:
AMINA SCOTT QUINTET (New Orleans, LA): Led by bassist Amina Scott, the band comprises pianist Oscar Rossignoli, trumpeter Steve Lands, tenor Saxophonist Gladney, and drummer Peter Varnado.
BOKANI DYER TRIO (Johannesburg, South Africa; New York, NY): Pianist and vocalist Bokani Dyer is joined by Timothy Norton on bass and vocals and Lumanyano Mzi on drums and vocals.
JAMES FERNANDO TRIO (Philadelphia, PA): Led by pianist James Fernando, the band includes Dan McCain on bass and Kyon Williams on drums.
LUTHER S. ALLISON & POIESIS (Secaucus, NJ): Pianist Luther S. Allison leads the group with trumpeter Brandon Woody, alto saxophonist Markus Howell, trombonist Jeffery Miller, bassist Jonathon Müir-Cotton, and drummer Joe Dyson.
DCJazzPrix is an incomparable international competition created to recognize and support top emerging jazz band talent. DCJazzPrix was launched in 2016 and has since received a rapidly growing and diverse applicant response from more than 20 countries. This year’s DCJazzPrix adjudicators considered a highly competitive pool of applicants, evaluating these gifted bands on their artistic quality and merit when selecting the finalists.
Each band will receive benefits associated with a major jazz festival performance opportunity, and the finalists will compete live during the DCJazzPrix Finals at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. Audience response will be a factor in the judges’ determination of the winner. Along with gaining significant exposure, the winning band will begin a yearlong association with the DC Jazz Festival that includes a $15,000 grand prize, customized business development and career impact services, extensive publicity, and a highly visible 2027 DC JazzFest engagement with commensurate compensation.
“We are proud to introduce and assist in the development of the next generation of jazz ensemble talent,” said DC Jazz Festival CEO Sunny Sumter. “DCJazzPrix is unique among the many jazz competitions in that it recognizes the interaction of musicians in ensemble contexts, which is at the core of jazz expression, as opposed to the typical competitions that feature soloists. The DCJazzPrix allows jazz artists to focus on band development on multiple fronts, including increased performance opportunities, and the importance of sustaining their collective output.”
For press inquiries or requests for information, contact Lydia Liebman, DCJF publicist, at lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com.
Learn more about the DC Jazz Festival and all of our programs by visiting dcjazzfest.org.
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