DC Jazz Festival Announces Initial Lineup for 2026 DC JazzFest

Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joshua Redman, Kurt Elling, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Danilo Pérez, Bill Frisell, Nate Smith and More to Headline September 2-6, 2026 Citywide Celebration

WASHINGTON, DC — February 24, 2026 — The DC Jazz Festival^® (DCJF) today announced the first wave of artists for the 2026 DC JazzFest, taking place September 2-6, 2026, across 20 venues spanning a dozen neighborhoods across Washington, DC, highlighting the city’s vibrant cultural corridors from waterfront stages to historic performance spaces.

The initial lineup brings together NEA Jazz Masters, GRAMMY Award winners, and leading voices shaping the future of the music. Headliners include NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater, saxophonist Joshua Redman, vocalist Kurt Elling, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, 2026 GRAMMY-winning drummer Nate Smith, guitarist Bill Frisell, pianist Danilo Pérez, trumpeter-composer Etienne Charles’ Creole Soul, and piano phenom Emmet Cohen.

Tickets for the 2026 DC JazzFest are on sale now at dcjazzfest.org/tickets.

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The festival will also mark major jazz centennials. The African Rhythms Alumni Quintet honors the 100th birthday of NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston, while tributes to John Coltrane and Miles Davis^, include fast-rising tenor saxman Isaiah Collier celebrating Trane, and the DMV’s own Nasar Abadey and SUPERNOVA remembering Trane & Miles. The DC JazzFest spotlight will also shine brightly on the rapidly emerging, next generation artistry of trumpeter Brandon Woody, DC’s own bassist-bandleader Ben Williams, Howard University Afro Blue alum vocalist Ekep Nkwelle, trumpet ace Kenny Rittenhouse, the kinetic pianist and Juilliard grad José André, and more.

The 2026 DC JazzFest unfolds during a historic milestone year as Washington, DC commemorates DC250 and the United States marks America250, the nation’s 250th anniversary. As America’s original musical art form, jazz offers a powerful lens through which to reflect on that 250-year story — rooted in resilience, innovation, and global exchange. DC JazzFest serves as a cultural anchor of this moment, reinforcing Washington, DC’s standing as both a civic center and an international jazz capital.

“DC JazzFest exemplifies the rich culture and international influence found in Washington, DC,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, President and CEO of Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the District. “The festival helps extend our year-long celebration of DC250, showcasing the vibrancy of our neighborhoods and our creative community to visitors from around the world.”

Pianists Emmet Cohen and Janelle Gill will serve as 2026 Artists-in-Residence, leading performances and educational initiatives throughout the year. Gill, an alum of DC’s Duke Ellington School for the Arts, reflects the festival’s ongoing investment in cultivating DC-rooted excellence.

“We are proud to present a lineup that bridges generations and continents,” said Sunny Sumter, President and CEO of DC Jazz Festival. “During DC250 and America250, jazz reminds us that America’s story is both local and global. Washington is a meeting place for the world, and through this music, we welcome that world home.”

The full schedule and additional programming will be announced later this spring.

For more information on America’s 250th celebration in Washington, DC, visit DC250.us.

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 www.dcjazzfest.org. 

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