DC JazzFest Announces Nate Smith, NEA Jazz Masters Donald Harrison and Amina Claudine Myers, and Expanded Global and DMV Lineup
- May 6
- 4 min read
Labor Day Weekend festival brings jazz legends, rising stars, and hometown talent
to Washington, DC, September 2–6, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC — The DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) today announced major additions to the 2026 DC JazzFest lineup: GRAMMY-winning drummer Nate Smith, NEA Jazz Masters Donald Harrison and Amina Claudine Myers, and a dynamic slate of DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) artists joining a powerhouse roster that includes Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joshua Redman, Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets, Bill Frisell, Danilo Pérez, Etienne Charles’ Creole Soul, Artists-in-Residence Emmet Cohen and Janelle Gill, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Lisa Fischer, Orrin Evans, Michele Rosewoman, and many more.
Taking place September 2–6, 2026, over Labor Day weekend, DC JazzFest will present world-renowned masters, emerging innovators, global voices, and hometown artists across multiple venues citywide, including its signature waterfront stages at The Wharf.
Tickets are available now at dcjazzfest.org.
“This is jazz at its fullest expression—legendary artists, bold new voices, and the unmistakable sound of our city. With NEA Jazz Masters, global artists, and the depth of DMV talent, DC JazzFest ’26 captures the energy of where jazz has been and where it’s going. Washington, DC is a global jazz capital, and this festival is where that story comes to life,” said Sunny Sumter, President and CEO of the DC Jazz Festival.
Saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison will join the Chuck Brown Band as a special guest for a high-energy, festival-closing performance. Artist-in-Residence Emmet Cohen will bring several of his signature projects including Miles and Trane at 100 featuring Tivon Pennicott, Jeremy Pelt, Yasushi Nakamura, and Joe Farnsworth. NEA Jazz Master Amina Claudine Myers will appear as a special guest soloist in a program curated by 2026 Artist-in-Residence Janelle Gill and inspired by the cross-generational artistic lineage of Mary Lou Williams and Geri Allen. The NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship is the nation’s highest honor in jazz.
GRAMMY-winning drummer Nate Smith joins the lineup following his recent appointment as Artistic Director of the storied Newport Jazz Festival. DC JazzFest will also present B-3 Summit Vol. 2 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, home of the long-running “Jazz Night in DC,” featuring Charles Covington, Mike LeDonne, Lenny Robinson, and Dave Manley in a celebration of the Hammond B-3 organ tradition.
“The 22nd edition of the DC JazzFest will present a broad palette of 21st-century jazz, from master-level artists to emerging voices across multiple indoor and outdoor stages,” said Artistic Director Willard Jenkins. “Audiences will experience the depth of jazz tradition alongside the artists shaping what comes next.”
DC JazzFest at The Wharf will feature a dynamic lineup of jazz legends, rising stars, and boundary-pushing artists, including NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joshua Redman, Kurt Elling Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets Celebrate Weather Report, Bill Frisell, Danilo Pérez , Etienne Charles & Creole Soul, Isaiah Collier (John Coltrane centennial tribute), Nasar Abadey & SUPERNOVA (Miles Davis tribute), the African Rhythms Alumni Quintet (honoring Randy Weston), Ben Williams, Brandon Woody, Artist-in-Residence Emmet Cohen, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Ekep Nkwelle, Orrin Evans with Lisa Fischer, JazzDC® All-Stars directed by Paul Carr, ASCAP winner Hannah Marks, Next Jazz Legacy, and more. The festival will also feature pianist and composer Michele Rosewoman, a 2025 Jazz Legacies Fellow, bringing her acclaimed Quintessence ensemble back in a renewed form, with original member Greg Osby along with new collaborators.
The 2026 lineup deepens its regional roots with newly added DMV artists including Alfred Yun, Charles Rahmat Woods, Felix Contreras, José André, Dan Murray, Shacara Rogers, Luke Stewart’s Silt Trio, Fran Vielma, 2025 DC JazzPrix winner José Luiz Martins, Kenny Rittenhouse, and Son Cubano Subterraneo.
Continuing its commitment to jazz as a global language, DCJF will welcome international artists through its embassy partnerships, including flutist Elsa Nilsson of Sweden, Pureum Jin of South Korea, vocalist Laura Anglade of France, and additional artists to be announced in partnership with the European Union.
DC JazzFest’s marquee weekend unfolds across six stages at The Wharf, Washington’s premier waterfront destination, and nearby Arena Stage. The Wharf offers riverfront views, restaurants, shops, hotels, and convenient access via Metro, roadway, and water taxi.
For more information, full lineup announcements, and tickets, visit dcjazzfest.org
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About DC Jazz Festival: Since 2004, DC Jazz Festival has provided enriching and entertaining jazz performances and programs that introduce students and adults from all walks of life to jazz. DCJF presents a selection of the jazz genre’s most acclaimed artists as well as emerging artists and provides enhanced exposure for the rich treasure trove of musicians from the Washington, DC area. Throughout the year, DCJF nourishes the community with affordably-priced music education programs that extend outreach into underserved communities and enhance the quality of life for DC public and charter school students. For more information about DCJF and its year-round programs, visit, dcjazzfest.org. The 2026 DC JazzFest will take place citywide, September 2-6. dcjazzfest.org
DCJF Media Contact:
Lydia Liebman, DCJF Publicist
lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com, 570.730.5297
DCJF Contacts:
Sunny Sumter, Executive Producer
Josh Brown, Marketing and Communications Associate
Keep up with DCJF:
· Twitter: @dcjazzfest
· Facebook: facebook.com/dcjazzfest
· Instagram: @dcjazzfest
· LinkedIn: DC Jazz Festival
· Everything Else: linktr.ee/dcjazzfest