By Jason Toney It hasn’t happened to me recently, but late last year, my regular Saturday morning ritual of exploring new music was often derailed by self-published, artificial sound-alikes. Most times, I sensed artifice in seconds and moved on, but occasionally, I’d tap along a while before questioning what I was hearing. In each instance, I left disappointed and deflated by AI-generated music. There’s a lot of concern about the impact of artificial intelligence on our lives today. I’ve...

by Willard Jenkins, DC JazzFest Artistic Director DC JazzFest 2026 will once again deliver a veritable cornucopia of jazz flavors and vivid colors, presenting a tantalizing bounty of the music that makes 21 st century jazz an evolving, multi-stylistic expression. As an international jazz festival, one of our primary responsibilities is to showcase an appealing and mind-expanding range of the stylistic nuances that make jazz such a broad and vibrant art form, including presenting various...

WASHINGTON, DC – March 5, 2026 – The DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) today announced the confirmation of four new Board members. Now comprising 30 leaders from across the District’s civic, artistic, and corporate communities, the DCJF Board reflects a dynamic group of stakeholders committed to strengthening DC’s cultural fabric. Together, this accomplished body will help guide the organization’s growth – further enhancing DC JazzFest as one of the city’s signature cultural events and advancing its...