Name: Marathon Winter Jazzfest 2027
Start: 2027-01-12T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2027-01-12T20:00:00-04:00
Location: Winter Jazzfest

Pique-nique, Boom Collective, and the Center for the Study of Social Difference (CSSD) present a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Stevie Wonder's “Songs in the Key of Life,” reinterpreted by singer, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Elliott Skinner. Part of Pique-nique’s Take Two deep-listening series, the evening begins with a playback of the original record, followed by a live reimagining from Skinner. Elliott Skinner has spent years working alongside acclaimed artists including Chaka Khan, Jon Batiste, Leon Bridges, and Samora Pinderhughes. Now he's stepping out on his own, having recently signed to Ninja Tune. With an ethereal approach to folk and soul music that carries the spirit of Black artists of the 70s like Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye, Skinner uses music as a way to both comfort and hold listeners accountable. That same tradition runs through Stevie Wonder's iconic “Songs in the Key of Life,” making Skinner a fitting voice to reinterpret the album for its 50th anniversary. The concert follows a day-long symposium, organized by CSSD at The People's Forum, on Wonder's genre-breaking album and its incisive insights into Black life and living in the wake of civil rights and decolonial movements across the African world. Together, the symposium and concert launch a yearlong event series by CSSD for 2026–2027 under the theme “Renaissance." Responding to the U.S. semiquincentennial, the series offers a counternarrative to officially sanctioned accounts of the past by focusing on works with alternative anniversaries that illuminate the conditions and experiences of minoritized communities. Released in 1976, “Songs in the Key of Life” is itself one such work; an album that confronted racism, inequality, and injustice even as the country celebrated its bicentennial, making it a natural touchstone for the series' first gathering. Learn more about the symposium at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bit.ly/3SYpJxl">https://bit.ly/3SYpJxl</a>. Stevie Wonder is not performing at or otherwise affiliated with this event.

Take Two: Elliott Skinner x Songs in the Key of Life

Tickets are non-transferable, and non-refundable. For general ticket questions please refer to the FAQ page&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/faq">HERE</a>. Please check out the Winter Jazzfest website for Festival Updates, and follow @NYCWJF on Instagram.&nbsp; If you purchased a full festival pass you will have access to all festival events; and we will contact you directly arrange for your credentials hand-off.&nbsp; Marathon Pick Up Instructions:&nbsp; Arrive at ANY participating venue to pick up your pass. Be prepared to show your ID and ticket confirmation email.&nbsp; Marathon Venues:&nbsp; January 15, 2027:&nbsp;Manhattan Marathon Le Poisson Rouge&nbsp; City Winery&nbsp; City Winery Loft&nbsp; DROM&nbsp; Zinc Bar&nbsp; The Bitter End Close Up Nublu&nbsp;Plus Venue TBA January 10, 2027:&nbsp;Brooklyn Marathon&nbsp; The Ballroom Brooklyn Bowl&nbsp; Superior Ingredients&nbsp; Baby’s All Right&nbsp; Williamsburg Music Center Loove AnnexPlus&nbsp;Venue TBA Special Offers:&nbsp; With your Winter Jazzfest Marathon Pass purchase you receive an exclusive&nbsp;5% discount&nbsp;on all 2027 Winter Jazzfest merch items using the code&nbsp;JAZZPRIDE&nbsp;during check out&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/merch">at the STORE </a>Qobuz&nbsp;is the official music streaming service of the 2027 NYC Winter Jazzfest, please enjoy this special&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://try.qobuz.com/wjf-2026/?utm_source=partner&amp;utm_medium=event&amp;utm_campaign=wjf&amp;utm_term=2026&amp;qbzs=partner&amp;qbzc=wjf">FREE 60 DAY TRIAL OFFER </a>Hotel Deal -&nbsp;For your Hotel needs, please consider&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/hotel">Booking a discounted room at THE MOXY </a>Marathon Nights Pro Tips:&nbsp; For each of the Marathon nights we cannot guarantee you entry into any one particular venue or seating once you are inside, so if you hope to see a specific set, we recommend you plan your night accordingly and&nbsp;arrive early. Our venues vary in size and seating is limited. If you find yourself in an especially long line, we encourage you to consider hopping over to a nearby venue where there is available space. (We will provide you with an online capacity tracker to see which venues have space.) Discovering new music is one of the best parts of the NYC Winter Jazzfest Marathon experience, and we can guarantee that if you journey with open ears, you will enjoy wherever you end up.&nbsp; 2027 JAZZ TALKS Series In partnership with 651 Arts, we are pleased to invite you to our Free series of Jazz Talks on January 16 and 17, more details&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/2026-jazz-talks">HERE</a>.Diversity &amp; Inclusivity&nbsp; From its roots in the Black American communities of New Orleans, jazz has always celebrated and incorporated a diverse group of voices and traditions. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, we seek to honor these roots by showcasing musicians of all backgrounds — across race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, bodily ability, and more — as well as all disciplines under the broad umbrella that we call “jazz.” Our audience is similarly diverse, boasting devotees and dabblers, local and international music lovers, industry professionals and those who just love to listen. We believe our diversity is our strength.&nbsp;Accessibility NYC Winter Jazzfest works to share our musical offerings in venues that are accessible for those with assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, and other sorts of accessibility needs. This goal is constantly in progress as we strive to partner with accessible venues across the city.&nbsp;Feel-Good Space for All NYC Winter Jazzfest is designed to be a feel-good space — a place to convene and take pleasure in each other’s company and the music we all love. To achieve this end, we count on the behavior and attitudes of all who take part in the event, from performers and patrons to venue staffers and festival employees. We seek to develop a Safer Space, one in which all people feel valued and respected. As such, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. We uphold the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their various identities, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, culture, immigration status, economic background, or religious beliefs. We ask that you join us in supporting the safety and wellness of all NYC Winter Jazzfest performers, staff, and audience members, so we all can do what we do best — enjoy the music.&nbsp; Please consider supporting the Winter Jazzfest Fund&nbsp; As the cost of presenting live music rises and arts funding declines, our responsibility to care for our artists and community grows. W have partnered with Music’s Promise as our fiscal sponsor, making your contribution fully tax-deductible. You will directly support the Winter Jazzfest Fund, allowing for: • Higher artist fees. • Improved conditions for artists and our audience. • Long-term financial sustainability for the festival and its staff.&nbsp; Please Donate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/fund">HERE</a>.&nbsp; For any other questions that are not answered at our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/faq">FAQ</a>&nbsp;page, please reach out to us at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:info@winterjazzfest.com">info@winterjazzfest.com</a>Stay tuned, more to come!&nbsp;Grateful for your support,WJF Team

Marathon Winter Jazzfest 2027

Meshell Ndegeocello is the quintessential Winter Jazzfest artist—restlessly collaborative, multi-disciplinary, and fiercely dedicated to chronicling the experiences of Black Americans through song. Across projects that braid soul, jazz, and spoken word, her work radiates the creative impulse to bring joy, pain, birth, death and all life’s events in words and music—always unflinching, and deeply grooving.&nbsp;Justin Hicks&nbsp;is a multidisciplinary artist and performer who uses music and sound to investigate identity and value. As a composer and performer, his work has been featured at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Performance Space New York, The Public Theater, The Whitney Museum of American among many others.Praised by The New York Times, The New Yorker, NPR, and more,&nbsp;NYC Winter Jazzfest&nbsp;is a gathering point for artists, cultural workers, longtime listeners, and those just finding their way in.Don’t miss this chance to experience these true artists and the spirit of Winter Jazzfest at Pioneer Works!

An Evening with Meshell Ndegeocello with Justin Hicks [Tickets Available At The Door]

Internationally renowned broadcaster, DJ label owner, festival curator and record collector, Gilles Peterson has played a pivotal role in supporting and promoting underground music globally over the past four decades. Please join us for a unique evening where Gilles enters into a conversation with his records. Accompanied by a series of special guests, he will join the musical dots, playing and chatting about his favorite sounds past, present and future - think of it as a live radio show you can see.

Gilles Peterson presents Liner Notes:  An Evening of Music, Stories, and More. Presented by NYC Winter Jazzfest, Giant Step and Worldwide FM. 

Thank you for purchasing tickets for the 2026 NYC Winter Jazzfest! Please find details below regarding your order, and additional festival information below. Your ticket is non-transferable, and non-refundable. For general ticket questions please refer to the FAQ page <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/faq">HERE</a>. Please check out the Winter Jazzfest Shows Page for Festival Updates, and follow @NYCWJF on Instagram.   Offers: With your Winter Jazzfest ticket purchase you receive an exclusive 5% discount on all 2026 Winter Jazzfest merch items using the code JAZZPRIDE during check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/merch">at the STORE </a>Qobuz is the official music streaming service of the 2026 NYC Winter Jazzfest, please enjoy this special <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://try.qobuz.com/wjf-2026/?utm_source=partner&amp;utm_medium=event&amp;utm_campaign=wjf&amp;utm_term=2026&amp;qbzs=partner&amp;qbzc=wjf">FREE 60 DAY TRIAL OFFER </a>Hotel Deal - For your Hotel needs, please consider <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/hotel">Booking a discounted room at THE MOXY </a>2026 JAZZ TALKS Series In partnership with 651 Arts, we are pleased to invite you to our Free series of Jazz Talks on January 10 and 11, more details <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/2026-jazz-talks">HERE</a>.   Diversity &amp; Inclusivity From its roots in the Black American communities of New Orleans, jazz has always celebrated and incorporated a diverse group of voices and traditions. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, we seek to honor these roots by showcasing musicians of all backgrounds — across race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, bodily ability, and more — as well as all disciplines under the broad umbrella that we call “jazz.” Our audience is similarly diverse, boasting devotees and dabblers, local and international music lovers, industry professionals and those who just love to listen. We believe our diversity is our strength.  Accessibility NYC Winter Jazzfest works to share our musical offerings in venues that are accessible for those with assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, and other sorts of accessibility needs. This goal is constantly in progress as we strive to partner with accessible venues across the city. Feel-Good Space for All NYC Winter Jazzfest is designed to be a feel-good space — a place to convene and take pleasure in each other’s company and the music we all love. To achieve this end, we count on the behavior and attitudes of all who take part in the event, from performers and patrons to venue staffers and festival employees. We seek to develop a Safer Space, one in which all people feel valued and respected. As such, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. We uphold the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their various identities, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, culture, immigration status, economic background, or religious beliefs. We ask that you join us in supporting the safety and wellness of all NYC Winter Jazzfest performers, staff, and audience members, so we all can do what we do best — enjoy the music. Please consider supporting the Winter Jazzfest Fund As the cost of presenting live music rises and arts funding declines, our responsibility to care for our artists and community grows. W have partnered with Music’s Promise as our fiscal sponsor, making your contribution fully tax-deductible. You will directly support the Winter Jazzfest Fund, allowing for: • Higher artist fees. • Improved conditions for artists and our audience. • Long-term financial sustainability for the festival and its staff. Please Donate <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/fund">HERE</a>. For any other questions that are not answered at our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/faq">FAQ</a> page, please reach out to us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:info@winterjazzfest.com">info@winterjazzfest.com</a>Stay tuned, more to come! Grateful for your support,WJF Team

WJF Presents: Isaiah Collier, Made Kuti, BIG YUKI, Milena Casado

Thank you for purchasing tickets for the 2026 NYC Winter Jazzfest! Please find details below regarding your order, and additional festival information below. Your ticket is non-transferable, and non-refundable. For general ticket questions please refer to the FAQ page <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/faq">HERE</a>. Please check out the Winter Jazzfest Shows Page for Festival Updates, and follow @NYCWJF on Instagram.   Offers: With your Winter Jazzfest ticket purchase you receive an exclusive 5% discount on all 2026 Winter Jazzfest merch items using the code JAZZPRIDE during check out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/merch">at the STORE </a>Qobuz is the official music streaming service of the 2026 NYC Winter Jazzfest, please enjoy this special <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://try.qobuz.com/wjf-2026/?utm_source=partner&amp;utm_medium=event&amp;utm_campaign=wjf&amp;utm_term=2026&amp;qbzs=partner&amp;qbzc=wjf">FREE 60 DAY TRIAL OFFER </a>Hotel Deal - For your Hotel needs, please consider <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/hotel">Booking a discounted room at THE MOXY </a>2026 JAZZ TALKS Series In partnership with 651 Arts, we are pleased to invite you to our Free series of Jazz Talks on January 10 and 11, more details <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/2026-jazz-talks">HERE</a>.   Diversity &amp; Inclusivity From its roots in the Black American communities of New Orleans, jazz has always celebrated and incorporated a diverse group of voices and traditions. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, we seek to honor these roots by showcasing musicians of all backgrounds — across race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, bodily ability, and more — as well as all disciplines under the broad umbrella that we call “jazz.” Our audience is similarly diverse, boasting devotees and dabblers, local and international music lovers, industry professionals and those who just love to listen. We believe our diversity is our strength. Accessibility NYC Winter Jazzfest works to share our musical offerings in venues that are accessible for those with assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, and other sorts of accessibility needs. This goal is constantly in progress as we strive to partner with accessible venues across the city. Feel-Good Space for All NYC Winter Jazzfest is designed to be a feel-good space — a place to convene and take pleasure in each other’s company and the music we all love. To achieve this end, we count on the behavior and attitudes of all who take part in the event, from performers and patrons to venue staffers and festival employees. We seek to develop a Safer Space, one in which all people feel valued and respected. As such, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. We uphold the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their various identities, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, culture, immigration status, economic background, or religious beliefs. We ask that you join us in supporting the safety and wellness of all NYC Winter Jazzfest performers, staff, and audience members, so we all can do what we do best — enjoy the music. Please consider supporting the Winter Jazzfest Fund As the cost of presenting live music rises and arts funding declines, our responsibility to care for our artists and community grows. W have partnered with Music’s Promise as our fiscal sponsor, making your contribution fully tax-deductible. You will directly support the Winter Jazzfest Fund, allowing for: • Higher artist fees. • Improved conditions for artists and our audience. • Long-term financial sustainability for the festival and its staff. Please Donate <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/fund">HERE</a>. For any other questions that are not answered at our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/faq">FAQ</a> page, please reach out to us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:info@winterjazzfest.com">info@winterjazzfest.com</a>Stay tuned, more to come! Grateful for your support,WJF Team

WJF Presents: Melvin Gibbs, Cochemea, MAE.SUN, Ruly Herrera, Next Jazz Legacy  

WJF Presents: William Parker Pocket Watch Orchestra, Tomoki Sanders

Brazil Music Club with Hamilton de Holanda, Flávio Silva, Jamile & Vinicius Gomes

<h4>On January 9, 2026, Winter Jazzfest’s legendary Manhattan Marathon once again transforms Lower Manhattan into a living map of sound, with music coursing through LPR, City Winery, City Winery Loft, Nublu, DROM, The Bitter End, and Zinc Bar.&nbsp; Audiences will be able to wander between venues and encounter strikingly different musical worlds that nevertheless speak to one another in surprising ways.</h4>

Marathon Winter Jazzfest 2026

For this Take Two, ganavya chose the album ‘Les Filles de Illighadad’, by Les Filles de Illighadad, released on Sahel Sounds in 2016. The album was recorded informally, including village songs but with a guitar and calabash: Fatou Seidi Ghali is the first woman to play Tuareg-style guitar, and there’s a meditative nature to the album without losing the playfulness that the sense of village has. In ganavya’s performance inspired by the album, she takes traditional pilgrimage songs— songs from her desert lands— and performs it alongside guitar and simple percussion, the same way that Ghali does. How is this jazz? you might ask: if jazz is the sound of freedom, of creating new forms to match the new worlds, the sound of innovation, these two fit the bill.

Take Two: ganavya reimagines ‘Les Filles de Illighadad’

Our artist-in-residence this year, drummer, beatmaker and exploratory mixtape artist Makaya McCraven, will perform in at least four different configurations over the course of the festival. A prolific drummer, composer and producer, McCraven has been aptly called a “cultural synthesizer,” with a unique gift for collapsing space, destroying borders and blending past, present and future into poly-textural arrangements of post-genre, jazz-rooted 21st-century folk music. According to The New York Times, “McCraven has quietly become one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality.”

Makaya McCraven celebrates 10 years of In The Moment, hosted by Gilles Peterson (DJ Set to follow)

<h1>Early Show - Doors @ 6:00 PM / Show @ 7:00 PM</h1><h1>Late Show - Doors @ 9:00 PM / Show @ 9:30 PM</h1>Due to reasons beyond our control, this concert has moved from The Town Hall to Le Poisson Rouge (the site of the historic Village Gate, where much of the music from the Strata-East catalog was originally performed).If your ticket was purchased through Winter Jazzfest’s ticketing system, VenuePilot, we are able to reassign it at no cost you. You should have received communication from us on 12/12/24. If you feel you have not heard from us, please email <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:info@winterjazzfest.com">info@winterjazzfest.com</a> If your ticket was purchased through Town Hall’s ticketing system, Ticket Master, we have notified you about the refund, and your ticket will be refunded by Ticket Master within 24 hours of receiving your refund email. If you have yet to purchase tickets, this event will be going back on sale Monday 12/16 @ 10am through Le Poisson Rouge.Table seating for all seated shows is reserved exclusively for ticket holders who purchase “Table Seating” tickets. By purchasing a “Table Seating” ticket you agree to also purchase a minimum of two food and/or beverage items per person. Table seating is first come, first seated. Please arrive early for the best choice of available seats. Seating begins when doors open. Tables are communal so you may be seated with other patrons. We do not take table reservations. All ticket sales are final. No refunds or credits.*

Strata-East Rising

Recorded in December of 1964 at Rudy Van Gelder’s New Jersey studio with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones, John Coltrane’s seminal album A Love Supreme was released in February 1965 on Impulse! From blues-toned meditations to powerful musical intensity, Coltrane’s devotional four-part masterpiece commands transcendental spiritual awakening. Marking the album’s 60th anniversary and its continued impact will be acclaimed tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and his group, followed by a round-robin set of guest improvisers&nbsp; to be announced.

IMPRESSIONS: Improvisatory Interpretations on “A Love Supreme” with Ravi Coltrane & Guests

Joel Harrison and Alternative Guitar Summit Present: The Cutting Edge of Guitar: Collaboration, Creation and Exploration The Alternative Guitar Summit is the world’s leading platform advocating for new music on guitar. In this showcase, we present some of the most important present and future voices on the instrument: established figures Joel Harrison (producer/founder), Gilad Hekselman and Anthony Pirog as well as new emerging greats Emmanuel Michael, Dida Pelled and Pedro Martins. Joining them are Rudy Royston (drums) and Jerome Harris (bass). There will be individual as well as collaborative performances in this singular event on Sunday, January 12, 7pm at Nublu.

Alternative Guitar Summit Showcase w/ Anthony Pirog, Dida Pelled, Gilad Hekselman, Joel Harrison, Pedro Martins, Emmanuel Michael

11+ events, 21 venues, 100+ bands<ul><li>General admission access to all 2025 NYCWJF shows Jan 8 - 15:<ul><li>Jan 9 - LPR (NYC): Opening Night featuring aja monet, Fay Victor and Sophye Soliveau</li><li>Jan 9 - Nublu (NYC): Candid Records Showcase w/ Terri Lyne Carrington and more</li><li>Jan 9 - Nublu&nbsp;(NYC): Makaya McCraven, Ben Lamar Gay, Theon Cross</li><li>Jan 10 - Manhattan Marathon (NYC)</li><li>Jan 11- Brooklyn Marathon (BKLYN)</li><li>Jan 12 - Nublu (NYC): Alternative Guitar Summit w/ Joel Harrison, Anthony Pirog, Gilad Hekselman, Dida Pelled and more</li><li>Jan 12 - Roulette (BKLYN): Interpretations on "A Love Supreme” with Ravi Coltrane</li><li>Jan 12 - Xanadu (BKLYN): Gilles Peterson’s Jazz Dance Session&nbsp;</li><li>Jan 14 - Public Records (BKLYN): Makaya McCraven’s “In The Moment"</li><li>Jan 15 - Roulette (BKLYN): Take 2 with ganavya performing "Les Filles de Illighadad" &nbsp;</li><li>Additional Shows TBA&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>BEST AVAILABLE RESERVED SEAT in the Center Balcony for:<ul><li>Jan 13 - Town Hall&nbsp;(NYC): Strata East Rising w/ Charles Tolliver, Christian McBride, Endea Owens, Keyon Harrold, and more</li></ul></li><li>Special promotions TBA</li></ul>

ALL EVENT PASS Manhattan / Brooklyn Marathon: 2025 NYC Winter Jazzfest

Early Bird Marathon Tickets Go On Sale on Monday, October 7All other ticket types go on sale on Thursday, October 10th<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/">NYC Winter Jazzfest</a>Manhattan Marathon Friday January 10, 2025Brooklyn Marathon Saturday January 11, 2025The Winter Jazzfest signature two-night, multi venue experience allows you access to over 40 different groups playing from early evening through late at night. Whether you join for Friday at&nbsp; Manhattan venues, Saturday at Brooklyn venues, or both nights, we guarantee you will discover something new.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1727198405421&amp;key=CORP&amp;guestreslink2=true">Book your guest room for Winter Jazzfest 2025</a>

Manhattan / Brooklyn Marathon: 2025 NYC Winter Jazzfest

Our artist-in-residence this year, drummer, beatmaker and exploratory mixtape artist Makaya McCraven, will perform in at least four different configurations over the course of the festival. A prolific drummer, composer and producer, McCraven has been aptly called a “cultural synthesizer,” with a unique gift for collapsing space, destroying borders and blending past, present and future into poly-textural arrangements of post-genre, jazz-rooted 21st-century folk music. According to The New York Times, “McCraven has quietly become one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality.”

Makaya McCraven

aja monet is a Grammy-nominated Surrealist Blues Poet. She follows in the long legacy of poets assembling in social movements. Her poems are a work of gravity. At any given time you’ll hear the revolutionary spirit of Audre Lorde and the Last Poets, the feel of June Jordan, Amiri Baraka, Jayne Cortez and even the expressive ephemerality of a passing blue note. Organizing and activism manifest as part of her process toward liberation, with the poems, the music, and the art serving as a scribe of the time. Her first full collection of poems entitled, my mother was a freedom fighter is a testament to all mothers, women, and girls who struggle to live, love, and move freely in the world. Her debut poetry album, when the poems do what they do was nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. She explores migration, spirituality, and femininity while centering Black resistance, love and the inexhaustible quest for joy. The songs throughout are insistent and unrelenting, with some reminiscent of jazz club virtuosity and melee while others act as a healing balm in gilead, moving like that of the call to intercessory prayer. Tonight aja monet performs with Mariah Davenport, Malcolm Javier Santiago, Justin Brown, Logan Richardson, and Benjamin Williams. Singer-soundartist-lyricist-bandleader Fay Victor performs Herbie Nichols SUNG — a loving celebration of jazz composer Herbie Nichols' rich legacy &amp; powerful work. Victor's innovative arrangements are brought to vibrant life by a gifted quintet of veteran jazz artists Michaël Attias, Anthony Coleman, Ratzo Harris, and Tom Rainey.&nbsp; Sophye Soliveau is a singer, harpist, and choir conductor with a deep-rooted passion for African-American music, spanning R&amp;B, soul, and gospel. Her classical training shapes a unique sound where creative improvisation meets a pursuit of healing and freedom.

Aja Monet, Fay Victor's Herbie Nichols SUNG, Sophye Soliveau

<a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1727198405421&amp;key=CORP&amp;guestreslink2=true" target="_blank">Book your guest room for Winter Jazzfest 2025</a>With your Winter Jazzfest ticket purchase you receive an exclusive 5% discount on all 2025 Winter Jazzfest merch items using the code JAZZPRIDE <a href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/merch" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">at the STORE</a>﻿Diversity &amp; Inclusivity From its roots in the Black American communities of New Orleans, jazz has always celebrated and incorporated a diverse group of voices and traditions. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, we seek to honor these roots by showcasing musicians of all backgrounds — across race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, bodily ability, and more — as well as all disciplines under the broad umbrella that we call “jazz.” Our audience is similarly diverse, boasting devotees and dabblers, local and international music lovers, industry professionals and those who just love to listen. We believe our diversity is our strength. Accessibility NYC Winter Jazzfest works to share our musical offerings in venues that are accessible for those with assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, and other sorts of accessibility needs. This goal is constantly in progress as we strive to partner with accessible venues across the city. Feel-Good Space for AllNYC Winter Jazzfest is designed to be a feel-good space — a place to convene and take pleasure in each other’s company and the music we all love. To achieve this end, we count on the behavior and attitudes of all who take part in the event, from performers and patrons to venue staffers and festival employees. We seek to develop a Safer Space, one in which all people feel valued and respected. As such, and in alignment with the We Have Voice Collective, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. We uphold the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their various identities, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, culture, immigration status, economic background, or religious beliefs. We ask that you join us in supporting the safety and wellness of all NYC Winter Jazzfest performers, staff, and audience members, so we all can do what we do best — enjoy the music. Stay tuned, more to come! Grateful for your support,WJF Team

Brazil Music Club Featuring Dom Salvador and Amaro Freitas

<a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1727198405421&amp;key=CORP&amp;guestreslink2=true" target="_blank">Book your guest room for Winter Jazzfest 2025</a>With your Winter Jazzfest ticket purchase you receive an exclusive 5% discount on all 2025 Winter Jazzfest merch items using the code JAZZPRIDE <a href="https://www.winterjazzfest.com/merch" target="_blank">at the STORE</a>Diversity &amp; Inclusivity From its roots in the Black American communities of New Orleans, jazz has always celebrated and incorporated a diverse group of voices and traditions. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, we seek to honor these roots by showcasing musicians of all backgrounds — across race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, bodily ability, and more — as well as all disciplines under the broad umbrella that we call “jazz.” Our audience is similarly diverse, boasting devotees and dabblers, local and international music lovers, industry professionals and those who just love to listen. We believe our diversity is our strength. Accessibility NYC Winter Jazzfest works to share our musical offerings in venues that are accessible for those with assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, and other sorts of accessibility needs. This goal is constantly in progress as we strive to partner with accessible venues across the city. Feel-Good Space for AllNYC Winter Jazzfest is designed to be a feel-good space — a place to convene and take pleasure in each other’s company and the music we all love. To achieve this end, we count on the behavior and attitudes of all who take part in the event, from performers and patrons to venue staffers and festival employees. We seek to develop a Safer Space, one in which all people feel valued and respected. As such, and in alignment with the We Have Voice Collective, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. We uphold the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their various identities, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, culture, immigration status, economic background, or religious beliefs. We ask that you join us in supporting the safety and wellness of all NYC Winter Jazzfest performers, staff, and audience members, so we all can do what we do best — enjoy the music. Stay tuned, more to come! Grateful for your support,WJF Team

Candid Records Showcase with Terri Lyne Carrington’s We Insist 2025 ft. Christie Dashiell, Simon Moullier, Milena Casado, Zacchae’us Paul, Matthew Stevens

MonoNeon is an American bassist and experimental musician from Memphis, Tennessee. He is known for his presence on YouTube playing bass guitar and being one of the last people to work with Prince. Thomas is a Grammy Award-winning artist, for his participation on the 2020 Nas album King's Disease. Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers has referred to Mono as “the greatest fucking electric bass player”. Fender released the MonoNeon Collection, which includes the MonoNeon Jazz Bass V Signature.&nbsp;MonoNeon has collaborated with artists such as Mavis Staples, George Clinton, Pete Rock, Ne-Yo, Mac Miller, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Ghost-Note, and more. Known for his otherworldly live show, MonoNeon has played Newport Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Summer Camp Music Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and more.

MonoNeon and Friends: Knower, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Hannibal Buress, Tivon Pennicott, David Fiuczynski

Genevieve hails from the scarily talented crew that includes Louis Cole, Pedro Martins, Sam Gendel, Sam Wilkes, Jacob Mann, and Chiquita Magic, and their music bears a similar foundation of classical and jazz traditions offset with a healthy punk attitude and passion for musical hybrids and fusion. She admits that being surrounded by these talented individuals is motivation to create in and of itself.

Genevieve Artadi, ft. Louis Cole and Chiquita Magic

Join us in celebration of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s musical legacy as New York’s finest musicians come together for a tribute concert on January 17, marking what would have been his 72nd birthday. From the revolutionary Thousand Knives to the iconic sounds of the Yellow Magic Orchestra and the Oscar-winning film scores, the Sakamoto Tribute Ensemble will interpret his enduring compositions with the utmost reverence. The special guests, Sakamoto’s closest friends and collaborators will share their words and music in a heartfelt tribute. This concert will be a fundraiser for the family’s foundation in his honor, Trees For Sakamoto.

Celebrating Ryuichi Sakamoto w/ Sakamoto Tribute Ensemble and DJ Spooky, plus Guests TBA

Impulse! Records is proud to present today’s most ground-breaking jazz stars with an evening headlined by Shabaka Hutchings, debuting material from his upcoming solo album with guests esperanza spalding and more. Trailblazing jazz harpist Brandee Younger will honor the music of Alice Coltrane. Liberation-oriented free jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements will perform; plus instrumental power-trio The Messthetics with keeper of the avant flame James Brandon Lewis.

Shabaka w/ esperanza spalding, Brandee Younger, Charles Overton / Irreversible Entanglements / Brandee Younger performs Alice Coltrane / The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis 

We celebrate James Mtume with a special one-off re-imagining of Alkebu-Lan: Land of the Blacks (Live at the East), his landmark album from 1972. Recorded at the East, a cultural arts center and meeting place for Black people along Claver Place in Bed-Stuy, Alkebu-Lan might be the high-water mark of Mtume’s career: vigorous and free, an Afrocentric blend of volcanic flourishes and chants rooted in African pride — a rousing celebration of unabashed Blackness and spirituality. It’s also a Holy Grail album that sells for hundreds of dollars on Discogs. At WJF 2024, an all-star lineup including direct participants Billy Hart and Gary Bartz alongside Shabaka, Moor Mother, Julius Rodriguez, Luke Stewart, Nicole Mitchell, Elucid, Kweku Sumbry and Charles Burnham will reimagine Mtume’s classic album, using the vitality of Alkebu-Lan as a springboard to something new.

A Night at the East   With Gary Bartz, Billy Hart, David Murray, Shabaka, Moor Mother, Ahmed Abdullah, Julius Rodriguez, Luke Stewart, Nicole Mitchell, Elucid, Kweku Sumbry, and Charles Burnham. Plus DJ Spinna 

NYC Winter JazzfestManhattan Marathon Friday January 12, 2024Brooklyn Marathon Saturday January 13, 2024Thank you for purchasing tickets for the 2024 NYC Winter Jazzfest! We will be in touch with festival details, lineup announcements, pass pickup instructions, and much more information closer to your event date. We cannot guarantee you entry into any one particular venue or seating once you are inside, so if you hope to see a specific set, we recommend you plan your night accordingly and arrive early. Our venues vary in size and seating is limited. If you find yourself in an especially long line, we encourage you to consider hopping over to a nearby venue where there is available space. (We will provide you with an online capacity tracker to see which venues have space.) Discovering new music is one of the best parts of the NYC Winter Jazzfest Marathon experience, and we can guarantee that if you journey with open ears, you will enjoy wherever you end up. If you are traveling from out of town, we encourage you to book a room at the Official Hotel Partners of the Winter Jazzfest: Moxy Williamsburg and Moxy Lower East Side. Book your rate for Winter Jazzfest 2024. Diversity &amp; Inclusivity From its roots in the Black American communities of New Orleans, jazz has always celebrated and incorporated a diverse group of voices and traditions. At NYC Winter Jazzfest, we seek to honor these roots by showcasing musicians of all backgrounds — across race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, bodily ability, and more — as well as all disciplines under the broad umbrella that we call “jazz.” Our audience is similarly diverse, boasting devotees and dabblers, local and international music lovers, industry professionals and those who just love to listen. We believe our diversity is our strength. Accessibility NYC Winter Jazzfest works to share our musical offerings in venues that are accessible for those with assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, and other sorts of accessibility needs. This goal is constantly in progress as we strive to partner with accessible venues across the city. Feel-Good Space for All NYC Winter Jazzfest is designed to be a feel-good space — a place to convene and take pleasure in each other’s company and the music we all love. To achieve this end, we count on the behavior and attitudes of all who take part in the event, from performers and patrons to venue staffers and festival employees. We seek to develop a Safer Space, one in which all people feel valued and respected. As such, and in alignment with the We Have Voice Collective, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. We uphold the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of their various identities, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, culture, immigration status, economic background, or religious beliefs. We ask that you join us in supporting the safety and wellness of all NYC Winter Jazzfest performers, staff, and audience members, so we all can do what we do best — enjoy the music. Stay tuned, more to come! Grateful for your support,WJF Team

Winter Jazz Fest

@winterjazzfest