Unity Jazz Festival

ABOUT THE CONCERT

The third annual Unity Jazz Festival returns with an unforgettable weekend of music, energy, and community.

Headlining the celebration is Kes, bringing his signature Caribbean sound and feel-good spirit to two exclusive concerts featuring Etienne Charles. These performances, held in Rose Theater on Thursday and the Appel Room on Friday, are included with the All-Access Pass, which gives you access to everything happening on your chosen night, including Kes’s concert with guaranteed assigned seating.

The Nightly Festival Pass (No Kes) offers access to all festival performances on your chosen night, except for the Kes concert. Experience sets celebrating the legacy of Eddie Palmieri, along with Tomeka Reid, DJ Logic, Solomon Hicks, Erena Terakubo, Gabriel Chakarji, Rajna Swaminathan, and more, plus the Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honors All-Star Concert, spotlighting over 15 masters of the music including George Coleman, Amina Claudine Myers, Akua Dixon, Herlin Riley, and Billy Hart.

With every space across our halls activated and buzzing, audiences can discover the full spectrum of jazz, from timeless tributes to bold new sounds, all under one roof.

Don’t miss the hottest winter weekend in New York. Choose your pass, find your rhythm, and join us for an unforgettable weekend of music!

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Thursday, January 8
An Intimate Evening with Kes and Friends – Headliner
FUNMI'S JAM with Stacy Dillard & Brookyln Circle and Friends
Erena Terakubo Sextet
DJ Logic and Friends with Herlin Riley, Luques Curtis, and Nicole Glover
Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honors All-Star Concert 2026
Tomeka Reid Septet: In Tribute to Ellington
Veronica Swift
Theme for Akiko: Organ Jam Celebrating Akiko Tsuruga
Camila Cortina Trio
Wiliam Hill III Trio
Rajna Swaminathan & Miles Okazaki 

Friday, January 9
An Intimate Evening with Kes and Friends – Headliner
Etienne Charles: Gullah Roots
Gabriel Chakarji Trio
Solomon Hicks
Eddie Palmieri Experience: A Musical Retrospective
Kate Kortum
Hometown Heroes: New Orleans Own Leroy Jones Quartet with Luther Allison, Yasushi Nakamura, Herlin Riley
Tivon Pennicott and Friends
Andre White Trio
Samir LanGus Trio
Veronica Leahy & Emmanuel Michael