JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Announces Full Lineup and details for 17th Annual MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL

August 15 Downtown Jamboree at Lackawanna Plaza Performers Include: 
Take Me to the River New Orleans All-Stars (featuring Cyril Neville)
Dianne Reeves
Christian McBride Big Band w/ Bilal
Patrice Rushen
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
JAZZ HOUSE Collective Celebrates John Coltrane and Miles Davis 
Gotham Kings

Five-Week Soundcheck Series Performers Include:
Bobby Watson/Jason Moran (June 16)
The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Guest Conductor John Faddis (July 1)
Michele Rosewoman and Quintessence/Orrin Evans Trio (July 14)
Joel Ross’ Good Vibes (July 28)
Rebirth Brass Band (August 4)

2026 MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL Selected by Smithsonian Institution 
as a Collaborating Festival for “Of The People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals” to Commemorate the United States Semiquincentennial

This year’s Downtown Jamboree’s featuring headliners Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride Big Band with Bilal, Patrice Rushen, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and Take Me to the River New Orleans All Stars featuring Cyril Neville (underwritten by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation). The Gotham Kings return to kick off the day’s festivities with a New Orleans styled second line band marching down Bloomfield Avenue –  led by trumpeter Alphonso Horne, the band will march through the heart of Montclair, from Church Street and Park Avenue, to the Downtown Jamboree at Lackawanna Plaza. A second stage at the festival site will feature 150+ young artists, including the JAZZ HOUSE Collective (honoring Miles Davis + John Coltrane), and the JAZZ HOUSE All-Stars.

Soundcheck Series lead up performers will include Bobby Watson/Jason Moran (June 16), The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Guest Conductor John Faddis (July 1), Michele Rosewoman and Quintessence underwritten by the Chamber Music America Presenter Consortium for Jazz /Orrin Evans (July 14), Joel Ross’ Good Vibes (July 28), and Rebirth Brass Band underwritten by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation (August 4). Produced by the jazz education and cultural performance organization JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL is the region’s largest outdoor summer jazz fest, welcoming tens of thousands of music fans to Montclair each year.

Also new in 2026, the Smithsonian Institution has selected MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL as a collaborating festival for “Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals,” one of a select number of festivals chosen to help commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. For this occasion, the Smithsonian is taking its oldest and largest public event—the annual Folklife Festival—on the road to communities across the country for a stop at this year’s MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL. By taking the Folklife Festival beyond Washington, DC to places like Montclair, the Smithsonian will join millions of people in their own communities to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial, amplifying how festivals serve as enduring tools for civic engagement and cultural exchange.

In addition to commemorating the United States semiquincentennial, the 2026 MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL will celebrate the centennials of seminal figures Miles Davis and John Coltrane, honoring their legacies with a special tribute performance, and through the festival’s artwork by visual artist Andres Chaparro. Fitting with the theme of honoring America’s quintessential original artform, MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL artistic director Christian McBride has selected performing artists to spotlight major US jazz cities that have shaped our culture and tell our national story.

“Jazz was born in New Orleans and raised in New York City, but along the way it made many stops where it grew, and continues to grow today,” said McBride. “The cities that we’re spotlighting at this summer’s festival are among the most important cities in the history of jazz. Places where the music didn’t just develop, but helped shape the cultural identity of the cities themselves.”

Christian McBride and his GRAMMY-winning Big Band featuring Bilal will pay tribute to McBride’s hometown of Philadelphia, performing repertoire showcasing the famous Philly sound and his favorite composers. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and NEA Jazz Master Patrice Rushen will celebrate her birthplace of Los Angeles. Multi-GRAMMY-winning NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves will represent the city of Detroit. The Take Me to the River New Orleans All-Stars, featuring Cyril Neville, Omari Neville, Ian Neville, and Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. (underwritten by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation), will honor New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. New York City will be represented by the two-time GRAMMY-winning salsa and Latin jazz band Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Full artist lineup and their respective jazz cities are listed below.

New this year, attendees can support the summer tradition they know and love with a 2026 MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL JAM PASS. As the event has grown to become the largest jazz festival in the region, fans will be required to register for a JAM PASS to attend the Downtown Jamboree at Lackawanna Plaza.

In keeping with the JAZZ HOUSE's commitment to make the festival accessible to all, a “Pay What You Wish” option is available, and everyone who registers for a JAM PASS will be entered for a chance to win a Take 5 VIP Club membership and VIP tent access, plus express entry in the new JAM PASS lane. As production costs rise, your support helps sustain the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL for years to come. More information and JAM PASS registration can be found at www.montclairjazzfestival.org 

“This year’s festival is especially meaningful as we celebrate the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, welcome the Smithsonian as a collaborator, and present artists representing the great jazz cities that helped shape America’s cultural story," says JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Founder Melissa Walker. "The MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL has always been about bringing world-class music and community together in a way that’s welcoming and accessible to everyone. As the festival continues to grow, the new JAM PASS helps us sustain this incredible summer tradition while still keeping the Downtown Jamboree accessible to all through our ‘Pay What You Wish’ option. We’re excited for audiences of all ages to experience the music, the energy, and the sense of connection that makes Montclair such a special place every summer.”

@ WELLMONT ARTS PLAZA (6-10PM)

July 1: The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Guest Conductor John Faddis (honoring Red Bank) 

July 14: Michele Rosewoman and Quintessence/Orrin Evans (honoring New York/Newark + Philly)  underwritten by the Chamber Music America Presenter Consortium for Jazz

July 28: Joel Ross’ Good Vibes (honoring Chicago)

Aug 4:  Rebirth Brass Band (honoring New Orleans)  underwritten by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation

at LACKAWANNA PLAZA

Christian McBride Big Band w/ Bilal (honoring Philadelphia)

Patrice Rushen (honoring Los Angeles)

Dianne Reeves (honoring Detroit)

Spanish Harlem Orchestra (honoring New York City)

JAZZ HOUSE ALL STARS

JAZZ HOUSE Emerging Artists studying at the JAZZ HOUSE Summer Workshop

“We are honored to continue our support to MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL, a world-class annual event and JAZZ HOUSE KiDS,” said Anthony J. Sylvester, Trustee to the Gia Maione Prima Foundation. “This year’s program, selected by the Smithsonian Institution will be part of commemorating jazz and will highlight the enduring significance of New Orleans as the birthplace of jazz. Through the GMPF’s sponsorship, the Take Me to the River All-Stars will take stage featuring Cyril Neville, Omari Neville, Ian Neville, and Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. along with New Breed Brass Band – artists whose deep roots and lasting influence are integral to the sound, culture and musical heritage of New Orleans.”

"On behalf of BDP Holdings, my wife, Bridget, and I are proud to once again support the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL and our nation’s 250th anniversary at Lackawanna Station,” says David Placek, Managing Partner of BDP. “The work of JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, for us and countless others, is more important now than ever. To recognize the history of jazz music is to recognize the history of our country - challenging, bold, brave, sometimes beautiful and often brutal. We celebrate the promise of what can come from embracing music and art and creative passion and are grateful to JAZZ HOUSE KiDS for being a leader in this work."

For more information on how to get involved as a volunteer, sponsor, vendor and business or individual supporter, visit the website www.montclairjazzfestival.org and download the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL App in the Google or Apple store.

About JAZZ HOUSE KiDS
Now in its third decade, nationally recognized JAZZ HOUSE KiDS transforms lives using the power and legacy of jazz through world-class education and performances that create avenues of access, learning, career development and community building. Recently featured on CNN, NPR Morning Edition, CBS Mornings, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and celebrated by global superstar STING, the organization and students have received more than 170 awards and honors for excellence in jazz and jazz education. The JAZZ HOUSE has two locations: its headquarters in Montclair, NJ and a satellite program in Lower Manhattan in collaboration with and fully funded by Trinity Church NYC. The foundation of the JAZZ HOUSE is our tremendous faculty who are full-time practitioners and educators. Every day of the week through a series of in-school programs and out-of-school programs in New Jersey and New York City, JAZZ HOUSE helps young people gain an artistic edge, fostering community leaders and global citizens who help build thriving communities. JAZZ HOUSE produces 150+ free public concerts per year, reaching nearly 250,000 attendees. The organization’s far-reaching cultural signature program is the award-winning MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL. The brainchild of Melissa Walker and Christian McBride, it is the largest free jazz festival in the region and annually attracts tens of thousands of attendees. For more information, visit www.jazzhousekids.org

About the Smithsonian
Since its founding in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery. It is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, consisting of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park, education centers, research facilities, cultural centers, libraries and gardens. Two of the 21 museums—the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum—are in the early planning stages. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is about 157 million. To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, the Smithsonian is hosting a full slate of special exhibitions, festivals and public events, including the completion of the National Air and Space Museum’s renovation, which opened to the public 50 years ago for the nation’s bicentennial. This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.

For More Information Contact
Brett Loeb (brett@missingpiecegroup.com)
Michael Krumper (michael@missingpiecegroup.com)
at Missing Piece Group