Festival Hall will host its FIFTH season of The Jazz Legacy Project Series in 2026!
The Jazz Legacy Project Series
2026
Duke Ellington – the Sound of America
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Ellington took jazz from reinterpreting old songs to having its own songs, chords, and rhythms. These sounds and colors were Ellington’s description of America, proving along the way that jazz – America’s art form – belonged next to all other great music and art.
Louis Armstrong – Pops, the Father of Jazz
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Put simply, all American music after 1930 came from Louis Armstrong. From his trumpet masterpieces during his early days in New Orleans and Chicago, to his mass appeal vocal hits such as Hello Dolly and What a Wonderful World, he fathered the sound of American Popular Music. This show features trumpeter, singer, and Armstrong scholar Michael Cruse.
Cole Porter – Jazz in Technicolor
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Composing both the music and lyrics to nearly 1,000 songs, Porter stands alone with his unparalleled gift for contributing so much to the Great American Songbook. He also had a gift of matching the emotional content of the melodies and harmonies to the lyrics like no other. All while living a life that makes the most lavish rockstar pale in comparison. Featuring world-renowned jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani.
Weather Report – Fusion Dynasty
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Featuring some of jazz’s brightest stars such as Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, and Joe Zawinul, Weather Report set the gold standard for fusion bands. Their hits Birdland, Teen Town, and A Remark You Made catapulted them to pop stardom. Jazz, Funk, Pop, Rock, and Blues all mixed in the perfect recipe.
Each program is roughly 90 minutes, with the goal of bringing the casual jazz listener inside the minds and music of the most influential and interesting American musicians of all time. The life and music of the artist/composer is entertainingly narrated by the drummer, Mr. Justin Varnes, and seminal jazz pieces are played to illuminate the narration. These are NOT tribute concerts in the sense that the musicians are trying to recreate the original performances, but instead to celebrate the essence and accomplishments of the artist.
