The Hyde Park Jazz Festival (HPJF) is pleased to announce the 2026 HPJF lineup. The 20th Anniversary Festival will once again be held in architecturally unique venues across the Hyde Park, Kenwood, and Washington Park neighborhoods. The Festival lineup features 37 FREE performances on September 26th-27th, 2026. The program includes visiting national artists alongside some of Chicago’s brightest lights. Venues include: Smart Museum, Rockefeller Chapel, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, Hyde Park Bank, Hyde Park Union Church, The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, Augustana Church, and the Midway Plaisance. Festival kicks off with Chicago’s own Orbert Davis (trumpet), who played the first note in the first Hyde Park Jazz Festival in 2007.
Special guest and visiting musician projects include: rising star trumpeter Brandon Woody’s Upendo with Imani Grace (vocals), Troy Long (piano), Michael Saunders (bass), Quincy Phillips (drums); pianist Kris Davis Trio with Johnathan Blake (drums) and Robert Hurst (bass); trumpeter Amir ElSaffar New Quartet with Ole Mathisen (tenor saxophone), Tania Giannouli (microtonal piano), Tomas Fugiwara (drums); alto saxophonist and New Orleans Big Chief Donald Harrison Quartet with Dan Kaufman (piano), Nori Naraoka (bass), Brian Richburg (drums); pianist Emmet Cohen Presents: Miles and Coltrane at 100 with Benny Benack (trumpet), Tivon Pennicott (tenor saxophone), Reuben Rogers (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums); cornetist/trumpets Rob Mazurek Prismatic Trio with Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone), Victor Vieira-Branco (vibraphone); and young trumpet phenom Skylar Tang Quartet with William Schwartzman (piano), John Murray (bass), and Ethan Oliver (drums). Chicago tenor saxophonist Geof Bradfield will present Open and Close with visiting Bay Area musicians Ben Goldberg (clarinet) and Myra Melford (piano) along with Chicago’s Dana Hall (drums and cymbals). We are excited to update the line up with the addition of Joshua Abrams & Sharon Udoh: Wonder, Wonder at the Neubauer Collegium and to announce that critically acclaimed percussionist Pedtrito Martinez will join Alfredo Rodriguez’s Quintet.
As a part of the celebration of the 20th Anniversary, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival is thrilled to present some of the musicians whose early careers emerged and developed in and alongside that of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival and who have gone on to international acclaim. This includes the HPJF 20th Anniversary Band, made up of Marquis Hill (trumpet), Joel Ross (vibraphone), Junius Paul (bass), and Makaya McCraven (drums). Cellist Tomeka Reid will present In Tribute to Ellington with Laura Ann Singh (voice), Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet), Jeb Bishop (trombone), Anna Webber (tenor saxophone), Jason Kao Hwang (viola), Jason Roebke (bass), Mikel Patrick Avery (drums). Flautist Nicole Mitchell will present Black Earth SWAY with Zahili Gonzalez Zamora (piano, electronics, vocals), Coco Elysses (diddley bow, electronics, vocals), JoVia Armstrong (percussion, electronics, vocals). Trumpeter Corey Wilkes will present his Sextet with Junius Paul (bass), Justin Dillard (piano/keyboard), Jeremiah Collier (drums), Jimetta Rose (vocals), Chris Paquette (percussion).
To celebrate the 20th Anniversary, the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, in collaboration with the Reva & David Logan Center for the Arts, has commissioned critically acclaimed Chicago composer and alto saxophonist Greg Ward. Ward’s composition for the Greg Ward Octet, titled “Held Together” will premiere as a new work inspired by the music of the Black church and the community that first shaped Ward as a musician. The Greg Ward Octet includes Marquis Hill (trumpet), Kirby Fellis (trombone), Bianna Thomas (vocals and lyrics), Matt Gold (guitar), Julius Tucker (piano), Runere Brooks (bass), Sam Jewell (drums).
The annual Rockefeller Chapel performance will feature a rare solo performance by tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman. The Rockefeller Chapel will be an exquisite setting for this not to be missed performance.
As always, the HPJF features veteran musicians, emerging talent, and seeks to elevate the many trajectories of jazz so rooted on the South Side of Chicago.
The Hyde Park Jazz Festival is FREE but we ask attendees to consider a $10 per person donation so we can continue to support Jazz on the South Side! Performances on Saturday, September 26th run from 1pm-11pm in multiple venues. Performances on Sunday, September 27th run from 1pm-7pm on the Midway Plaisance.
For additional information on the performing artists and the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, please visit our website www.hydeparkjazzfestival.org. Full schedule is below. Additional programs will be announced.
2026 Hyde Park Jazz Festival Schedule
Sept. 26 & 27, 2026 Featuring 38 FREE Performances/Programs on 11 Unique Stages
In and Around the Neighborhood.
Lineup Includes: Joshua Redman (solo); Kris Davis Trio; Emmet Cohen Presents Miles and Coltrane at 100; Brandon Woody’s Upendo; Big Chief Donald Harrison Quartet; Ben LaMar Gay: Yowzers!; Rob Mazurek Prismatic Trio; Amir ElSaffar New Quartet; Kyle Swan Trio featuring Joel Ross; Alfredo Rodriguez Quintet and much more!
Anniversary program features internationally acclaimed artists who “came up” in and alongside the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, including: Tomeka Reid; Nicole Mitchell; Marquis Hill; Makaya McCraven; Junius Paul; Corey Wilkes and more.
Chicago composer and saxophonist Greg Ward commissioned to create new work to premiere at the 20th Anniversary Festival.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Smart Museum (5550 S. Greenwood Ave.)
1:00pm-2:00pm: Frank Russell Quintet
3:00pm-4:00pm: Wanees Zarour & East Loop
Hyde Park Union Church (5600 S. Woodlawn Ave.)
2:00pm-3:00pm: PlainsPeak: Jon Irabagon/Russ Johnson/Clark Sommers/Dana Hall
4:00pm-5:00pm: Open or Close: Bradfield/Goldberg/Hall/Melford
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center (740 E. 56th St.)
2:00pm-3:00pm: Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth SWAY
4:00pm-5:00pm: Ben LaMar Gay: Yowzers!
Augustana Church (5500 S. Woodlawn Ave.)
3:00pm-4:00pm: Sarah Clausen & Caroline Jesalva
5:00pm-6:00pm: Rob Mazurek Prismatic Trio
Hyde Park Bank (1525 E. 53rd St.)
4:00pm-5:00pm: ToCa! Live Trio
6:00pm-7:00pm: Michael Davenport Quartet
Neubauer Collegium (5701 S. Woodlawn Ave.)
2:15pm-2:45pm: Joshua Abrams & Sharon Udoh: Wonder, Wonder
Logan Center Penthouse (915 E. 60th St.)
1:00pm-1:45pm: Kris Davis Trio
2:15pm-3:00pm: Kris Davis Trio
5:00pm-6:00pm: Skylar Tang Quartet
8:00pm-8:45pm: Amir ElSaffar New Quartet
9:00pm-9:45pm: Amir ElSaffar New Quartet
Logan Center Performance Hall (915 E. 60th St.)
3:00pm-4:00pm: Tomeka Reid’s In Tribute to Ellington
5:15pm-6:15pm: Greg Ward Octet “Held Together”
7:30pm-8:30pm: Emmet Cohen Presents: Miles and Coltrane at 100
Logan Screening Room (915 E. 60th St.)
Listening Room Sessions (listening and discussion)
1:00pm-2:00pm: Howard Reich: “The Majesty of Chicago Jazz”
2:30pm-3:30pm: Two Brown Sisters: Maggie & Africa Brown “Heard Him Say, It Sounded So Good”
4:30pm-5:30pm: John Corbett: Ancient to the Future: Notes on Archives & Improvised Music
7:00pm-8:00pm: Big Chief Donald Harrison: Black Masking Indian Tradition
Wagner Stage (Midway Plaisance at S. Woodlawn Ave.)
1:30pm-2:30pm: Orbert Davis Sextet
3:30pm-4:45pm: Kyle Swan Trio featuring Joel Ross
5:45pm-7:00pm: Brandon Woody’s Upendo
8:15pm-9:30pm: HPJF 20th Anniversary Band: Hill/McCraven/Paul/Ross
Pickens Stage (Midway Plaisance at S. Ellis Ave.)
12:30pm-1:00pm: Pickens Stage Dedication Ceremony
2:30pm-3:30pm: Bethany Pickens Soulful Coalition
4:45pm-5:45pm: It’s All About OBJ: Dee Alexander & Bruce Henry Celebrate the Music of Oscar Brown Jr.
7:00pm-8:15pm: Alfredo Rodriguez Quintet ft. Pedrito Martinez
Rockefeller Chapel (5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.)
10:00pm-11:00pm: Joshua Redman (Solo)
Sunday, September 27th
Wagner Stage (Midway Plaisance at S. Woodlawn Ave.)
2:00pm-3:00pm: Ari Brown Quintet
4:00pm-5:00pm: Corey Wilkes Sextet
6:00pm-7:00pm: Big Chief Donald Harrison Quartet
Pickens Stage (Midway Plaisance at S. Ellis Ave.)
1:00pm-2:00pm: The Brown Sisters’ Jazz Cafe
3:00pm-4:00pm: Miguel de la Cerna Quartet
5:00pm-6:00pm: M.A.D.D. Vibes: Thaddeus Tukes Quintet w/M.A.D.D Rhythms
