Symphony Center Presents (SCP) has announced the 2026/27 constellation of Jazz excellence, which will include centennials for past Jazz luminaries. Their vision and skill have landed on the shoulders of some brilliant performers tasked with carrying the legacy forward. Thanks to Herbie Hancock and Kurt Elling, Chicago is now a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site for Jazz. The best musicians in the world want to play in Chicago, and the Chicago Symphony Association will be accommodating some heavy hitters.
I spoke with Jim Fahey, the Senior Director of Programming for SCP, about how the season is curated and how it comes together. This is Fahey's 33rd year as the Senior Director. I asked him how they pull it together. Fahey shared that he is part of a committee with "a lot of people doing a lot of work." Fahey spoke with me from Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans before boarding a plane home to Chicago. There is a lot of excitement around a tribute to Chick Corea with Bassist Stanley Clarke making his SCP debut, and Hiromi with PUBLIQuartet. Fahey emphasized celebrating Jazz legacies and new innovators.
October is the official Arts & Humanities Month in Chicago! How serendipitous that Symphony Center Presents Jazz series will open on October 2 with the Freedom Riders Collective. They are Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Alfredo Colón, Tomoki Sanders, Milena Casado, Carmen Staaf, Ben Williams, Makaya McCraven, and Sasha Berliner. Special guests joining the Collective are Chicago's own Kurt Elling and Lizz Wright, whose gospel-imbued voice lit up the house at the International Jazz Day Global Concert.
The Freedom Riders Collective plays Jazz classics and original music to honor the Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights Movement. They struggled and made sacrifices to secure the equality and freedom of Black people across America. The Collective is carrying on that work to inspire memories and give voice to the same issues today. This promises to be a fabulous night of multicultural inspiration and tribute through remembrance.
Branford Marsalis and Dianna Reeves will celebrate the centennial of the great John Coltrane. Reeves' version of "Sentimental Mood" at the International Jazz Day concert made a lot of people swoon, so get ready. The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be stepping into the shoes of Elvin Jones, Steve Davis, and McCoy Tyner, who played on Coltrane's My Favorite Things album. Coltrane's music has inspired a spiritual movement in San Francisco called the St. John Coltrane Church. The founders felt divine inspiration upon hearing "A Love Supreme" back in the 60s. I am willing to wager that audiences will feel some John Coltrane spirit from Marsalis and Reeves as they revisit the 1963 album, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.
Jeff Fahey also discussed two virtuosos coming together for the vibraphone's centennial. Joel Ross and Warren Wolf will play an evening of vibraphone from Lionel Hampton to their own brilliant contemporary compositions. Ross brings Gospel flair to his playing, and Wolf is an historian and a member of the SF Collective. There will be some contemporary Chicago Sound from Jeff Parker & the New Breed with homegrown sax player Isaiah Collier. John Scofield and Dave Holland will be playing classics and original tunes on February 19, 2027. Things will heat up in June with a Birthday Tribute to Chucho Valdez, featuring Joe Lovano and Etienne Charles
Some of New York will make the trek to our town to celebrate Wynton Marsalis's tenure as Music Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. That celebration will be capped by a n oratorio trip through the absurdities of American culture. The Ever Fonky Lowdown will be narrated by actor Wendell Pierce as a street chorus of one, "Mr. Game."
This will be a fantastic year with so much to celebrate in music, art, and culture. Jazz is all three. It comes from Gospel and Blues with different flavors of Soul and Funk blended for a virtuosic soundscape. I highly recommend a subscription to Symphony Center Presents, and keep an eye on the website for schedules and tickets.
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