News: Blue Note Jazz Festival Announces 2026 Lineup

New York’s The Blue Note Jazz Club is one of the world’s premier venues. While jazz has long been at its core, The Blue Note has continued to broaden its offerings with a mission to spotlight contemporary artists across all musical styles, backgrounds and culture. The club and its sister clubs across the world massive household names with frequent surpriser appearances from superstars like Stevie Wonder, Ed Sheeran, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock and a lengthy list of others.

Blue Note’s worldwide locations include its newest venue in Los Angeles, as well as Milan, Honolulu, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Napa, Rio de Janiero and São Paulo. Blue Note has plans on opening a London location sometime this year.

Created back in 2011, The Blue Note Jazz Festival is a month-long celebration of jazz throughout June. The Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa kicked off in 2022 with curation by Robert Glasper, creating a multi-day jazz meets hip-hop and R&B festival taking place outdoors across multiple stages. Past headliners have included John Legend, NAS, Mary J. Blige, Chance the Rapper, Maxwell, Jill Scott and a list of others. In 2024 and 2025, the Napa festival was presented as a landmark spinoff with Black Radio Experience, in association with Glasper at the Meritage Hotel.

Yesterday, The Blue Note Entertainment Group announced the lineup for the 15th edition of the Blue Note Jazz Festival New York. The 2026 Blue Note Jazz Festival New York will feature sets by Ledisi, Durand Bernarr, Big Freedia, UMI, Destin Conrad, Kokoroko, Cymande, Take 6, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jose James, BLK ODYSSY, Louie Vega: Elements of Life and many more. The full schedule is below.

The festival will kick off on June 1, 2026 with Arrested Development at Sony Hall, and will span multiple venues across the city, including The Blue Note Jazz Club, Sony Hall and Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage. The festival also includes the Official Blue Note Jazz Fest Midnight Jam presented by Chris Rob on June 26, 2026, as well as their beloved Blue Note jazz brunches. Ticket information can be found here.

The 15th edition of the Blue Note Jazz Festival will feature a number of contemporary and progressive voices within the R&B world, alongside some of the most forward-thinking jazz artists in the game right now, including MonoNeon, Isaiah Collier, Brian Blade, Chief Adjuah, Marcus Gilmore and Brandee Younger, as well as some incredible singer/songwriters and vocalists including Leidisi, Durand Bernarr, Big Freedia, Kokoroko, UMI, Destin Conrad and BLK ODYSSY.

“We started the Blue Note Jazz Festival New York 15 years ago with a focus on unique curation and programming an eclectic range of artistry” Blue Note Director of Programming Alex Kurland says. “The festival has always focused on presenting artists who are singular and one of a kind, who push the sound and state of the music forward. Artists who are completely individual. This year is particularly special for us, with a lineup that continues to read like a playlist of taste, focused on artists that we love. Artists who are your favorite artists’ favorite artists. Stylistically diverse, singular and soulful. This year’s lineup spans from Big Freedia to Brian Blade, to Ledisi and Durand Bernarr; from Dirty Dozen Brass Band to Kokoroko and MonoNeon. Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah to Destin Conrad and BLK ODYSSY. Incomparable voices that creatively propel the sound and music culture forward.”

The Blue Note takes a unique approach in curating its namesake New York festival, frequently looking beyond the confines of genre, geography and time to craft a one-of-kind lineup. Featuring groundbreaking innovators, cultural icons from around the world and contemporary artists pushing the boundaries of music today, the festival captures New York’s social fabric like no other.

The Blue Note Jazz Festival New York runs concurrently with the Blue Note Jazz Festival Hollywood Bowl, presented in collaboration with the LA Phil June 13, 2026 – June 14 2026.

BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL DATES

June 1—Blue Note—Yuki Chiba
June 1—Sony Hall—Arrested Development
June 2—Blue Note—MonoNeon
June 3—Blue Note—MonoNeon
June 4—Blue Note—Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah
June 4—Sony Hall—Seedhe Maut
June 5—Blue Note—Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah
June 6 – BRUNCH—Blue Note—Forever Ray
June 6—Blue Note—Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah
June 7 – BRUNCH—Blue Note—Harlem Gospel Choir
June 7—Blue Note—Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah
June 10—Sony Hall—Anuhea
June 11—Blue Note—Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
June 11—Sony Hall—Cracker
June 12—Blue Note—Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
June 13 – BRUNCH—Blue Note—Strictly Sinatra
June 13—Blue Note—Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
June 13—Sony Hall—Los Amigos Invisibles
June 14 – BRUNCH—Blue Note—Harlem Gospel Choir
June 14—Blue Note—Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
June 15—Blue Note—Brandee Younger
June 15—Sony Hall—Harlem Gospel Choir Sing Whitney + Tina
June 16—Blue Note—Isaiah Collier
June 17—Blue Note—Isaiah Collier
June 17—Sony Hall— Swamp Dogg
June 18—Blue Note—Durand Bernarr
June 18—Sony Hall—Mario w/ live band
June 19—Blue Note—Take 6
June 19—Sony Hall—The Bad Plus
June 20 – BRUNCH—Blue Note—The Music Of
The Buena Vista Social Club: A Tribute To The Golden Age Of Cuba
June 20—Sony Hall—BLK ODYSSY
June 21 – BRUNCH—Blue Note— Harlem Gospel Choir
June 21—Blue Note—Take 6
June 22—Blue Note—Ozomatli
June 23—Blue Note—Ozomatli
June 23—Sony Hall—The Church
June 24—Sony Hall—Big Freedia
June 25—Blue Note—UMI
June 26—Blue Note—Slum Village
June 26 – Late Show—Blue Note—Chris Rob Presents:
The Official Blue Note Jazz Fest Midnight Jam
June 27—Blue Note—Louie Vega: Elements of Life with Special Guests
June 27—Sony Hall—Cymande
June 28 – BRUNCH—Blue Note—Harlem Gospel Choir
June 28—Blue Note—Louie Vega: Elements of Life with Special Guests
June 29— Blue Note —Marcus Gilmore
June 29— Blue Note —Ibrahim Maalouf
June 30—Blue Note—Marcus Gilmore
June 30—Sony Hall—Destin Conrad
July 1—Blue Note—Jon Lampley, Notes To Self Album Release
July 1—Sony Hall—Young Gun Silver Fox

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