Best of the Fest: All that Jazz

Read more Best of the Fest.

Jacksonville Jazz Festival
May 22-24, 2026
at Jacksonville, Florida
jacksonvillejazzfest.com

One of the country’s best Jazz music festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival is returning on May 22 to May 24, 2026. Every year the Jacksonville Jazz Festival draws in people from around the globe, and this year, as usual, they have put together an amazing lineup. I’m super excited to see the funkmaster George Clinton, the Prince-royalty Sheila E, and song master Nile Rodgers (he wrote and produced some of your favorites like David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”, Duran Duran’s “The Reflex”, and Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.”)

Can you believe it’s all FREE??? I’m hoping to attend all three dates, but I do reserve the right to not attend due to weather (too hot or too rainy!), but if I can keep hydrated, I will be watching the show.

I attended last year’s Jacksonville Jazz Festival in May 2025 and reported back, “What can I say about Kool & the Gang that haven’t been said, before. The band is a legendary band, having been around since 1969. Throughout the years ‘the Gang’ has changed, with mostly new members joining in the early 2000’s as older members retired or died (Kool Bell’s brother Ronald Bell died in 2020). Robert “Kool” Bell is keeping the legacy alive, and the band had him step into the spotlight to say a few words. Kool said that when they first started, in the 1960s, they didn’t know what to call themselves. They had so many band names, including Soul Town Band and The Flames… but they had to change their name, because James Brown objected (Brown’s band was called the Famous Flames). Eventually, as history would have it, they settled on Kool and the Gang. And since then, they’ve had unbelievable success with their name and funk, jazz, hip-hop songs.”

2026 Artist Lineup

Montclair Jazz Festival
Saturday, August 15, 2026
at Downtown Montclair, New Jersey
montclairjazzfestival.org

The 17th annual Montclair Jazz Festival will be kicking off in June 2026 with a series of Soundcheck Series concerts (every Tuesday evening), leading up to the the all-day Downtown Jamboree + Block Party on Saturday, August 15, 2026. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, the Smithsonian Institution has selected the Montclair Jazz Festival as “Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals.” In addition, I think they’re also bringing the Folklife Festival to the Montclair Jazz Festival. A lot going on, and you don’t want to miss all the excitement, if you are in the New Jersey or New York area.

Although artists may change or added at a later date, right now, the initial group of confirmed artists are: Take Me to the River All-Stars (featuring Cyril Neville, Omari Neville, Ian Neville, and Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr.) to represent New Orleans – the birthplace of jazz, Christian McBride and his GRAMMY-winning Big Band, will pay tribute to Philadelphia and the famous Philly sound, and Spanish Harlem Orchestra, showcasing salsa and Latin jazz melting pot of New York. Additional performers will be announced soon.

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