Celebrating International Jazz Day
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
Chicago’s historic role in the genre will be honored all month, including on the West Side
While jazz started in New Orleans, Louisiana, it expanded to Chicago when musicians moved up north. New Orleans native Louis Armstrong lived in Chicago in the 1920s, developing the city’s jazz legacy, along with names like Lil Hardin Armstrong, Earl “Fatha” Hines and Captain Walter Dyett.
To celebrate such local legends, Chicago is hosting the 15th annual International Jazz Day on April 30. The first time as a host city, Chicago is leading up to the celebration with a month of free public events and performances, including several on Chicago’s West Side.
“International Jazz Day is a powerful reminder of the role Chicago continues to play in shaping and celebrating culture on a global level,” said Kurt Elling, president of Chicago Jazz Alliance and co-artistic director of International Jazz Day 2026, in a statement. “From world-class performances to grassroots community events and educational programs, this citywide celebration highlights the incredible talent across Chicago and beyond while inspiring the next generation of jazz artists and audiences.”
Tuesday neighborhood jazz nights will take place weekly on the South and West Sides of Chicago, celebrating local jazz organizations. On April 28, Bethel New Life will host an evening of soulful jazz; musicians from the Jazz Institute of Chicago will perform at Austin Town Hall; Garfield Park Conservatory will host the Chicago West Community Music Center orchestra; and BandWith’s Community Performing Arts Center will present a jazz education masterclass that teaches the tradition of, and how to improvise, jazz music.
“A core goal of International Jazz Day in Chicago is to bring the city’s jazz ecosystem together, connecting artists, educators, institutions and venues in a meaningful way. The South and West Sides are central to that story, with deep roots in jazz history shaped by the Great Migration and generations of club and venue culture,” Tony Karman, executive director of the Chicago Jazz Alliance, told Austin Weekly. “The Neighborhood Jazz Nights shine a spotlight on the organizers and communities in these neighborhoods who have sustained and evolved Chicago’s jazz scene for decades, celebrating both their legacy and their ongoing impact.”
Also on the West Side, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School will host educational programming and a concert for Chicago Public High School students on April 25. And on April 28, the Kehrein Center for the Arts will host a performance by Ravinia Jazz Scholars and Uniting Voices Chicago for Chicago Public School students on the West Side.
April 30’s all-star global concert will be the largest in Jazz Day history.
In 2011, UNESCO declared April 30 as International Jazz Day, a recognition co-created by Herbie Hancock, a UNESCO goodwill ambassador and Chicago native. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz — formerly the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz — is partnering with UNESCO for International Jazz Day.
Find a full list of programming and events at chicago.jazzday.com.
