Kennedy Center Jazz Videos
Jazz at the Kennedy Center
Enjoy extraordinary performances by jazz greats, new artists and inspiring students from our stages and stories from beyond.
Browse the jazz clips in our Digital Library of more than 3,000 videos.
Performances and More
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Editor's Picks
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José André Trio - Millennium Stage (January 28, 2019)
Washington Performing Arts’ Mars Urban Arts Initiative presents José André Montaño and his trio, as part of a season-long series of events showcasing Latinx artists who live in Washington, D.C.
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Jason Moran - Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz
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In the Studio with Jason Moran
Join Jason Moran, the Kennedy Center’s Artistic Advisor for Jazz, in this podcast as he explains the basics of jazz music and how the art form works. Along with his band—Kimberly Thompson on drums; Casey Benjamin on saxophone, keytar, and vocoder; and Vicente Archer on bass—Jason will show you how jazz is more like skateboarding and football than you would think, play some original pieces, and play a few of the classic jazz standards.
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Jason Moran & The Bandwagon (Performance / Demonstration)
Award-winning pianist, composer, and Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran is known for challenging "the same old thing" in jazz and confronting contemporary audiences' notions about the classic jazz trio.
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Jason Moran: History of James Reese Europe - Millennium Stage (December 8, 2018)
Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran performs and participates in an in-depth exploration of the life and work of groundbreaking American ragtime and early jazz bandleader, arranger, and composer James Reese Europe as we celebrate his life and artistic contributions.
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Jazz From Live Series
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Sankofa.org: Christian McBride
Performed on Sep. 18. Watch now!
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Akua Allrich & Braxton Cook
Performed on Sep. 3. Watch now!
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Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, Sammy Figueroa, and Celia & Paco Fonta
Performed July 30. Watch Now!
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Millennium Stage
Couch Concert
Eaton DC Presents: Petworth Jazz featuring Imani-Grace, Luke Stewart and Pat Cain
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Millennium Stage
Couch Concert
Baltimore’s Creative Alliance
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Millennium Stage
Couch Concert
DC Legendary Musicians Mosche Snowden and Lady Mary
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Millennium Stage
Couch Concert
Chicago: The Hideout + Old Town School of Folk Music- Jon Langford and Dill Costa Quartet
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Jazz Legends at Kennedy Center Honors
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Jazz on Millennium Stage
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The Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra - Millennium Stage (August 13, 2019)
The Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra is an all star big band comprised of the best high school and college jazz musicians in the Philadelphia and New Jersey region.
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J.A.S.S. Quartet - Millennium Stage (September 19, 2016)
A dynamic and exciting blend of South Indian raga, North Indian folk/classical and Latin rhythms, and jazz’s harmonic structure, the J.A.S.S. Quartet creates a distinctly evocative sound that maintains the Indian classical and jazz aesthetic, while pushing the boundaries of these traditions to create a refreshingly new sound.
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Jazz Education
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Jazz Masterclass with Kurt Elling
From the archives of Kennedy Center Education, a masterclass with Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling.
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Jazz Masterclass with Cyrus Chestnut
From the archives of Kennedy Center Education, a jazz masterclass with composer, pianist, and educator Cyrus Chestnut.
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Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead
The Jazz Ahead program identifies outstanding, emerging jazz artist-composers in their mid-teens to age twenty-five, and brings them together under the tutelage of experienced artist-instructors who coach and counsel them, helping to polish their performance, composing, and arranging skills.
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The Billy Taylor Trio & Young Jazz Musicians
Join jazz legend Dr. Billy Taylor, and his trio as they coach and perform with three young jazz musicians.
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The Billy Taylor Trio: Jazz on 52nd Street (Lecture / Performance)
Join legendary jazz pianist, composer and educator Dr. Billy Taylor and his trio as he walks you through the musical world of Jazz on 52nd Street.
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The Billy Taylor Trio: The Jazz Guitarist (Lecture / Performance)
Join legendary jazz pianist, composer and educator Dr. Billy Taylor and his trio and special guest guitarist Mark Whitfield as they walks you through the musical history of the jazz guitar.
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The Billy Taylor Trio: Jazz & The Latin Beat (Lecture / Performance)
Join legendary jazz pianist, composer and educator Dr. Billy Taylor and his trio and special guest percussionists Candido Camero (congas) and Barnett Williams (timbales) as they explore the styles and instruments of Latin Jazz.
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The Turtle Island String Quartet: The Art of the Groove
Unconventional musical ensemble The Turtle Island String Quartet presents an engaging program that explores non-traditional repertoire and musical styles you would not expect to hear from violin, viola, and cello.
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Latin Jazz with Bobby Sanabria & ¡Quarteto Aché (Performance / Lecture)
Master drummer Bobby Sanabria and his band ¡Quarteto Aché take students on a musical journey to create the rich array of musical styles known as Latin music.
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The Billy Taylor Trio: Jazz & The Singer with Nnenna Freelon
Join legendary jazz pianist, composer and educator Dr. Billy Taylor and his trio with special guest vocalist Nnenna Freelon as they explore jazz singing.
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Jazz & The New Generation (Performance / Discussion)
Host Dr. Nathan Davis presents an international ensemble of young and emerging jazz artists
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She Said/She Says: The History and Status of Women in Jazz
Jazz Reach's She Said/She Says is a celebration of women's achievements and music in jazz from the early 20th century to the present day.
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A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald with Roberta Gambarini and Janis Siegel
Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer and Italian vocalist Roberta Gambarini pay tribute to the “First Lady of Song” in a program that includes some of Ella Fitzgerald’s best-loved jazz hits.
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Regina Carter Quintet: The Jazz Violin (Performance / Demonstration)
The Regina Carter Quintet presents a program that explores non-traditional repertoire, improvisation, and musical styles you would not expect to hear from a jazz ensemble.
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Terence Blanchard: A Discussion and Trumpet Masterclass
Composer and trumpet player Terence Blanchard discusses the importance of practice, warm-up, and fundamentals, plus the value of learning the history of your instrument and genre, but retaining your own musical voice.
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Jazz Legends Dave Brubeck, Ramses Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor
Legendary composers and jazz pianists Ramses Lewis ("The In Crowd"), Dave Brubeck ("Take Five"), and Dr. Billy Taylor ("I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free") discuss the legacy of jazz.
