Article Contributed by Missing Piece Group
Published on 2026-08-06
The 17th annual Montclair Jazz Festival Downtown Jamboree returns to the heart of downtown Montclair, New Jersey, on Saturday, August 15, at the historic eight-acre Lackawanna Plaza.
Presented by the nationally recognized nonprofit JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, this year’s festival will feature Dianne Reeves, the Christian McBride Big Band with Bilal, Patrice Rushen, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Joel Ross’ Good Vibes, and Take Me to the River New Orleans All Stars featuring Cyril Neville.
The festival has grown into the region’s largest outdoor summer jazz event, welcoming tens of thousands of music fans to Montclair each year.
For 2026, the Smithsonian Institution has selected the Montclair Jazz Festival as a collaborating festival for “Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals,” one of a select group of events chosen to help commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
As part of the collaboration, the Smithsonian will bring its annual Folklife Festival beyond Washington, D.C., joining communities across the country in marking the nation’s semiquincentennial and highlighting the role festivals play in civic engagement and cultural exchange.
Festivalgoers will also have the opportunity to participate in We Hold These Truths, a mobile storytelling project inviting visitors to share personal reflections on community, culture, history, and the meaning of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The recorded interviews will become part of the Smithsonian’s Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections.
“We’re honored to welcome the Smithsonian’s We Hold These Truths project to this year’s Montclair Jazz Festival,” said JAZZ HOUSE founder Melissa Walker. “Jazz has always been about sharing stories, building community, and preserving our collective history. This activation gives our audience the opportunity to add their own voices to our nation’s story, ensuring that the experiences and perspectives of our community become part of the historical record for generations to come.”
The project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
This year’s festival will also feature NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves and 2026 NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship recipient Patrice Rushen.
In addition to commemorating the United States semiquincentennial, the 2026 Montclair Jazz Festival will celebrate the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane through a special tribute performance and festival artwork by visual artist Andres Chaparro.
The JAZZ HOUSE Stage will feature centennial celebrations led by the JAZZ HOUSE Collective, an ensemble of faculty members who teach at the organization’s Summer Workshop.
Also performing on the stage will be the JAZZ HOUSE All Stars, featuring rising alumni, and JAZZ HOUSE Emerging Talent, made up of 150 students studying at JAZZ HOUSE this summer.
Festival artistic director Christian McBride selected this year’s performers to spotlight major American jazz cities that have shaped the country’s musical identity.
McBride and his Grammy-winning big band, featuring Bilal, will honor his hometown of Philadelphia with music reflecting the city’s celebrated sound and composers.
Patrice Rushen will represent Los Angeles, while Dianne Reeves will honor Detroit. Spanish Harlem Orchestra will represent New York City.
“The programming at this year’s festival gave us the opportunity to celebrate not only extraordinary artists, but the communities that have shaped America’s musical identity,” McBride said. “Every performance reflects a different chapter in jazz’s ongoing story, honoring the regional sounds, traditions, and innovators that continue to keep this music vibrant. It’s a lineup that reminds us jazz has always been a conversation between places, people, and generations.”
New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, will also play a major role in this year’s festival.
Take Me to the River New Orleans All Stars will feature Cyril Neville, Omari Neville, Ian Neville, and Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. The performance is underwritten by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation.
On August 13, the documentary Take Me to the River: New Orleans will be screened at The Clairidge in collaboration with the Montclair Film Festival. A live question-and-answer session with members of the band and film producer Martin Shore will follow.
The Downtown Jamboree will begin with The Gotham Kings, led by trumpeter Alphonso Horne, marching in a New Orleans-inspired second line down Bloomfield Avenue from Park Street to Lackawanna Plaza.
“Montclair Jazz Festival is the perfect place to celebrate what makes New Orleans so special,” Cyril Neville said. “The Montclair Jazz Festival is reminiscent of our city’s Jazz and Heritage Festival, where there’s something for the whole family. Our city’s music has always been about bringing people together, and that’s exactly what festivals like this do. We’re looking forward to making Montclair feel a little bit like New Orleans for the day.”
New this year, attendees will be required to register for a 2026 Montclair Jazz Festival JAM PASS to attend the Downtown Jamboree.
A “Pay What You Wish” option is available in keeping with JAZZ HOUSE’s commitment to accessibility. Everyone who registers will also be entered for a chance to win a Take 5 VIP Club membership, VIP tent access, and express entry through the new JAM PASS lane.
Registration and additional information are available at montclairjazzfestival.org.
Montclair Jazz Festival Downtown Jamboree Schedule
11 a.m. – Second Line Parade
The Gotham Kings
Route: Church Street and Park Street to Lackawanna Plaza
Main Stage: Noon–8 p.m.
Noon – Spanish Harlem Orchestra, honoring New York City
1:30 p.m. – Dianne Reeves, honoring Detroit
3 p.m. – Take Me to the River New Orleans All Stars featuring Cyril Neville
5 p.m. – Patrice Rushen, honoring Los Angeles
7 p.m. – Christian McBride Big Band featuring Bilal, honoring Philadelphia
JAZZ HOUSE Stage: Noon–8 p.m.
JAZZ HOUSE Collective honoring Miles Davis and John Coltrane
JAZZ HOUSE Emerging Talent
JAZZ HOUSE All Stars
Joel Ross’ Good Vibes
Block Party: 8–10 p.m.
DJ Prince Hakim at Lackawanna Plaza
Post-Party: 9–11 p.m.
Essex Funk Collective at Egan & Sons
The 17th annual Montclair Jazz Festival is supported by the Smithsonian Institution, the National Endowment for the Arts, United Airlines, Allied Beverage Group, Xfinity, the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, The Montclair Foundation, the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, and additional community partners.
For information about attending, volunteering, sponsorships, vendors, or supporting the festival, visit montclairjazzfestival.org.
