Article Contributed by DL Media
Published on 2026-03-23
Jazz Aspen Snowmass 2026
For a few nights each June, downtown Aspen becomes its own kind of musical maze—part jazz walk, part roots-and-blues crawl, part serendipity engine. That spirit returns in full when Jazz Aspen Snowmass brings back the JAS June Experience from June 25-28, transforming the downtown core into a staggered, multi-venue celebration built on movement, discovery, and intimate live performance.
Jazz Aspen Snowmass has just announced the initial artist and venue line-up for the JAS June Experience, taking place June 25-28 in downtown Aspen. The Experience will consist of multiple staggered shows daily, taking place at up to ten different venues, allowing attendees the opportunity to stroll around town and enjoy a full night of diverse music genres and settings. With all venues within a short walk in Aspen’s downtown core, and artists performing multiple shows throughout the weekend, the JAS June Experience offers a premium on intimate gatherings, spontaneous listening choices, movement and discovery.
JAS President & CEO Jim Horowitz offered, “JAS is thrilled to once again be presenting our multi-venue, JAS June Experience, which has become a widely popular, great new tradition in downtown Aspen in recent years. Discovery and surprise are the biggest rewards, as attendees customize their itinerary across multiple venues nightly, but always make room for spontaneous changes of plan to hear new artists generating great buzz.”
Passes for the event go on sale Wednesday, March 18 at 10 a.m. MST and will include the choice of single-day or two-day general admission passes, along with three-day VIP passes. This year the nightly VIP dinner and concerts will be held at the new Paul JAS Center, JAS’ permanent home.
In addition to the Paul JAS Center, JAS plans to host performances at Belly Up Aspen, Wheeler Opera House, the Rooftop at the Aspen Art Museum, Limelight Hotel, W Hotel, The Little Nell, The Sterling, and Hotel Jerome’s Felix Roasting Co. and Bad Harriet.
General admission passes include entrance into all participating venues each night, including the opportunity to enjoy the late performance at the Paul JAS Center on both Friday and Saturday nights. The general admission pass for Friday, June 26 is $140 and includes entrance into eight venues. Saturday, June 27 general admission passes are $165 and include entrance into ten venues. A two-day general admission pass, good for both Friday and Saturday, will be available for $250. Three-night VIP passes are $1,250 each, including a $500 tax deduction.
VIP passes include three nights of dinner and drinks plus stellar nightly music performances at the Paul JAS Center, along with entrance into all other participating venues. Things kick off for VIP ticket holders on Thursday, June 25 with a cocktail party and concert featuring The New Orleans Suspects and their deep NOLA grooves.
Limited single-show tickets will also be available for performances taking place at Belly Up Aspen, Wheeler Opera House, W Hotel, and Aspen Art Museum.
2026 JAS JUNE EXPERIENCE ARTISTS
Thursday, June 25
The New Orleans Suspects have been tearing up the festival and club circuits for the last ten years. Their music combines irresistibly tight funk, soulful horns, Americana-based rhythm and blues, and a pinch of jamband to create a uniquely funky groove.
Friday, June 26
The Family Stone keeps the music of Sly and the Family Stone alive on stages around the world. Formed in San Francisco in 1966, Sly and the Family Stone made history as America’s first major multi-racial, multi-gender touring band. Their infectious blend of funk, soul, R&B, rock, and psychedelia propelled them to global fame.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe has electrified audiences around the world for more than 25 years, from the fields of Naeba in Japan at Fuji Rock Festival to the hallowed stage of Madison Square Garden. They are highly regarded as one of the best live acts on the planet.
Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-A-Whirl Band continue the four-time GRAMMY Award winner’s lifelong mission to keep the blues vibrant, vital, and full of life. After worldwide success with The Fabulous Thunderbirds in the ’80s, Vaughan set out on his own path, exploring fresh approaches to the blues while honoring its roots.
Ally Venable, the Texas blues-rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist extraordinaire, has built a reputation for dazzling crowds on tour and throughout the festival circuit. As Guitar Player Magazine notes, “Venable pulls off a stunner of gritty and/or sultry blues rock tunes embellished with lots of tasty guitar solos.”
Saturday, June 27
Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles bring the deep, electrifying sound that has made Henry one of the most compelling and influential figures in contemporary music. Their live performances leave audiences exhilarated wherever they play.
The Robert Cray Band has spent decades touring and recording a distinctive groove born from soul, R&B, gospel, blues, and rock ’n’ roll. Cray is a five-time GRAMMY winner, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee, and a recipient of the Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance.
Vincen Garcia, the acclaimed Spanish bassist from Valencia, has emerged as one of the most exciting names in the modern jazz and funk world. With more than 14 years of professional experience, he has developed a distinctive, energetic, and gritty sound that is drawing major international buzz.
“Remembering Ray Brown,” featuring Christian McBride, Benny Green & Greg Hutchinson, honors the legendary bassist whose work with the Oscar Peterson Trio helped define the modern jazz trio format. Ray Brown also played an important role in JAS history, helping launch the organization’s first summer “Jazz Colony” education residency and introducing JAS to Christian McBride in the mid-1990s, beginning a multi-decade relationship that continues today.
Acoustic Alchemy, the English acoustic and contemporary jazz group founded in the early 1980s, continues to thrive more than 35 years into its recording and touring career. Their enduring appeal comes in part from a refusal to fit neatly into a category, choosing instead to simply make the music they love.
Anat Cohen “Quartetinho” brings the expressive virtuosity and magnetic stage presence that have made the clarinetist-saxophonist one of the most admired musicians in jazz today. Her performances consistently charm both longtime listeners and newcomers alike.
Sue Foley is a multi-award-winning blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose latest album, One Guitar Woman: A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar, earned a 2025 GRAMMY nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. Known for her fiery playing and soulful voice, Foley blends Texas blues grit with refined fingerstyle technique.
JAS Academy Big Band led by Christian McBride with special guest Lizz Wright adds another major highlight to the weekend lineup.
Friday, June 26 & Saturday, June 27
Tony Monaco’s B-3 Funk & Groove Unit, mentored by the legendary Jimmy Smith, brings explosive, dynamic, and powerful organ trio music to the June Experience.
Diego Figueiredo & Chiarra Izzi unite the GRAMMY-nominated Brazilian guitar virtuoso with the award-winning Italian singer-songwriter for a set blending jazz, Brazilian sounds, Latin rhythms, and global influences into an irresistible duo performance.
Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
The June Experience will close on Sunday, June 28 with a New Orleans Brunch concert. Brunch tickets are $99 and include the concert, full breakfast buffet, and a bottomless Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar.
The full JAS June Experience daily schedule, ticket information, and more can be found at jazzaspensnowmass.org.
