In Chicago Illlinois; As the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2026, the city will mark the initiative’s 15th anniversary with a month-long lineup of performances, educational programs and community events presented by the Chicago Jazz Alliance in partnership with UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The event’s lineup, announced today by UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, includes musicians Gregory Porter (United States of America), James Morrison (Australia), Tiger Okoshi (Japan), Mandisi Dyantyis (South Africa), Antonio Sánchez (Mexico), Mino Cinélu (Martinique, France) and many more. The All-Star Global Concert in Chicago will be streamed to millions live worldwide, free of charge, in 4K on YouTube at yt.be/jazzday, where viewers can already sign up for notifications, as well as via UNESCO, UNTV, jazzday.com, Facebook, and other international media partners. Watch the livestream!
Other celebrations: Honoring the city’s illustrious jazz heritage—where legends such as Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton shaped the evolution of the music—Chicago is hosting a series of performances, educational programmes and community initiatives from 1 April to 3 May. These initiatives are designed to showcase jazz’s enduring ability, throughout history and today, to inspire a shared sense of humanity through culture. Highlights of the Chicago programme include a performance by the Chicago Jazz Orchestra at Unity Temple on 28 April, the UNESCO World Heritage–listed architectural landmark designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The programme will feature Usonian Structures, composed by saxophonist and arranger Andy Farber—the work is inspired by Wright’s organic and functional design philosophy. A special screening of Birdman, the Academy Award–winning film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and featuring a celebrated jazz score by Antonio Sánchez, will also be presented live in concert on 27 April by the composer, highlighting the connection between jazz and cinematic storytelling.
The Events will take place around the world through organizing partners in over 190 countries and all 50 U.S. states. United, the International Jazz Day Global Airline Partner, headquartered in Chicago is providing air transportation and additional support for artists and educators. Major programmes within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network expand the global footprint of International Jazz Day—with U.S. member cities such as Kansas City and the newly designated New Orleans—fostering international cultural exchange and promoting creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development. Most events are free and open to the public. Additional programs will be streamed throughout the day on 30 April.A full week of featured events from April 25–May 2 will spotlight the musicians, neighborhoods and institutions that keep jazz thriving across Chicago, all leading up to the International Jazz Day Global All-Star Concert on April 30th.
International Jazz Day 2026 to celebrate 15th anniversary with All-Star Global Concert live from Chicago
On Mat 3rd, 2026, ‘In the Key of Peace’: UNESCO, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and C asean to host International Jazz Day 2026 Celebration in Bangkok. The evening features the award-winning Horwang School Big Band, the multinational C asean Consonant, and Bangkok Big Band, with special appearances by Koh Mr. Saxman and Sax Pack Girl. Join us for a celebration of music and the art of listening across different cultures. Learn more
On April 30th 2026, In Samoa, UNESCO supports the celebration of International Jazz Day 2026 in Samoa with Samoana Jazz Rising, a vibrant and dynamic event to be held at the Tiapapata Art Centre in Apia. Free and open to the public, the celebration invites communities across Samoa to join a global movement highlighting the power of jazz.
This year’s celebration is particularly significant, marking the 15th anniversary of International Jazz Day and the centenary of jazz icon Miles Davis. In Samoa, Samoana Jazz Rising, organized in collaboration with members of the Samoana Jazz and Arts Festival community, will bring together musicians from Samoa, American Samoa, and across the Pacific. The event offers a dynamic platform for musical exchange, creativity, and community participation. The programme will feature a diverse lineup of artists, including Stuart Wallace, Michael Tamanikaiyaroi and the Sinalei Strings Band. The event offers a dynamic platform for musical exchange, creativity, and community participation. The celebration begins with an interactive educational exchange session—an open and inclusive space welcoming young learners, as well as emerging and established musicians of all backgrounds and disciplines, to explore jazz through an open jam and collaborative learning. This session offers a unique opportunity for participants to experience jazz as a living, evolving art form. The evening continues with a concert showcasing local and regional talent, highlighting the richness of jazz in the Pacific and blending global influences with local cultural expressions. Samoa has a longstanding connection to jazz, dating back to the early twentieth century and reflected in pioneering artists such as Mavis Rivers, the “Queen of Jazz of the Pacific.” Through initiatives such as Samoana Jazz Rising, UNESCO continues to support spaces that nurture talent, celebrate cultural diversity, and strengthen connections between global and local musical traditions. Registrations are strongly encouraged, as spaces are limited. Please register here: SAMOA JAZZ RISING 30 APRIL 2026 REGISTRATION. For more information, please contact Ms Sara Garcia de Ugarte, Culture Programme Specialist, UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States (s.ugarte@unesco.org)
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LIVESTREAM: ALL STAR GLOBAL CONCERT FROM CHICAGO.
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