There is no script. It’s conversation. The emotion is given to you by musicians as they make split-second decisions to fulfill what they feel the moment requires. “
— Wynton Marsalis
Music created in the moment may be as charged as bringing history forward to illuminate the present or as delicate as a dialogue between two musicians on stage. Symphony Center Presents Jazz opens the door to a stage where history breathes, bold ideas take shape in real time and icons stand alongside artists reshaping the future of jazz. In this musical exchange between artists and audiences, legacy is honored and carried forward.
FREEDOM RIDERS with special guests KURT ELLING & LIZZ WRIGHT
Sarah Elizabeth Charles vocals
Alfredo Colón alto saxophone
Tomoki Sanders tenor saxophone
Milena Casado trumpet
Carmen Staaf piano
Ben Williams bass
Makaya McCraven drums
Sasha Berliner vibraphone
In the 1960s, Freedom Rider activists challenged racial segregation in the Southern United States. With reverence for their courage and struggle, this groundbreaking international jazz collective features a new generation of artists and composers who continue in the tradition of providing a soundtrack to the global civil rights movement. Joined by esteemed vocalists Kurt Elling and Lizz Wright, the Freedom Riders band offers vital inspiration through music that unites audiences with the energy and spirit of shared humanity.
BRANFORD MARSALIS & DIANNE REEVES CELEBRATE JOHN COLTRANE
Jazz would not sound the same today without John Coltrane. Known for dissolving the boundaries of jazz, he could “pull listeners right out of their chairs” (Jazz Review). The Branford Marsalis Quartet and Dianne Reeves — artists with the stature and fire to meet the moment — celebrate Coltrane’s centennial with a one-of-a-kind program that highlights their own improvisational brilliance and selections from their upcoming album revisiting Coltrane’s seminal 1963 collaboration with Johnny Hartman.
JEFF PARKER & THE NEW BREED
Jeff Parker guitar / Josh Johnson alto saxophone
Paul Bryan bass / Makaya McCraven drums
ISAIAH COLLIER & THE DEFIANCE
Guitarist Jeff Parker and saxophonist Isaiah Collier embody the modern Chicago sound — music shaped by rhythm, risk and a fearless tradition of innovation. With The New Breed, Parker experiments in sample-based improvisation, combining jazz, lo-fi and instrumental hip-hop into his unmistakable sonic palette, developed over 40 years. Collier, an alumnus of ChiArts and Jazz Institute of Chicago programs and one of today’s fresh voices, builds on the lineage of saxophone greats like John Coltrane and Ari Brown, crafting music charged with a fierce immediacy.
JOHN SCOFIELD & DAVE HOLLAND
Recognized without dispute as two of the finest jazz interpreters, guitarist John Scofield and bassist Dave Holland join forces to present a new conversation. Performing as a duo, the longtime colleagues bring their diverse musical backgrounds and infinite talent to a program featuring original compositions and their take on a selection of jazz standards. Expect nothing less than a distinctive and compelling meeting of their musical minds.
STANLEY CLARKE & HIROMI along with PUBLIQuartet
Celebrate the Music
of
Chick Corea & Beyond
NEA Jazz Master and four-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Stanley Clarke teams up with frequent collaborator Hiromi — “one of jazz piano’s most brazenly virtuosic players” (The New York Times) — to pay tribute to their friend, the visionary pianist and composer Chick Corea. From straight-ahead to avant-garde, bebop to fusion, Corea helped shape the sound of modern jazz. Joined by the innovative string ensemble PUBLIQuartet, Clarke and Hiromi perform Corea’s works, alongside original pieces inspired by his boundless creativity.
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
Nearly 40 years after founding the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis leads his final season as music director, concluding a transformative tenure that elevated jazz nationwide. “Wynton raised it up to make it what it should be: a true art of American culture” (Gordon J. Davis, founding chair of Jazz at Lincoln Center). In Chicago, it has been an honor to have Marsalis and the orchestra call Symphony Center their second home. This performance promises to swing as hard as ever — an evening to remember as we celebrate a legend.
JOEL ROSS: GOOD VIBES
THE VIBRAPHONE SUMMIT with Warren Wolf, Joe Locke, Stefon Harris & Chien Chien Lu
The modern vibraphone was born in Chicago, when J. C. Deagan, Inc., unveiled the vibraharp in 1927. A century later, that history reverberates at Symphony Center. Chicagoan Joel Ross and his band Good Vibes “treat rhythm as both fundamental and unfixed” (The New York Times), balancing complexity, lyricism and emotional clarity. Led by vibes master Warren Wolf and featuring today’s top vibraphonists — Joe Locke, Stefon Harris and Chien Chien Lu — The Vibraphone Summit lets the instrument’s past and present ring side by side, honoring pioneers from Lionel Hampton to Milt Jackson.
CHUCHO VALDÉS 85TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION with special guests
Joe Lovano & Etienne Charles
Cuban pianist, composer, arranger and NEA Jazz Master Chucho Valdés — winner of seven Grammy and seven Latin Grammy Awards — is described by Billboard as “one of the most influential figures in modern Afro-Cuban jazz.” Across a remarkable 60-year career, he has redefined Afro-Cuban music, “seamlessly weaving aspects of folk, jazz and classical into a singular musical vision” (DownBeat). Celebrate Valdés’ 85th birthday with a captivating program featuring saxophonist and longtime collaborator Joe Lovano and Trinidad-born trumpeter Etienne Charles.
SUBSCRIPTION OVERVIEW
JAZZ A / SAVE 30%
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JAZZ A1 / SAVE 20%
OCT 16
FEB 5
MAR 19
JUNE 4
Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane
Jeff Parker & The New Breed / Isaiah Collier & The Defiance
Stanley Clarke & Hiromi with PUBLIQuartet
Chucho Valdés with Joe Lovano & Etienne Charles
JAZZ A2 / SAVE 20%
OCT 2
FEB 19
APR 20
MAY 14
Freedom Riders with special guests Kurt Elling & Lizz Wright
John Scofield & Dave Holland
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
New to subscribing? It’s
Joel Ross: Good Vibes / The Vibraphone Summit Visit
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A curated subscription is perfect if you …
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Symphony Center Presents Jazz subscribers have access to ...
• A FREE one-year subscription to DownBeat Get in-depth coverage of the international jazz scene from Chicago’s own DownBeat! While supplies last
• 50% off at Jazz Showcase on SCP Jazz concert nights when you show your ticket stub or subscriber ID at the door.
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Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Don’t miss Wynton Marsalis in his final Chicago performance as music director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra!
Wynton Marsalis combines the rhythmic language of New Orleans funk, the melodic influence of unsung Crescent City genius James Black and a trio of soulful sirens to satirize the public’s descent into supporting a sectarian, con-man leader called Mr. Game (Wendell Pierce). Set in contemporary America, Marsalis’ 2018 oratorio seems to be prophetic in light of today’s national climate. At times humorous, infuriating, pathetic and sobering, this non-partisan examination of the cost of apathy and the loss of empathy may provoke deeper thoughts and feelings to inspire meaningful action.
SEATING CHART
FOR 2026/27
Box Level seats are now numbered and assigned.
ENHANCE YOUR CONCERT EXPERIENCE
Dine at the Thomas Club
Located on the ninth floor of Symphony Center, The Richard & Helen Thomas Club provides an enchanting dining experience with spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Open on select concert dates, the club invites ticket holders to enjoy a seasonal prix fixe menu in an elegant, tranquil setting before performances.
Sound Bites: preorder meals for pickup
Preorder a meal to enjoy before your concert with Sound Bites. Select from a menu of handcrafted sandwiches, salads and various snacks, and your order will be ready for pickup at the Bass Bar in the Rotunda of Symphony Center. View menus, make a reservation and learn more at cso.org/dining
EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW
Andrew Bird & the CSO
FRI NOV 13 7:30
SAT NOV 14 7:30
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Bird violin and vocals
Jacomo Bairos conductor
Grammy-nominated violinist, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Andrew Bird makes his CSO debut with his acclaimed record The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Featuring a full album performance with orchestral arrangements, the concert caps off with a suite of fan-favorite tunes from his near 30-year repertoire.
Pink Martini
FRI FEB 12 8:00
Storm Large vocals
Pink Martini returns with its joyously freewheeling blend of classic pop, big band and Latin music, joined by powerhouse vocalist Storm Large.
Lila Downs: Cambias mi Mundo
SUN APR 4 7:00
A magnetic force in Latin music, Lila Downs brings her dusky, soulful voice to richly layered songs on yearning, identity, justice and folklore.
Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More?
MON MAY 24 7:30
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Keith Lockhart conductor
Michael Feinstein piano and vocals
Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano
CSO Artist-in-Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet teams up with pianist, singer and American songbook expert Michael Feinstein in an extraordinary evening that celebrates George Gershwin and his musical universe. This performance is part of a fundraising event presented in partnership by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the League of the CSOA. Proceeds benefit the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s artistic, educational and community engagement programs in Chicago and around the globe.
