JF26-Day-Program by Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH

JAZZ FEST SPONSORS:

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY MCLAUGHLIN & STERN

MEET THE ARTISTS

Dan and Claudia Zanes and Tyree Austin, Bluesy Beats & Jazzy Treats

1-1:45 PM, DIME

MAINSTAGE

Haitian-American jazz vocalist and music therapist Claudia Zanes and Grammy Award winning-all-ages entertainer Dan Zanes have been making music together since the day they met in 2016. During their time together the two have toured extensively; written and performed Night Train 57: A Sensory Friendly Comic Folk Opera for the Kennedy Center; created House Party: A Family Roots Music Treasury songbook for Quarto Publishing Group; and released their first record as a duo, Let Love Be Your Guide, for Smithsonian Folkways. Their follow-up Folkways album, Pieces of Home, was released in August 2024. Vocals! Guitar! Flute! Percussion! Trombone! Harmonica! Jaw Harp! Dan and Claudia bring their social electric folk music with them wherever they go. People attend the highly interactive concerts knowing they’ll be singing along and dancing to a sound that lies at the center of Haitian folk, early rock and roll, sea shanties, Black gospel and blues.

Tyree Austin

Born & raised in Gary, IN, Tyree Austin is an aspiring vocalist with versatility and knowledge in R&B, Gospel, Jazz, & Blues. He is a recent Howard University Graduate of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, receiving his Bachelor’s in Music Business & Jazz Voice. While at Howard, Tyree’s collegiate trajectory includes being a member of Afro Blue, Howard’s premier vocal jazz ensemble, The Howard Gospel Choir, & Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America Inc. He has had the honor

as both a solo and ensemble artist to share the stage with and sing background for Mariah Carey, Fantasia, Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, Queen Latifah, Tia Fuller, Sheléa, & many more.

William Hill III

1-1:45 PM, WINNICK HOUSE

William Hill III is a pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader based in New York City hailing from Detroit, Michigan. Hill is a graduate of the Detroit School of Arts (Class of 2022) and a recent graduate of Manhattan School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree (Class of 2026). He will continue his education in the fall as a graduate student at The Juilliard School (Class of 2028).

Hill has had the opportunity to participate in many summer extensive jazz camps such as Jazz House Kids, Jr. Jazz Academy at Lincoln Center, Berklee Summer Programs, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Motown Lyric Project, Keeping an Eye Summer Jazz Workshop located at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead, and many others.

Hill is honored to receive awards from programs such as the National Young Arts Foundation, a multi-year winner in the instrumental contemporary category for the NAACP ACT-SO National Competition, and the West Virginia University International Jazz Piano Competition.

Musicians that Hill has worked alongside and have been mentored by include Marc Cary, Aaron Parks, Buster Williams, Christian McBride, Jaleel Shaw, Jazzmeia Horn, Joe Farnsworth, Ari Hoenig, Jason Moran, Rodney Whitaker, Wynton Marsalis, and many more. Hill has had the opportunity to perform at the 46th Annual Detroit Jazz Festival, 2026 Jazz Congress, Unity Jazz Festival, Winter Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow Jazz Club, Minton’s Playhouse, The Kennedy Center,

Esplanade-Theaters on the Bay (Singapore), Blue Note Tokyo, and many others to name a few. Hill recently released his sophomore album, Keep it Movin’, in the summer of 2025. Hill’s passion in life as a musician is to spread joy to everyone around the world with the music that he produces.

Kal Ferretti Celebrates Miles Davis’ Centennial

2-2:45 PM, UNIVERSITY ARCHES

Kal Ferretti is a 23-year-old trumpet player based in NYC. She has performed with large ensembles such as the Christian McBride Big Band, Ted Nash Big Band, The Mingus Big Band/Dynasty, Helen Sung Big Band, Michael Leonhart Orchestra, JALC’s Future of Jazz Orchestra, and the JALC Kenny Dorham Festival Band. In addition, she has played in small groups led by Matt Wilson, Donny McCaslin, Jon Faddis, Bruce Harris, Ben Allison, and David Glasser. Kal was recently awarded 1st place in the 2026 ITG Ryan Anthony Memorial Jazz Improv Competition.

Kal also leads her own quartet and big band. Her groups have performed at Dizzy’s Club and Bern Jazz Festival. She is also passionate about teaching and has served as a teaching assistant for JALC Summer Jazz Academy and Jazz House Kids, and performs as an accompanist for JALC Webop Classes.

Kal has been selected for awards/honors such as the Ravinia Steans Institute, JAS Academy, JEN Sisters in Jazz, Dave Douglas’ FONT, Keep an Eye Jazz Award, Hudson Jazz Workshop, and the IASJ Conference. She has performed at venues such as the Kennedy Center, Dizzy’s, JALC Rose Theater, David Geffen Hall, Birdland, Smalls, Bimhuis, Blue Note and more. Kal is an alum of Manhattan School of Music (MM), The New School for Jazz (BFA) LaGuardia High School, and the JALC Youth Orchestra.

Ruby Laks

2-2:45 PM,

WINNICK HOUSE

Singer and drummer Ruby Laks studied at Oberlin Conservatory, where she worked under the guidance of Billy Hart and LaTanya Hall. She has performed in both intimate jazz clubs and on major stages, appearing at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Neue House Hollywood, 54 Below, and The Aman. She has also been featured at festivals including the Next-Gen Jazz Festival, the MIJA Jazz Festival, and the Monterey Jazz Festival with the Women in Jazz Band.

Ruby has shared the stage with a wide range of acclaimed musicians, including Edmar Colón, Chico Pinheiro, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Gerald Cannon. She brings a dynamic and versatile presence to every collaboration, driven by an enthusiasm for performance and a deep love of music.

Bobby Sanabria & Ascensión

3-3:45 PM,

DIME MAINSTAGE

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, documentary film producer, activist, radio host, writer, and multi-Grammy nominated as a leader, Bobby Sanabria is a native Nuyorican son of the South Bronx. His versatility as both a drummer and percussionist from small group to big band has become legendary. He’s performed and recorded with every major figure in the history of Latin jazz, jazz, and salsa, with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito D’Rivera, Candido, Charles McPherson, Larry Harlow, Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz, and the Father of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá, where he was his drummer for 9 years touring and recording on his major Grammy nominated albums. He is the leader of Quarteto Aché, Sexteto Ibiano, Ascensión, and his Multiverse Big Band with a recent appearance at the 2025

Newport Jazz festival with his ensemble Ascensión drawing a standing ovation after the first tune. His big band albums have all been nominated for Grammys for a total of nine, including Afro-Cuban Dream: Live & In Clave!!! recorded live at Birdland, NYC (2000), Big Band Urban Folktales (2007), Multiverse (double Grammy nominated 2012), and West Side Story Reimagined, a two-CD set recorded live at Dizzy’s, NYC, which was awarded the Jazz Journalists Record of the Year Award (2019) and hailed as a masterpiece by the Wall Street Journal, as well as Kenya Revisited Live!!! (2009) and Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!! (2011), with Bobby conducting the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. DRUM! magazine named him Percussionist of the Year (2005); he was named Percussionist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2011 and 2013. He has been named one of the top ten percussionists in the world by the readers and critics of Downbeat magazine for the last 12 years and is a member of Max Roach’s legendary percussion ensemble M’BOOM now currently led by Joe Chambers. Mr. Sanabria has composed the music for several award-winning, critically acclaimed documentaries: From Mambo to Hip Hop: A South Bronx Tale (2006) where he was also a producer, consultant and on-air personality, Some Girls (2017), and La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla (2020). Other documentaries he has been featured in on screen and acted on as a consultant, producer are, The Palladium: Where Mambo Was King (2003), Latin Music U.S.A. (2006), We Like It Like That: The Story of Latin Boogaloo (2015), and Let’s Get the Rhythm (2016). In 2012 Maestro Sanabria was selected by legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock to represent Latin jazz with his Quarteto Ache’ as part of the first Annual UNESCO International Day of Jazz at the United Nations.

Among his numerous awards include induction into the 2006 Bronx Walk of Fame, the 2018 Jazz Education Network’s LeJENS of Latin Jazz Award and being honored by his name being read into the U.S. Congressional Record by Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio in 2008. In 2019 he was named Godfather/Padrino of the National

Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. He was recently bestowed an Honorary Doctorate by Lehman College in New York. He was formerly on the faculty of his alma mater, the Berklee College of Music, NYU, The Manhattan School of Music (20 years) and has been on the faculty of The New School University (his 30th year). He is the Co-Artistic Director of the Bronx Music Heritage Center/Bronx Music Hall and is the host of the Latin Jazz Cruise on WBGO FM, the World’s leading jazz station. His lifetime dedication to spreading the history, culture of jazz and Latin jazz to the general public as a performer, composer, arranger and bandleader, as well as educating a new generation of players, composers, arrangers, has no parallel. His latest critically acclaimed double CD with his Multiverse Big Band, VOX HUMANA, recorded live at Dizzy’s, NYC, features vocalists Janis Siegel, Antoinette Montague and Jennifer Jade Ledesna and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz recording (2024). His current CD project (2026) recorded live at the Bronx Music Hall with his Multiverse Big Band, ARSENIO AND BEYOND, honors the most important musician in the history of Cuban-based dance music and the true Father of Mambo, Arsenio Rodriguez.

Jarien Jamanila Trio: Coltrane at 100 Celebration

4-4:45 PM, UNIVERSITY ARCHES

Jarien Jamanila is a woodwinds specialist born and raised in San Diego, California. He picked up the alto saxophone at age 10 and in his teenage years took interest in the flute and clarinet. At age 19, he moved to study in New York City and got a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School in 2021. In 2024, he released his debut album with a quartet of original compositions entitled, Jarien Plays Jamanila. In 2026, he released a drumless trio record entitled Speak Low, showcasing his love for the lower pitched instruments like bass sax, bass clarinet, and bass flute. He has been blessed to stay busy freelancing in New York City.

Chico Pinheiro

4-4:45 PM, WINNICK HOUSE

Chico Pinheiro is an exceptional Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger known for his beautiful tone, fluid playing, and unique musical voice that blends Brazilian music, classical, and jazz. Twice nominated for a Grammy Award (2019 & 2020), Chico has established himself as one of the leading artists in contemporary jazz.

Born in São Paulo, he began playing guitar at age 6 and started working professionally as a session musician by 14. His debut album Meia Noite Meio Dia (Sony, 2003) received critical acclaim in Brazil and internationally and was featured in the top 10 albums of the year by Brazil’s major newspapers. Subsequent releases — Chico Pinheiro (2005), NOVA (2007, with Anthony Wilson), and There’s a Storm Inside (2010) — further solidified his reputation. The latter featured Dianne Reeves and Bob Mintzer, and was released in 35 countries, winning several Latin jazz awards, including Best Brazilian Jazz Album and Best Latin Jazz Composition (Mamulengo).

Chico has been named “Rising Star Guitarist” multiple times in DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll and continues to receive praise for his originality and artistry. His 2012 collaboration TRIZ (with André Mehmari and Sergio Santos) and 2017 release Varanda were both recognized as best-of-the-year in major publications. His composition “Varanda” was recently performed by Vince Mendoza and the WDR Big Band in the Focus on Brazil project alongside works by Jobim, Villa-Lobos, and Gilberto Gil.

Chico was nominated consecutively for the Grammy Award in the “Best Latin Jazz Album” category in 2020 and 2021, the latter for his album City of Dreams. He was also nominated in 2024 for the Prêmio da Música Brasileira—often referred to as the Brazilian Grammy—for his album Two Brothers, a collaboration with Romero Lubambo.

Today Pinheiro is considered a leading figure in - and outside the Brazilian music scene, who has distinguished himself as a guitarist, composer, and arranger. Alongside with his main projects as leader, he also has collaborated with artists such as Placido Domingo, Kathleen Battle, Brad Mehldau, Dave Grusin, Kenny Werner, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Danilo Pérez, Nnenna Freelon, Bob Mintzer, Herbie Hancock, Brian Blade (IJD), Ron Carter, Chris Potter, John Patitucci, Renee Rosnes, WDR Big Band, Danish Radio Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Israel Chamber Orchestra, The Bob Mintzer Big Band, The Paris Jazz Big Band, The Swiss Jazz Orchestra, The Danish Radio Big Band, The Seasons Guitar Quartet with Anthony Wilson, Julian Lage & Steve Cardenas, Esperanza Spalding, Joyce, Ivan Lins, Rosa Passos, Dori Caymmi, Danilo Caymmi, João Donato, Johnny Alf, Ed Motta, César Camargo Mariano, Elza Soares, Mark Turner, Tom Scott, Joe Lovano, Luciana Souza, Eddie Gomez, Lee Ritenour, Cachaíto Lopez (Buena Vista Social Club), Roberto Fonseca, Ari Hoenig, Claudio Roditi, Duduka da Fonseca, Peter Erskine, amongst others.

The Hot Jazz All-Stars

5-5:45 PM, DIME MAINSTAGE

Join the New Orleans-style Second Line Parade immediately after their set!

The Hot Jazz All-Stars unite an extraordinary lineup of New York City’s finest traditional jazz musicians for a joyful, high-energy celebration of America’s original music. Tracing the story of jazz from its New Orleans roots through the roaring Chicago and Harlem scenes of the 1920s and ’30s and into the sophisticated swing of the West Coast, this all-star ensemble brings history vividly to life with dazzling musicianship, infectious rhythms, and unforgettable performances. The group features internationally acclaimed trumpeter and vocalist Bria Skonberg,

award-winning clarinetist and saxophonist Dan Levinson, celebrated trombonist and vocalist Ron Wilkins, acclaimed jazz singer Molly Ryan, Grammy Award-winning pianist, bassist, and vocalist Conal Fowkes, acclaimed guitarist Justin Poindexter, master bassist Tal Ronen, and drummer Alex Raderman. Collectively, these artists have appeared at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Newport, Monterey, Montreal, and New Orleans Jazz Festivals; performed on Grammy-winning recordings and the soundtracks of Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Midnight in Paris, and The Aviator; and collaborated with many of the greatest names in jazz. Whether performing a New Orleans parade tune, a Chicago stomper, a Harlem stride classic, or a swinging American songbook favorite, The Hot Jazz AllStars deliver a festival experience that is authentic, exhilarating, and impossible to resist.