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Berklee College of Music is announcing the recipient of the inaugural Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole Scholarship: Paris Pineyro. The $75,000 scholarship — a joint presentation from the Natalie Cole Foundation and Nat King Cole Generation of Hope — was established to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Natalie Cole’s birth this year as well as celebrate the trailblazing and enduring legacies of pianist/singer Cole and his singer-songwriter daughter.

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In a joint statement given to Billboard, twin sisters Casey Cole and Timolin Cole-Augustus, said, “Our father and sister were known for their vocal abilities and emotional delivery, even with dad often insisting he was a pianist first and foremost. Their dedication to their vocal craft is one of the reasons we’re so happy that Paris is the inaugural recipient of the Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole Scholarship. Paris is a talented singer and an exemplary student, and we’re honored to connect our family’s legacy to a voice of the future through this scholarship with Berklee College of Music.”

Pineyro, a sophomore at Berklee who goes by the artist name Paris Dior, is studying music business/management and performance. In the Berklee press announcement, Pineyro commented, “It’s more than recognition — it reflects every late night, every struggle and every moment I pushed through my doubts. It reminds me that even when the path feels impossible, perseverance can lead to something truly ‘unforgettable,’ to quote the iconic Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole. I wish to express my sincere appreciation for being selected as the first recipient of this scholarship. It was an unexpected honor that fills me with deep gratitude. I am so grateful to the Natalie Cole Foundation and Nat King Cole Generation Hope for believing in my potential and investing in my journey.”

A jazz and pop vocalist as well as a pianist, Nat King Cole is known for standards such as “Mona Lisa,” “Nature Boy” and holiday classic “The Christmas Song.” Daughter Natalie won nine Grammys during her career — including best new artist. Her repertoire includes “This Will Be,” “I’ve Got Love on My Mind” and “Unforgettable,” a 1991 duet with her late father that reprised his own 1951 hit. Natalie was also awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 1995.

“It is an absolute privilege to be part of the first ever Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole Scholarship, honoring the legacy of two of the most inspirational artists of all time,” said Phil Lima, assistant chair of the Voice department at Berklee, in a statement provided to Billboard. “It is fitting for Paris to become the inaugural recipient of this award as she has already inspired so many of her instructors and peers in our community through her impressive abilities and instincts as a creator, and her generous and affirming nature as a collaborator and supporter. The scholarship opens more doors for Paris to advance her education and her career. We are excited for many more young Berklee musicians to have the same opportunity in the years to come.”

Find more information about Berklee scholarships here.

Trending on Billboard Samara Joy will be adding another checkmark to her growing list of milestones this weekend when she makes her debut on Austin City Limits. The 2025 NAACP Image Award winner and five-time Grammy-winning artist will take her bow on PBS stations nationwide tomorrow, Nov. 1 (7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET). Explore See […]

Samara Joy is set to receive the Ella Fitzgerald Award at the 2025 Montreal Jazz Festival on June 28 at Maison symphonique, Place des Arts. Joy has won five Grammys in the last three years (from five nominations, for a perfect score so far). She won best new artist in 2023 and has won two awards each for best jazz vocal album and best jazz performance.
Fitzgerald, of course, was Grammy royalty. At the inaugural Grammy ceremony in 1959, she became the first woman to receive an album of the year nomination (for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook). In 1967, she became the first woman to receive a lifetime achievement Award from the Recording Academy.

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Joy is the 25th winner of the Ella Fitzgerald Award, which is given annually to a talented jazz singer who has had a major impact on the international scene.

Thundercat, Natalia Lafourcade, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Duncan Hunter Neale are also set to be honored at the festival, which is officially dubbed the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.

Thundercat will receive the Miles Davis Award on Tuesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Thundercat is the 30th winner of the award, which pays tribute to a world-renowned jazz artist, their body of work and their innovation in the genre. Thundercat, who has won two Grammys, has in recent years gone from virtuoso bassist to star.

Natalia Lafourcade will receive the Antônio Carlos Jobim Award on Thursday, June 26, and Friday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Lafourcade is the 20th winner of the award, which honors artists who stand out in world music. Lafourcade, a four-time Grammy winner, blends traditional Latin American music and contemporary sounds.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram will receive the B.B. King Award on Thursday July 3 at 7:30 p.m. at TD Stage. “Kingfish” is the eighth winner of the award, which honors a standout artist on the blues scene. “Kingfish,” who won a Grammy in 2022 for best contemporary blues album, is a critically-acclaimed guitarist, singer and songwriter.

Duncan Hunter Neale will receive the Oliver Jones Award on Saturday, July 5 at 6 p.m. at Le Studio TD. This award was created in honor of Oliver Jones, a Montréal jazz icon who has left an indelible mark on the history of the festival. Neale, an emerging trumpeter on the Montréal music scene, is the fifth recipient of the award, which is given to young, university-level musicians who identify as members of visible minorities or Indigenous communities. The Ottawa-born Neale studied music improvisation and composition at McGill University, where he became better acquainted with Black American music and the history of the African diaspora, while reconnecting with his Ghanaian heritage.

The 45th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will take place from June 26 to July 5 in the Quartier des Spectacles, which is located in the heart of downtown Montreal. The festival will entail close to 150 indoor concerts and more than 350 free, open-air shows, presented on the Place des Festivals.

Laufey shares how Disney has inspired her music, why she chose Suki Waterhouse to go on tour with her, and teases her new album!

Are you excited for her new album? Let us know in the comments!

Tetris Kelly: Hanging out with Laufey at the House of Mouse. How’s it feel to be here tonight? 

Laufey: I’m so excited. There’s like, I’m seeing already so much, like, many ears and bows and like- 

It’s the merch for me. 

It’s always the merch for me. 

I mean, what is your Disney experience like? What has the brand meant to you? 

Oh, my God. I mean, it’s just my childhood, right? I think growing up, I didn’t really have… I always loved, like, old music, old sounds. I didn’t have much context for it, but I always heard it in movies. And like, the way I told my friends about my music and, like, my musical aspirations was kind of always through the lens of music. It’s like you listen to the music from, like, the old Peter Pan movies, like the old Disney princess movies. It’s that kind of vintage sound is everything that I strive for in my modern project. So it means a lot to me. 

I love that you can connect all the lines there. And I mean you’re gonna be taking the music out on the road with Suki Waterhouse. We’re so excited about that. So how did you decide to partner with her? And what’s it gonna be like on the road?

Oh, my God. I mean, I’m such a fan of hers, I kind of, I wanted it to be like a girly show. Like I was like, I need a girl. 

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Universal Music Group has announced the expansion of two of its most storied labels — Deutsche Grammophon and Blue Note Records — into greater China, marking a significant move to tap into the country’s rapidly growing classical and jazz music scenes.
“At UMG, we are committed to supporting the development of diverse music cultures around the world,” said Adam Granite, UMG’s executive vice president of market development. “The launch of Deutsche Grammophon China and Blue Note Records China reflects this vision in action and marks a meaningful step forward in the evolution of our multi-label operations in the market.”

Announced at an event in Shanghai this week, Deutsche Grammophon China will focus on discovering and promoting new classical talent across China, plus provide artists with access to UMG’s global resources, including recording, international promotion and touring. Chinese musicians Lang Lang, Yuja Wang and Long Yu will serve as artistic advisors, guiding the label’s artistic direction.

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DG China’s debut release, Bach: The Cello Suites by acclaimed cellist Jian Wang, is set for May 23. Additionally, DG China will collaborate with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra to record and release the complete Shostakovich Symphonies by 2029, celebrating the orchestra’s 150th anniversary.

Dr. Clemens Trautmann, president of Deutsche Grammophon, highlighted the label’s growing presence in China over the past decade and noted that the partnership with Blue Note and the involvement of international artists underscore UMG’s global reach and creative ambition. “We are proud to co-invest in the future generation of outstanding classical performers from Greater China, together with our esteemed colleagues at UMGC to foster the success of amazing new talent across recording, touring and brand partnerships,” Trautmann said.

Stacy Yang, Timothy Xu, Dr Clemens Trautmann and Adam Granite in Shanghai.

Courtesy Photo

Blue Note Records China is set to champion original jazz talent within the country, beginning with its inaugural signing: INNOUT, an avant-garde duo known for fusing improvisation, modern jazz, and experimental soundscapes. This partnership underscores the label’s commitment to bold, boundary-defying artistry.

BNRC is also partnering with JZ Music, a key player in China’s jazz scene, to promote live performances, tours, and festivals. 

Don Was, president of Blue Note Records, praised INNOUT’s visionary talent and expressed excitement about launching the label’s Chinese chapter with their music. “Xiao Jun and An Yu are two of the most talented and visionary musicians I’ve ever met,” Was said. “Their music is going to ‘blow people’s minds’ all over the world. It’s a thrill and an honor to be able to launch Blue Note Records China with their music.”

Blue Note Jazz Club has confirmed that plans to open a new venue in London, England will proceed following the granting of a late license by the local council. The 350-capacity venue will be the first Blue Note Jazz Club to be established in the U.K. and is slated for an early 2026 opening.
The news follows reports of opposition by the Metropolitan Police Service and local residents. In February a Licensing Sub-Committee Report from the City of Westminster outlined a number of objections from the local police enforcement, who objected to the venue’s opening on the grounds it would undermine the licensing objective of “prevention of crime and disorder”. 

The move was criticised by a number of local musicians and industry figures, with claims that the council was stifling the capital’s nightlife scene. The venue was initially granted a license that would see the club close at 11:30 p.m., but Steven Bensusan – president of Blue Note Entertainment Group and son of the original Blue Note Cafe founder Danny Bensusan – told Sky News that the opening of its planned European flagship venue may not be viable without a late license. “If they’re not giving us a late license, I can’t imagine how they would be supportive of other smaller venues, which are important for the ecosystem in general.”

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However the Westminster City Council has since reversed its opposition and said that the “venue management have engaged extensively with local people to improve their application and address the concerns that were raised by the police.”

The venue will be based in the basement of the St Martins Lane hotel in Covent Garden in central London. The license will allow the club to open until 1 a.m. on Monday to Saturday, to midnight on Sundays. 

The Blue Note Jazz Club will host two performance spaces: a main room with 250 person capacity, alongside a secondary 100 person capacity space. The venue will host a full-service kitchen and beverage menu and will be open for dinner throughout the week.

The new venue will continue the expansion of Blue Note Jazz Clubs internationally. The original club in New York City was opened in 1981, and new venues have since opened in Milan, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Ezra Collective and more have all performed at the club and its sister institutions.

Steven Bensusan, president of Blue Note Entertainment Group said in a statement, “We’re excited to be coming to London and grateful to Westminster Council for recognising what Blue Note can bring to the city’s nightlife. As we prepare to open in early 2026, we’re looking forward to bringing world-class jazz and a deep cultural legacy to one of the greatest music cities in the world.”

Seth MacFarlane’s ninth studio album, Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements, will feature 12 never-before-heard arrangements created for Frank Sinatra by his legendary collaborators Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Don Costa. The album is set for release June 6 via Verve Records / Republic Records.
MacFarlane has long been a Sinatra fan. Two of the Family Guy creator’s earlier albums, Holiday for Swing and No One Ever Tells You, featured Sinatra’s bassist Chuck Berghofer as well as a 65-piece orchestra. In 2015, MacFarlane performed on the primetime tribute Sinatra 100 — An All-Star GRAMMY Concert.

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MacFarlane, 51, was born in October 1973, the very month Sinatra released Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back, his “comeback album” following a brief retirement (which he wisely reconsidered). Sinatra continued recording through 1994. He died in 1998 at age 82.

These arrangements remained in the private collection of the Sinatra family for many years. In collaboration with the Sinatra family and estate, MacFarlane acquired the entire Sinatra music archive in 2018, and has brought these 12 arrangements to life with a 70-piece orchestra, conducted by British conductor John Wilson, and produced by MacFarlane’s longtime musical collaborator Joel McNeely. Every song on the album was recorded live with this ensemble at George Lucas’ famed Skywalker Sound Studios in Marin County, Calif.

The album’s first single, Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life,” features Riddle’s original conceptual arrangement from 1958.

MacFarlane received Grammy nominations for best traditional pop vocal album for his first three non-holiday studio albums — Music Is Better Than Words (2012), No One Ever Tells You (2016) and In Full Swing (2018).

If this new album is also nominated when the nominations for the 68th Grammy Awards are announced later this year, it will become the ninth tribute album to Sinatra to be cited in that category, following Tony Bennett’s Perfectly Frank (1993), Barry Manilow’s Manilow Sings Sinatra (1999), Keely Smith’s Keely Sings Sinatra (2002), Michael Feinstein’s The Sinatra Project (2009) – and two albums each by Bob Dylan (Shadows in the Night, 2016, and Fallen Angels, 2017) and Willie Nelson (My Way, 2019 and That’s Life, 2022).

Bennett’s Perfectly Frank and Nelson’s My Way both won in that category. Sinatra himself won in the category in 1995 for Duets II, which was his final new studio album.

MacFarlane is set to bring Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements to the stage with a live performance at Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall on Feb. 17, 2026.

MacFarlane has received five Grammy nominations in all – the other two are for best comedy album and best song written for visual media – and an Oscar nomination for best original song for “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from Ted. Other career highlights include hosting the Oscars in 2013, performing with legendary composer John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl, and recording a duet with Barbra Streisand for her Billboard 200-topping album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway.

Here’s the complete track list to Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements:

    “Give Me the Simple Life”

    “I Never Felt This Way Before”

    “Lush Life”

    “Flying Down to Rio”

    “How Did She Look?”

    “Who’s In Your Arms Tonight?”

    “A Wonderful Day Like Today”

    “When Joanna Loved Me”

    “Arrivederci, Roma”

    “Hurry Home”

    “Ain’tcha Ever Comin’ Back”

    “Shadows”

The Blue Note Entertainment Group announced the participating artists in its 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York on Tuesday morning (April 1). Among the dozens of top name artists participating are: Grace Jones & Janelle Monaé, Branford Marsalis & Charles Lloyd, Emily King, Joshua Redman Quartet, Kenny Garrett, The Soul Rebels, Spyro Gyra, Marcus Miller, Tank and the Bangas, Santigold and many more.

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“This is one of our strongest lineups to date and Im so proud of the series we have curated this year,” says Alex Kurland, director of programming and talent buying for Blue Note. “These artists represent some of the best in jazz, soul and contemporary music and their participation this year speaks to the strength of the Blue Note brand.”

Kicking off May 27 with a concert honoring saxophonist James Moody’s 100th Birthday Celebration at Sony Hall, the festival includes stops at a number of popular venues all over the city, including the Blue Note Jazz Club in the West Village, Town Hall near Times Square, SummerStage in Central Park, Sony Hall on W 46th Street, Celebrate Brooklyn Prospect Park and more. Tickets and more information can be found here.

“We look beyond genre to curate this festival and strive to create outstanding musical experiences,” Kurland tells Billboard. “We’re excited to present artists this year who are singular and innovative. Artists who have their own unique individuality and voice, and that are truly one of a kind.”

Blue Note has a busy schedule for 2024, including two concerts slated for the Quarry Amphitheater on the campus of UC Santa Cruz in Northern California. Blue Note is also bringing back The Black Radio Experience with Robert Glasper in Napa, opening a new Blue Note Los Angeles in Hollywood and curating and producing the newly renamed Blue Note Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in June.

Blue Note recently wrapped up The Roots’ iconic celebration of their major label debut album, Do You Want More?!!!??!, at Blue Note, the annual month-long Robtober residency curated by Robert Glasper and critically acclaimed residencies with artists including Esperanza Spalding, Chris Botti and others.

Dates for the 2025 Blue Note Jazz Festival are below. More information here.

May 27 — James Moody 100th Birthday Celebration @ Sony Hall

May 29 — Kenny Garrett @ Blue Note

May 30 — Kenny Garrett @ Blue Note

May 31 — Kenny Garrett @ Blue Note

June 1 — Kenny Garrett @ Blue Note

June 1 — Harlem Gospel Choir [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 1 — Chuck Prophet & Cumbia Shoes @ Sony Hall

June 2 — Infinity Song @ Blue Note

June 3 — Infinity Song @ Blue Note

June 6 — Emily King @ Blue Note

June 7 — “Forever Ray” [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 7 — Emily King @ Blue Note

June 7 — Louie Vega & The Elements Of Life @ Sony Hall

June 8 — Harlem Gospel Choir [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 8 — Emily King @ Blue Note

June 9 — Brandee Younger @ Blue Note

June 9 — Grace Jones & Janelle Monaé @ Celebrate Brooklyn Prospect Park

June 10 — THE REVERENCE PROJECT: John Patitucci, Darryl Jones, Nate Smith & James Francies @ Blue Note

June 11 — THE REVERENCE PROJECT: John Patitucci, Darryl Jones, Nate Smith & James Francies @ Blue Note

June 11 — Santigold @ Sony Hall

June 12 — THE REVERENCE PROJECT: John Patitucci, Darryl Jones, Nate Smith & James Francies @ Blue Note

June 13 — THE REVERENCE PROJECT: John Patitucci, Darryl Jones, Nate Smith & James Francies @ Blue Note

June 13 — Spyro Gyra @ Sony Hall

June 14 — Strictly Sinatra [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 14 — THE REVERENCE PROJECT: John Patitucci, Darryl Jones, Nate Smith & James Francies @ Blue Note

June 14 — Rebirth Brass Brand @ Sony Hall

June 15 — Harlem Gospel Choir [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 15 — THE REVERENCE PROJECT: John Patitucci, Darryl Jones, Nate Smith & James Francies @ Blue Note

June 15 — Gallant @ Sony Hall

June 16 — Warren G with Chris Rob & Live Band @ Blue Note

June 16 — Harlem Gospel Motown @ Sony Hall

June 17 — The Baylor Project @ Blue Note

June 18 — SABA @ Sony Hall

June 18 — The Baylor Project @ Blue Note

June 18 — Gino Vannelli @ Sony Hall

June 19 — The Baylor Project @ Blue Note

June 20 — Joshua Redman @ Blue Note

June 20 — Bas @ Sony Hall

June 20 — Babehoven @ National Sawdust

June 21 — A Tribute To The Golden Age Of Cuba – 
The Music Of The Buena Vista Social Club [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 21 — Joshua Redman @ Blue Note

June 22 — Harlem Gospel Choir [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 22 — Joshua Redman @ Blue Note

June 23 — Julius Rodriguez @ Blue Note

June 24 — Julius Rodriguez @ Blue Note

June 25 — Willie Nile @ Sony Hall

June 25 — Julius Rodriguez @ Blue Note

June 25 — Vopli Vidoplyasova @ Sony Hall

June 26 — Julius Rodriguez @ Blue Note

June 26 — Moses Yoofee Trio @ Blue Note

June 26 — Jesus Molina @ Sony Hall

June 27 — Savion Glover featuring PROjECt.9 @ Blue Note

June 27 — Baby Rose @ Sony Hall

June 28 — Savion Glover featuring PROjECt.9 @ Blue Note

June 28 — Branford Marsalis / Charles Lloyd Co-Bill @ Town Hall

June 29 — BALTHVS @ Sony Hall

June 29 — Harlem Gospel Choir [BRUNCH] @ Blue Note

June 29 — Savion Glover featuring PROjECt.9 @ Blue Note

June 29 — Azymuth @ Sony Hall

June 30 — Sungazer @ Blue Note

June 30 — Rickie Lee Jones @ Sony Hall

July 1 — Sungazer Plus @ Blue Note

July 2 — Sungazer Plus @ Blue Note

July 2 — Dora Morelenbaum @ Sony Hall

Jeff Goldblum is on the verge of releasing his fourth album, Still Blooming. The actor-musician reveals how he nabbed Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Scarlett Johansson to take part on his album, teases what’s to come in Wicked: For Good, talks about playing the piano for in the White House, dabbling in scatting and more!

What do you think of Jeff Goldblum’s music? Let us know in the comments!

Lyndsey Havens:You’re releasing your fourth album. 

Yes, ma’am. 

Still Blooming, coming in April. Tell me a bit about this project. When did you start working on it? What inspired it? 

It’s our fourth album with the great Decca- 

Yes.

label and Verve. But this one, as we continued and found ourselves at Scott Gilman studio, The Hobby Shop, we said, “Let’s make some more music, and let’s get some more singers to do, like we had on our other three, half of the tracks.” So on this one, we got half kind of instrumentals, and we’ll talk about all the tracks, if you like, and half singers, so let’s do more of that. And we found ourselves in the studio and doing it for heaven’s sakes because we had good ideas that we were excited about. And we’ve got merchandise coming out with a, you know, that has something to do with that. And the singers to whom I referred we’ll talk about, you know, how about that? 

Yes, we will talk about that. 

Because maybe they don’t even know yet, but you do, you listened to it.

I know, yeah, some pretty big names. Before we get into the features, I need to ask the obvious questions. You’ve had quite a life and career, but do you feel as though you are still blooming? 

Well, like the record title suggests, refers to, yeah. 

How nice. 

Keep watching for more!

Jason Moran plans to blend genres in one of his performances as the Detroit Jazz Festival’s artist-in-residence this year.
“I’m thinking that I have to figure out a way to represent for Detroit’s techno music,” the pianist, bandleader, composer and educator tells Billboard. Moran was named to the prestigious position on Thursday (March 13) following drummer Brian Blade in 2024.

Techno, Moran adds, “has long been a thing I’ve listened to and practiced with sometimes at home. So why not, when you’re in Detroit, really represent it? Maybe myself and another artist can churn away for an hour. It’s the idea of, in an industrial city, drum machine meeting piano — which I think is one of the great machines — and what happens when those two meet in their simplest forms? With volume,” he adds with a laugh.

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Moran says the piece would be an entirely new composition to be premiered at the Labor Day weekend event (Aug. 29-Sept. 1) and then turned into a traveling piece.

Now in its 46th year, the DJF — held mostly outdoors in the city’s downtown — is the world’s largest free-admission jazz festival. Last year’s edition drew more than 300,000 in-person attendees, according to organizers, and a worldwide audience of more than two million via the festival’s free livestream on its website and social media platforms.

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“I think that what makes this (festival) unique is the importance of Detroit as a historic music city for the world,” says Moran, who’s performed at the festival several times, as recently as 2023. “That’s what makes it exciting for me, to be presenting sets of music in a city that’s responsible for a lot of change and possibilities in music.”

In addition to the techno-jazz mashup, Moran — who’s been on the faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music since 2010 — is planning a celebration of Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday, using a big band of younger musicians. “That’s a big one for me,” he says, “just because I get to meet who’s on the ground and get that experience to work with them and push the music the way Ellington did.” He’s also planning a set by the Bandwagon, a trio he co-founded during 2000, along with special guests.

The Houston-born Moran studied at the Manhattan School of Music and began his recording career as part of saxophonist Greg Osby’s band. He released his first solo album, Soundtrack to Human Motion, in 1999 and has released 17 more since. Moran has also scored soundtracks for films such as Selma, Traveling While Black and Aggie, and he’s recorded with Cassandra Wilson, Christian McBride, Ron Miles and others. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Scientists in 2022, and in 2023 he received the German Jazz Prize for pianist of the year.

“Jason Moran is a trailblazer in the use of diverse multimedia and theatrical installations to present jazz to audiences in a way that has never been done before,” festival artistic director and CEO Chris Collins said in a statement. “We look forward to his singular craftsmanship and his creative and evolutionary artistry to lead this year’s festival.”

The lineup for the 2025 DJF is expected to be announced April 15 during a special preview event in Detroit, where Moran will perform.

The festival has also put out a call for new works that “bring new perspectives to blending jazz and other musical styles” with an application deadline of April 11. Artist performance submissions are also open, with a deadline of June 1. Applications, as well as festival updates, can be found via detroitjazzfest.org.