All the jazz to take you from fall to the holidays in Philly

The jazz community in 2026 has been focused on celebrating the centennials of some of the music’s most iconic figures.

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But with September drawing to a close and the 100th birthdays of Miles, Trane, and Tony Bennett in the rearview mirror, the fall schedule shifts back to looking forward.

In some cases that means saying goodbye to a longstanding band or gazing up at a Hollywood superstar with a big band hobby; in others, it means exploring the juncture between musical cultures or the collision of past and future in the guise of modern jazz’s rising stars.

No one has managed to translate quirkiness into a decades-long career quite like Jeff Goldblum has. (OK, maybeChristopher Walken.) So when the actor started releasing whimsical “jazz” records with a big band named after a friend of his parents’ a few years back, it seemed in keeping with his offbeat persona, and perhaps a bit with the improvisational ethos he honed early on working with Robert Altman. That his generally competent piano playing and throwback lounge-jazz charm now graces four all-star albums and will kick off Ensemble Arts’ jazz season is a triumph of celebrity, not swing. ensembleartsphilly.org

The fall edition of Cape May’s offseason jazz fest kicks off with a fundraiser bringing together pianist Orrin Evans with Chicago vocalist and Broadway star Kurt Elling. The rest of the weekend promises plenty of highlights too, including saxophonist Kenny Garrett, bassist Marcus Miller (both Miles Davis alumni), an 85th birthday celebration for Cuban piano great Chucho Valdés, and pianist Danilo Perez’s Panamonk project. exitzerojazzfestival.com

The Haitian American vocalist Tyreek McDole wields a rich, supple baritone equal parts spirit and soul, leading him to become only the second male vocalist to take first place at the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. He’s since shared stages with peers and veterans alike, including Theo Croker, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, and Terri Lyne Carrington. chrisjazzcafe.com

As part of their multiweek Arts of India Festival, Penn Live Arts and the Philadelphia-based Indian music and dance society Sruti will co-present this double bill of artists combining traditions from jazz and classical Indian music and innovations that veer away from both. Violinist Arun Ramamurthy fuses jazz with South Indian Carnatic influences with his trio, while alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, no stranger to such cultural blends, pays homage to inspirations from Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, to Stevie Wonder, and Johnny Cash with his sometimes-cape-wearing Hero Trio. pennlivearts.org

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For a long time we all thought we knew what the Bad Plus was — the wry hipster piano trio from Minneapolis with a penchant for covering unexpected rock hits, from Nirvana to Black Sabbath to Rush. The band itself was never quite content with that summation, continually shaking things up by tackling Stravinsky or inviting in collaborators. Then things really began to change when founding pianist Ethan Iverson left, replaced first by Philly’s own Orrin Evans — OK, still a piano trio — then by saxophonist Chris Speed and guitarist Ben Monder. The final transformation is on the horizon as the Bad Plus calls it quits, stepping onto the biggest stage they’ve played in Philly just to take one last bow. ensembleartsphilly.org

Born in Illinois to Taiwanese and East Timorese parents, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and dancer Jen Shyu has traced her own heritage and her parents’ experience of immigration through fascinating pathways in much of her daring work. Her latest project, Fertile Land, Fertile Body, is described as a “multilingual ritual opera” exploring motherhood, genocide, and climate change. That the subject matter is so broad and daunting only makes the prospect of Shyu’s provocative artistry all the more intriguing. arsnovaworkshop.org

For many of us over the past half-century or so, Vince Guaraldi’s music for A Charlie Brown Christmas was the portal into jazz. That tradition apparently continues, as Gen Z pianist Isaiah J. Thompson — a Juilliard grad who has recorded with Wynton Marsalis and John Pizzarelli — will ring in the Yuletide with a tribute to Guaraldi’s indelible Peanuts music. pennlivearts.org

Pianist Dave Burrell and trombonist Steve Swell are both pioneers of free jazz who maintain a sweeping interest in the entire history of the music. And of the country, it seems. Their 2014 duo album Turning Point grew out of Burrell’s residency at the Rosenbach Museum & Library, where he composed music inspired by his delves into the institution’s Civil War archives. The pair will reunite for this Fire Museum-presented performance. firemuseumpresents.com

Madrid-born pianist Marta Sánchez has a unique voice that she’s woven into any number of thrilling opportunities, from being a key member of veteran saxophonist David Murray’s rejuvenating quartet, to the mathematical challenges of the Webber/Morris Big Band, and the bristling music of her own bands. But she long resisted solo performance, until experiments with piano preparations resulted in her captivating new album For the Space You Left. She’ll continue exploring sans accompaniment at Solar Myth. arsnovaworkshop.org

Philly pianist Joe Block has been working closely with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center since winning the NYC organization’s Essentially Ellington high school jazz competition at age 17. He just released his debut album as a bandleader, There Is Always Hope, through JALC’s in-house label with special guests like guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. He will lead the band in a residency at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center throughout 2027. But Block hasn’t abandoned his hometown roots. He’ll celebrate the holidays at Chris’ Jazz Café with friends from both New York and Philly. chrisjazzcafe.com

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