Pianist

Celebrate the 125th birthday of a jazz giant as pianist Jason Moran pays electrifying tribute to Duke Ellington—one of the 20th century’s most influential composers, bandleaders, and pianists.

Jason Moran

Music Building and Recital Hall

The Imani Winds have led both a revolution and an evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations, and engagement endeavors, which inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds. This collaboration features composer and percussionist Andy Akiho, a trailblazing Pulitzer Prize finalist and five-time Grammy-nominated composer whose bold works unravel intricate and unexpected patterns while surpassing preconceived boundaries of Western classical music.

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Performance Imani Winds & Andy Akiho, steel drum The BeLonging Project

University of Michigan

For his recent wryly titled Blue Note release, three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, the irrepressible saxophonist Walter Smith III pays homage to his hometown. In the jazz series kickoff, this supergroup of brothers in arms celebrates the Bayou City with evocative songs like 610 Loop, Lone Star, Cezanne and Montrose Nocture.

Walter Smith III Quartet

Wortham Theater Center

Pianist and composer Jason Moran has established himself as a risk-taker and trendsetter for new directions in jazz. Rolling Stone calls him “the most provocative thinker in current jazz.” It’s that incomparable talent and unyielding drive towards innovation that earned Moran a prestigious MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship and the title of Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz. Since 2000, Moran and his trio, The Bandwagon (Tarus Mateen and Nasheet Waits), have dazzled audiences at elite venues worldwide. Moran has also performed with many acclaimed artists such as Charles Lloyd and Dave Holland, he composed a ballet for Alzonzo King LINES Ballet, conceived a jazz and skateboarding collaboration, wrote the film score for Selma, and paid homage to two legendary pianists in his Blue Note album, All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller, and his multimedia program, In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall 1959.

Jason Moran and The Bandwagon

Lafayette College

Jason Moran as the Artist-in-Residence for the 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival.

Cadillac Square

The Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation is thrilled to present pianist, composer, and artist Jason Moran as the Artist-in-Residence for the 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival with special guest Jessica Care Moore.

Artist-In-Residence Jason Moran and Jeff Mills

Hart Plaza

A program distinguished by its variety opens with Balanchine’s Divertimento from ‘Le Baiser de la Fée,’ choreographed to a Stravinsky symphonic suite. Kyle Abraham’s When We Fell was originally filmed and streamed during the pandemic, and here makes its live debut. Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Chiaroscuro, a ballet for six dancers from 1994, evokes the artistic term of its title through the interaction of light and shadow as well as diverging tempos, while Alexei Ratmansky’s Odesa features three couples, their interplay infused with hints of drama, and a corps de ballet, and is set to incidental music from the Russian film Sketches to Sunset that alternates between the ruminative and the rambunctious.

Eclectic NYCB

Lincoln Center

Guided by Duke Ellington’s great canon, Moran takes a solo piano climb up “Mount Ellington” in this extraordinary celebration of the composer’s enduring legacy 125 years after his birth. Experience the timeless genius of Ellington’s music, brilliantly reimagined by Moran.

Jason Moran Performs the Music of Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Celebrating Charles Lloyd’s 87th birthday and his 20th concert at the Lobero, Lloyd brings together a special trio for the first time. The Lobero has welcomed pianist and McArthur genius, Jason Moran several times with Lloyd, but this will be guitarist, Marvin Sewell’s, first appearance here. The three of them share Southern roots and each brings a unique perspective and contribution to America’s indigenous art form, jazz.

Charles Lloyd Delta Trio

Lobero Theatre

Moran’s fourth Soraya appearance celebrates the Duke’s enduring legacy and his 125th birthday, a year-long tour that started at the Kennedy Center. He has invited CSUN Jazz “A” band to join him and pairs the timeless music with iconic images of Ellington from photographer Gordon Parks.

Jason Moran Plays Duke Ellington

Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts

“A startlingly gifted pianist with a relentless thirst for experimentation” (Los Angeles Times), Jason Moran has consistently presented some of the most exciting and memorable performances in SFJAZZ’s history. For this weeklong residency, Moran is joined by the superbly dynamic New Orchestra of fellow SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director emeritus and Bay Area jazz great Marcus Shelby for concerts dedicated to the big band compositions of the iconic Duke Ellington — jazz’s greatest composer and a constant source of inspiration to both artists. 

Jason Moran w/ Marcus Shelby New Orchestra

SFJAZZ Center

Pianist Jason Moran (Artistic Director for Jazz at The Kennedy Center) celebrates the enduring legacy and extraordinary genius of Duke Ellington with selections from Ellington’s vast and enduring canon. A recent recipient of awards and fellowships from the MacArthur Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation and Ford Foundation, Moran has produced fifteen albums and brought jazz history to life with his monumental touring works that have also explored jazz giants Thelonious Monk and Fats Waller. Moran performs brilliantly reimagined solos of his Duke Ellington favorites in this extraordinary evening of vibrant jazz. 

Jason Moran Presents Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings

California State University, Long Beach

Join us at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for an unforgettable evening with Jason Moran & The Big Bandwagon, as they present "James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield." This special performance is scheduled for Friday, October 11, 2024, at 8:00 PM.

Celebrated by Rolling Stone as "the most provocative thinker in current jazz," Jason Moran pays homage to the iconic Black composer and ragtime pioneer, James Reese Europe. Europe, a World War I hero, along with his military ensemble, the Harlem Hellfighters, played a pivotal role in popularizing jazz in France during the war and significantly influenced African American music over the past century amidst cultural and political shifts.

Moran, alongside his Bandwagon bandmates—bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits—and a seven-piece horn section, will delve into the legacy of James Reese Europe. The performance will be enriched with contributions from artist/writer/director John Akomfrah and visuals from acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young, offering a powerful examination of Europe's impact on music and culture.

This event is part of the Jazz JZ1 Series, which also features performances by Samara Joy on February 07, 2025, Herbie Hancock on March 30, 2025, Patrice Rushen on May 02, 2025, and more. Don't miss this extraordinary night of music that the Washington Post has described as a testament to Jason Moran's "stunningly and profoundly original" talent.

Tickets are available now but subject to change, and all sales are final. Ensure your spot in this journey through jazz history and its profound legacy.

Jason Moran & The Big Bandwagon

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Duke left us with over 1,500 compositions and thousands of recordings. It is not just the sheer enormity of his creative output that makes it so enduring, but its emotional depth. During tours of France in the 1930s, a critic wrote that Duke’s music “reveals the very secret of the cosmos;” a poet wrote that “such music is not only a new art form but a new reason for living.” It sounds as fresh today as it ever did, and worthy of a lifetime of study.

Conversation: Ellington 125 with Ashley Kahn & Jason Moran

Monterey County Fairgrounds

Jazz pianist, composer, and artist Jason Moran hails from Houston, Texas. He’s an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Jaki Byard. Upon graduation, he studied with Andrew Hill and Muhal Richard Abrams. Moran’s 18-year relationship with Blue Note Records produced nine highly acclaimed recordings. His groundbreaking trio, The Bandwagon (with bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits) is currently celebrating their 24th anniversary.

Jason Moran & The Bandwagon

Digital meets analogue on Refract — the remarkable new trio album by electronic musician and tape loop specialist BlankFor.ms, MacArthur fellow pianist Jason Moran and innovative drummer Marcus Gilmore. Refract is an uninhibited sonic marvel that combines electronics, piano and drums in real time. By spontaneously recording loops grabbed on the fly and re-infusing the sonic planes with various effects, the results borne on Refract are sounds and energies rarely heard before.

Jason Moran feat. BlankFor.ms

Join us at the Allen Theatre on June 21, 2024, for an unforgettable evening with Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, as part of the Tri-C JazzFest. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, this groundbreaking trio, featuring bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits, has been at the forefront of jazz music, earning accolades from the MacArthur Foundation, US Artists, Doris Duke Foundation, and Ford Foundation. Jason Moran, a renowned pianist, composer, and artist from Houston, TX, has also made significant contributions to the world of film and literature, composing scores for Ava DuVernay’s "Selma" and "13th," as well as for Ta-Nehisi Coates’ staged version of "Between the World and Me."

As the Artistic Director for Jazz at The Kennedy Center, Moran's influence extends beyond performance, shaping the future of jazz education and curation. His teaching roles at New England Conservatory and Jazz Ahead, along with his curatorial work for the Artist’s Studio series at Park Avenue Armory in New York City, underscore his commitment to the development of jazz as a dynamic and evolving art form.

Tickets for this special performance are priced between $42.50 and $50, ensuring accessibility for all jazz enthusiasts. Please note, children under 2 are not permitted to ensure the enjoyment and safety of all attendees.

Don't miss your chance to be part of this milestone event in the jazz calendar. Secure your tickets now and experience the magic of Jason Moran and the Bandwagon live at the Allen Theatre. For those looking to immerse themselves fully in the festival, 45th Annual Tri-C JazzFest Passes are available, granting access to all 9 performances. Passes are on sale from February 28 to April 1 for $300 per pass, exclusively sold through the Tri-C JazzFest Website.

Prepare for an evening of exceptional music that celebrates the legacy and future of jazz.

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon

Cleveland Play House

Encompassing Jason and Alicia’s iconic blend of music and theater, this new work—set in their Harlem apartment—is intensely entertaining and visually stimulating. “It’s us examining each other’s repertoire,” says Jason, “my favorite songs of Alicia, Alicia’s favorite songs of mine.” Created during the pandemic, Family Ball is a creative feat. But more importantly, it’s a love note.

Jason Moran & Alicia Hall Moran: Family Ball

Kennedy Center

More than five decades after being named DownBeat’s 1967 Jazz Artist of the Year, saxophonist, flutist, and composer Charles Lloyd received that very same honor in 2023, affirming his vital presence in music. One of the first jazz artists to sell a million copies of a recording, Lloyd celebrates his 86th birthday with the release of The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow— one of his most significant recordings to date. The NEA Jazz Master and legendary bandleader returns to Spoleto at the helm of a remarkable ensemble, including pianist and Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz, Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Brian Blade.

Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet

College of Charleston

Alonzo King LINES Ballet makes its Kennedy Center debut with an elegant, soulful work created in collaboration with Grammy Award®–winning vocalist Lisa Fischer and Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran, who join the company to perform live.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet: Deep River

This performance is free. Tickets are required.

Finale

Severance Music Center

Join us for a captivating evening at the "Pianos for Duke Reimagined" benefit concert, a highlight of Harlem Stage's 40th Anniversary celebrations. This SOLD OUT event, set for Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the iconic Harlem Stage located at 150 Convent Avenue, New York, promises an unforgettable experience in honor of Duke Ellington's 125th birthday.

The evening will feature an intimate performance centered around a single piano, placed in the heart of the room with seating arranged in the round, creating an immersive atmosphere. Esteemed pianist, composer, and educator Jason Moran, alongside legendary jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and other acclaimed pianists such as Bertha Hope, Joanne Brackeen, and Matthew Whitaker, will lead the audience through Ellington's mesmerizing compositions.

The performance will be followed by a riveting discussion between Moran and Ibrahim, delving into Ellington’s significant impact on music and culture. The night will conclude with a lively cocktail reception, offering attendees a chance to mingle and reflect on the evening's performances.

This benefit concert is not only a celebration of Harlem Stage's four decades of cultural contribution but also a tribute to the legacy of Duke Ellington. It is supported by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, with additional support from the Diana King Memorial Fund presented by the Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation.

Don't miss this extraordinary event that promises to be a memorable part of Harlem Stage's 40th Anniversary season.

Pianos For Duke Reimagined: Featuring Jason Moran, Abdullah Ibrahim & Friends—benefit Concert

Harlem Stage

This performance is free with no tickets required. Free parking is available in the Fatima Family Center parking lots.

Faith

Fatima Family Center

Guided by Duke Ellington’s great canon, Jason Moran takes a solo piano climb up “Mount Ellington” in this extraordinary celebration of the composer’s enduring legacy. Experience the timeless genius of Ellington’s music, brilliantly reimagined by Moran and paired with iconic images of The Duke by legendary photographer Gordon Parks.

Jason Moran – Solo Ellington

Duke Ellington looms large as one of the most important composers, bandleaders and pianists of the 20th century. Experience the timeless genius of Ellington’s music, brilliantly reimagined by pianist Jason Moran, in this extraordinary celebration of the composer’s enduring legacy, 125 years after his birth. Guided by the composer’s great canon, Moran takes a solo piano climb up “Mount Ellington” and then he’s joined by the big band from his storied alma mater, Kinder High School for the Visual and Performing Arts.

Jason Moran Presents “Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings”

Jason Moran is one of jazz and modern American music’s most engaging and historically attuned artists. With a 10-piece expansion of his renowned Bandwagon trio, Moran celebrates the foundational, history-changing artistry of James Reese Europe—who brought the first taste of jazz not only to Carnegie Hall in 1912, but also to France during WWI, where he toured and fought with his 369th Infantry Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters. “It’s a concert that dives into the emotion of [Europe’s] music,” says Moran. “It’s not a museum piece—it’s a meditation … I’m thankful for his compositions, but even more for his imagination of what America can be.”

Carnegie Hall

Jason Moran and the NEC Jazz Orchestra present a tribute to Duke Ellington as a celebration of Ellington's 125th birthday.

Jason Moran + NEC Jazz Orchestra: Duke Ellington - My Heart Sings

New England Conservatory

Single Eye is a subtle entreaty for peace and natural harmony during trying times. Visually stunning and surprising, this ballet is like no other.

Single Eye

Celebrate the great bandleader and composer Charles Lloyd on his 85th birthday tour when he returns to Boston with his longtime quartet

Charles Lloyd New Quartet

Berklee College of Music

This class is presented as part of the Janice B. and Milford D. Gerton Master Class Series.

Manhattan School of Music gratefully acknowledges the Arts and Letters Foundation’s generous support of the series.

Jazz Piano Master Class: Jason Moran

Manhattan School of Music

The most celebrated modern dance company in America exemplifies its founder’s timeless and uniquely American style of dance—one that has influenced generations of artists and continues to captivate audiences worldwide. The dancers are “technically assured, individual, and, more than most, attuned to their inner emotions” (The New York Times) as they carry on pioneering choreographer Martha Graham’s legacy with “grace, athleticism, and [a] sense of exuberance” (Broadway World). The program features works by Graham, a reimagining of 1952’s Canticle for Innocent Comedians, and a new work by the acclaimed team of Baye & Asa.

Martha Graham Dance Company

Williams Center for the Arts

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Los Angeles, California performing at the Wallis Annenberg Theatre. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

LINES Ballet on Tour

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Alonzo King LINES Ballet performs Deep River, featuring a live performance by GRAMMY Award winning vocalist Lisa Fischer set to a score by jazz pianist, composer, and MacArthur Fellow Jason Moran. Created in celebration of LINES Ballet’s 40th anniversary season, the work is King’s second collaboration with Fischer and his ninth collaboration with Moran.

Lisa Fischer is a longtime background singer for icons like Luther Vandross, The Rolling Stones, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, and Nine Inch Nails.

The Walls Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet on tour in Costa Mesa, California performing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers altering the way we look at ballet today.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Greenville, South Carolina performing at Peace Center. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

Lines Ballet on Tour in Greenville, South Carolina

Peace Center Concert Hall

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Cleveland, Ohio performing at Playhouse Square – Mimi Ohio Theatre. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

Lines Ballet on Tour in Cleveland, Ohio

Mimi Ohio Theatre

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in West Palm Beach, Florida performing at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

Lines Ballet on Tour in West Palm Beach, Florida

Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Brilliant pianist, composer, and multimedia artist Jason Moran turns his boundless creativity and curiosity to a celebration of the life of often-overlooked African American musical pioneer James Reese Europe, credited with introducing jazz music to the European continent during World War I. Moran will share archival photos, recordings, and original multimedia creations to help build his musical monument to a truly transformational artist.

Jason Moran and the Big Bandwagon

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Bourges, France performing at Maison de la Culture. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

LINES Ballet on Tour in Bourges, France

Maison de la Culture

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Mérignac, France performing at Le Pin Galant. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

Lines Ballet

Le Pin Galant

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Rungis, France performing at Théâtre de Rungis. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

Lines Ballet on Tour in Rungis, France

Théâtre de Rungis

Brilliant pianist, composer, and multimedia artist Jason Moran turns his boundless creativity and curiosity into a celebration of the life of often-overlooked African American musical pioneer James Reese Europe, credited with introducing jazz music to the European continent during World War I.

Jason Moran and the Harlem Hellfighters: James Reese Europe and the Absence of Ruin

Join Alonzo King LINES Ballet in Roubaix, France performing at Théâtre Léo Ferré. Celebrating over four decades of evocative dance, master choreographer Alonzo King’s unique artistic vision adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum. The company will perform King’s newest creation, Deep River, a collaboration with composer Jason Moran and vocalist Lisa Fischer. Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, he draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers, altering the way we look at ballet today.

Lines Ballet on Tour in Aulnoye-aymeries, France

Théâtre Léo Ferré

In a series of “gripping portraits of a vast social upheaval” (Chicago Tribune), Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran’s deeply personal presentation Two Wings explores the Great Migration of six million Black Americans from the rural South to northern cities, the West, and beyond.  The husband and wife duo—he a MacArthur Fellow and acclaimed jazz composer and pianist, she a celebrated classical vocalist and composer—trace their family histories through the music that accompanied these brave travelers throughout the 20th century, from Harlem Renaissance-era jazz tunes, gospel hymns, bebop standards, and Broadway show tunes, to classical and chamber music and the Morans’ own compositions. The program even passes through California, where both families put down roots and where Hall Moran was born.  Two Wings also references influential texts by Black authors, historians, and poets. The production, in its West Coast premiere, will be recreated especially for Cal Performances audiences, with a star-studded roster of performers, writers, thinkers, and special guests.

Jazz:Two Wings: The Music of Black America in Migration

University of California, Berkeley

Step into the world of Duke Ellington, one of the defining figures of American music, as experienced through the vision of Jason Moran, one of jazz’s most celebrated pianists, composers, and cultural curators. A Harlem-based visual artist as well, Moran blends inventive piano interpretations with bench-side storytelling and a striking video presentation of Gordon Parks’ iconic images of Ellington and Harlem. Moran transforms the concert into an experience that is immersive, bold, playful, and unforgettable. With music, stories, and imagery, this is more than a concert—it’s a declaration of independence for 2026.

Pianist

Jason Moran

Events

Upcoming events

Jun 1, 2026

Jason Moran: Ellington in Focus · Spoleto Festival USA

Past events

Jan 31, 2026

Jason Moran · Butler School of Music

Oct 26, 2025

Performance Imani Winds & Andy Akiho, steel drum The BeLonging Project · University Musical Society

About

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