A truly one-of-a-kind ensemble, the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band celebrates and extends the contributions of Indigenous and Native musicians, composers, and bandleaders throughout the rich history of jazz. Indigenous artists like Russell “Big Chief” Moore, Mildred Bailey, Oscar Pettiford, and Jim Pepper ascended into the limelight as star performers, but many other players were never recognized.

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Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band

University of California, Berkeley

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble is rewriting jazz history—one long-overdue note at a time. Drawing from deep-rooted Indigenous musical traditions and the untold legacy of Native jazz pioneers, the ensemble transforms traditional songs and rhythms into bold new works infused with the language of jazz. Led by vocalist Julia Keefe and co-director Delbert Anderson, the band is a rare and vibrant force: an ensemble of Indigenous musicians claiming their place in jazz’s past, present, and future. With a lineup spanning North and South America and a mission to uplift the next generation, they honor a rich jazz lineage while forging new sonic pathways.

Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts

For hundreds of years, songs have been the vessels for stories, lessons, and prayers for the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. One of the newest additions to this world is the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band, which presented its very first concert in 2022, focusing on reimagined traditional melodies made famous by Indigenous jazz musicians from the past, like singer Mildred Bailey (Coeur d’Alene) and saxophonist Jim Pepper (Kaw/Mvskoke), as well as new works that push the genre forward.

Michigan Theater

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) is an ensemble of Native and Indigenous jazz musicians from across Indian Country. Performing pieces from their under-appreciated predecessors in jazz, like Mildred Bailey (Coeur d’Alene) and Jim Pepper (Kaw/Mvskoke), alongside works by contemporary Indigenous composers, the band spotlights a vibrant, long-standing tradition of Indigenous improvised music today. Led by the celebrated vocalist and luminary Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), the ensemble brings charisma, passion, and purpose to every stage, leaving audiences both inspired and educated.

Edmonds Center For the Arts

Julia Keefe (Nez Perce) is an internationally acclaimed Native American jazz vocalist, actor, activist, and educator currently based in New York City. Her professional career has spanned over 18 years and she has headlined marquee events at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., NMAI-NY, Kennedy Center, as well as opening for 20-time GRAMMY Award winner Tony Bennett and 4-time GRAMMY Award winner Esperanza Spalding. Her life’s work is the revival and honoring of the legendary Coeur d’Alene jazz musician Mildred Bailey and is leading the campaign for Bailey’s induction into the Jazz Hall of Fame at Lincoln Center. She currently directs the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band, and has performed with world-class musicians including Jim McNeely, Emmet Cohen, Billy Test, Dan Hearle, Andreas Oberg, Bob Bowman, Clipper Anderson, Jack Mouse, the Lionel Hampton Big Band, among many others. Keefe is also the Executive Director of the Board for One Heart Native Arts and Film Festival, an annual non-profit festival in Spokane, showcasing the diversity and vitality of contemporary Native art in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Artist Talk: Julia Keefe

The internationally acclaimed Native American jazz vocalist Julia Keefe made a splash on the New York jazz scene with her masterful command of the Great American Songbook, opening for the likes of Tony Bennett. After a popular Carpenter Center appearance last year, Keefe and her quartet return with fresh takes on jazz classics. 

Julia Keefe

California State University, Long Beach

Experience the charisma, passion, and purpose of the Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble—a powerhouse group of Native and Indigenous jazz musicians from across Indian Country. Led by Julia Keefe, an emerging trailblazer in jazz and a pioneering composer, arranger, conductor, and vocalist, the ensemble honors the often overlooked contributions of Indigenous jazz artists to this one true American art form. The ensemble pays homage to the past while shaping the future of jazz, performing works by jazz legends like Mildred Bailey (Coeur d’Alene) and Jim Pepper (Kaw/Mvskoke) alongside bold new compositions from today’s Indigenous composers. 

Since their 2022 debut at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, the ensemble has earned national acclaim for their dynamic performances and cultural impact. Most recently, they headlined the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center in Spring 2024—cementing their role as leaders in a new era of jazz.

Julia Keefe

Events

Upcoming events

Mar 8, 2026

Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble · Broadstage

Past events

Mar 6, 2026

Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band · Cal Performances

Jan 30, 2026

Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble · UChicago Presents

About

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