News
A full day of free music with three stages on Nicollet Mall at the Dakota Block Party September 26th, 2026
August 26, 2026 •The 2026 Dakota Block Party will present a lineup of more than a dozen free musical acts throughout the afternoon and evening, along with food and beverage offerings from Dakota and local partners. Performers include Karrin Allyson, The Sounds of Blackness featuring. Jamecia Bennett, The New Standards, Moore by Four, Lucia Sarmiento, Joe Pulice Big […]
Montreal Beyond the Festival –2025 — Another Look Back and Look Forward!
June 25, 2026 •Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM) is one of the biggest music festivals in the world, with so much music art, souvenirs, and food, that it often spills out beyond the official Festival itself. Here are two events that took place during FIJM that show just how widespread the creative influence reaches during the […]
2025 Montreal Jazz Festival – A Look Back and a Look Forward!
June 24, 2026 •The 2025 Montreal Jazz Festival, officially known as Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM), took place from June 26 to July 5. FIJM is one of the biggest in the world, with a huge program of legendary performers and up-and-coming musicians. Over 350 concerts were presented, and two-thirds of them were free outdoor shows […]
Upper Midwest Jazz Fests Kick Off Summer—Twin Cities, Iowa City and Northfield
June 13, 2026 •It’s become a tradition! The Upper Midwest presents three great jazz festivals over three weekends, starting with the Twin Cities Jazz Festival June 19-20; moving south the the Iowa City Jazz Festival July 3-5; and then moving back north to the Northfield Jazz Festival July 10-12. And these jazzy weekends, featuring an exciting assortment of […]
Best of 2025 – James Moody Centennial Celebration
June 6, 2026 •As a kickoff event on May 27, the Blue Note Jazz Festival (BNJF), in cooperation with Linda Moody, Ina Dittke, James’ longtime agent, and producer Danny Kapilian, presented the James Moody 100th Birthday Celebration at Sony Hall in New York City, since 2025 would have been Moody’s centennial year. Revered saxophonist/flautist James Moody, born in […]
Miles Davis 100th Celebration with the Eddie Henderson Quintet feat. Gary Bartz and Billy Hart Streaming Live from Smoke Jazz Club
May 25, 2026 •by Ronaldo Oregano “Miles Davis was the artist who defined jazz for me, and who, in his own way, defined American music in the 20th century.” – Quincy Jones A very special group—with numerous connections to the great Miles Davis—convenes for the 2026 edition of our Miles Davis Festival, celebrating his life and music, as […]