Key Takeaways
- • The National Endowment for the Arts will present a free tribute concert honoring the 2026 Jazz Masters on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. PT at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
- • The 2026 Jazz Masters are Carmen Lundy, Airto Moreira, and Patrice Rushen, plus A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy recipient Rhonda Hamilton.
- • Airto Moreira and Patrice Rushen will not attend in person but will have special performances in their honor; Carmen Lundy and Rhonda Hamilton will participate.
- • The concert is hosted by NEA Chairman Mary Anne Carter and will be streamed live via arts.gov and broadcast on radio, including SiriusXM's Real Jazz channel.
- • Up to two free tickets per person can be reserved via Eventbrite, with unclaimed tickets released at 7:45 p.m. on the night of the event.
Summary
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced that it will present a free tribute concert honoring the 2026 Jazz Masters on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. PT at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California. The 2026 Jazz Masters, recipients of the nation's highest honor in jazz, were announced last fall. They are Carmen Lundy, Airto Moreira, Patrice Rushen, and Rhonda Hamilton, who receives the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy.
The concert is hosted by NEA Chairman Mary Anne Carter, who said the agency is proud to bring its annual Jazz Masters celebration to Los Angeles, "a city deeply connected to the history of jazz and to this year's honorees." The event will premiere short videos exploring the honorees' lives and careers. Rhonda Hamilton and Carmen Lundy will take part in the event, while Airto Moreira and Patrice Rushen are unable to attend but will have special performances in their honor.
Performers announced include Carmen Lundy, 2021 Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington, Justo Almario, Michael Carvin, Diana Purim, Ben Williams, and a number of other musicians. The NEA notes the lineup is subject to change and additional performers will be announced later.
Admission is free, with up to two tickets per person reserved through Eventbrite. Reserved tickets must be picked up the night of the concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave, before 7:45 p.m., when unclaimed tickets will be released to a giveaway line. Patrons without reservations may join the giveaway line from 6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability. Sign-interpreted and captioned seating is available on request.
The concert will be streamed live on arts.gov, with an archive to follow, and shared by partners including the American Jazz Museum, Blues Alley, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, NPR Music, and JazzTimes. Radio broadcasts will air on SiriusXM's Real Jazz channel (67), KBEM, KCSM, KKJZ, WPFW, and WZUM, subject to change. Since 1982, the NEA has awarded 181 Jazz Masters fellowships of $25,000 each, which may be received only once in a lifetime.
The concert is hosted by NEA Chairman Mary Anne Carter, who said the agency is proud to bring its annual Jazz Masters celebration to Los Angeles, "a city deeply connected to the history of jazz and to this year's honorees." The event will premiere short videos exploring the honorees' lives and careers. Rhonda Hamilton and Carmen Lundy will take part in the event, while Airto Moreira and Patrice Rushen are unable to attend but will have special performances in their honor.
Performers announced include Carmen Lundy, 2021 Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington, Justo Almario, Michael Carvin, Diana Purim, Ben Williams, and a number of other musicians. The NEA notes the lineup is subject to change and additional performers will be announced later.
Admission is free, with up to two tickets per person reserved through Eventbrite. Reserved tickets must be picked up the night of the concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave, before 7:45 p.m., when unclaimed tickets will be released to a giveaway line. Patrons without reservations may join the giveaway line from 6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability. Sign-interpreted and captioned seating is available on request.
The concert will be streamed live on arts.gov, with an archive to follow, and shared by partners including the American Jazz Museum, Blues Alley, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, NPR Music, and JazzTimes. Radio broadcasts will air on SiriusXM's Real Jazz channel (67), KBEM, KCSM, KKJZ, WPFW, and WZUM, subject to change. Since 1982, the NEA has awarded 181 Jazz Masters fellowships of $25,000 each, which may be received only once in a lifetime.
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