Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y is one of New York City’s hottest summer jazz festivals. It presents many different visions of America’s music.
The Jazz Age of the 1920s and 30s defined American culture. Jazz is global now, but though New Orleans jazz, Brazilian choro, and Jewish klezmer developed independently, they all swing. Explain that!
Jazz in July 2025
Jazz in July, one of NYC’s hottest summer jazz festivals features the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with John Pizzarelli, Carlos Henriquez Nonet, Tenors of Our Time, a Geri Allen and Mary Lou Williams tribute, Marta Sánchez Quintet, and a world premiere by Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society with Aaron Diehl and the Aaron Diehl Trio. It’s at the 92nd Street Y New York, from July 15-26, 2025. 🇺🇸 🇵🇷 🇪🇸
The concerts are also available for streaming, starting at $25.
American Jazz
The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with John Pizzarelli play American jazz, for Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 7:30pm. From $40. 🇺🇸
Nuyorican Jazz
The Carlos Henriquez Nonet plays Nuyorican jazz, for Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at 7:30pm. From $45. 🇵🇷
American and Chilean Jazz
Tenors of Our Time features tenor sax players Melissa Aldana (Chile), Chris Lewis, Walter Smith III, and Lew Tabackin; for Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 7:30pm. From $40. 🇺🇸 🇨🇱
American Women’s Jazz
Celebrating Geri Allen and Mary Lou Williams features Vanisha Gould, Nicole Glover, Aaron Diehl, Yasushi Nakamura, and Terri Lyne Carrington paying tribute to two great jazz women; for Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 7:30pm. From $40. 🇺🇸
Geri Allen (1957-2017) was an African American jazz pianist, composer, educator and Guggenheim Fellow. Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981) was an African American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer who wrote and arranged for many jazz giants. Allen was a champion of Williams’ work, and NEA Jazz Master and multiple Grammy-winner Terri Lyne Carrington worked with Allen, so this concert is a direct connection to these great female jazz artists.
Spanish Jazz
Marta Sánchez Quintet plays Spanish jazz; for Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 7:30pm. From $40. 🇪🇸
American Jazz
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society with Aaron Diehl plays big band jazz including an Argue arrangement of Diehl’s “Organic Consequence: and the world premiere of “A Banquet for the Birds,” Argue’s suite for piano and jazz orchestra; for Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 7:30pm. From $40. 🇺🇸
Jazz in July 2024
Jazz in July is a hot summer jazz festival at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; from July 17-27, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 🇺🇸 🇨🇲 🇹🇹
It’s presented both in-person and streaming online for 72 hours after the show, so you don’t have to miss a beat.
Kenny, Benny & Bop!
The Jazz in July 2024 jazz festival opens with five pianists in one- and two-piano sets featuring NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron, Benny Green, Helen Sung, Joe Block, and Aaron Diehl; at the 92nd Street Y, New York, and online; on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 92ny.org
If you like jazz piano, you will love this show. Two-piano sets are really fun. This is jazz, so the artists will be improvising, and riffing off each other. One piano can make a very full sound. Two pianos bopping can be absolutely celestial.
Aaron Diehl
Aaron Diehl is Jazz in July’s new Artistic Director. He is a classical and jazz pianist who is equally comfortable on either side of the classical/jazz coin. Diehl is always turning something old into something new, in the West African Sankofa tradition. He first rose to prominence as a finalist in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition. That led to touring with Wynton Marsalis and and a Juilliard education. Now he plays with symphony orchestras and jazz stars around the world, and at the 92nd Street Y. Instagram @aaronjdiehl
Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet
The Jazz in July 2024 jazz festival presents 2023 American Pianists Award-winner, the Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet; at the 92nd Street Y, New York, and online; on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 92ny.org
Isaiah J. Thompson is a young pianist with a bright future in gospel and soul-influenced jazz. Just when you think they don’t make don’t make them like that anymore, along comes an artist like Thompson. The pianist in the John Pizzarelli Trio is already playing with a who’s who list of jazz greats. If you go to this show, you can say you saw Thompson back in the day when he was just starting out. @isaiahjthompson
Singers and the Song: Marilyn Maye, Catherine Russell, and Ekep Nkwelle
The Jazz in July 2024 jazz festival presents three generations of jazz vocalists with Marilyn Maye, Catherine Russell, and Ekep Nkwelle backed by the Aaron Diehl Trio; at the 92nd Street Y, New York, and online; on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 92ny.org 🇺🇸 🇨🇲
Marilyn Maye has been singing jazz for around 80 years now, with artists like Charlie Parker and Count Basie. National Public Radio (NPR) called her “one of our greatest living songbook singers.” The American Songbook is special because though it leans into pop music, much of the Songbook started as jazz. @mayemarilyn
Catherine Russell is Grammy-winning jazz royalty. The daughter of Louis Armstrong’s pianist and music director has jazz in her blood. @catherinerussellmusic
Ekep Nkwelle is a Cameroonian American jazz vocalist who was a finalist in the esteemed Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Her Cameroonian heritage is interesting because Cameroon is a Central African country next to West Africa. A lot of Caribbean culture comes from that region, and New Orleans’ Caribbean culture created jazz. @ekepnkwelle
Etienne Charles and Creole Soul
The Jazz in July 2024 jazz festival presents the Calypso rhythms of Julliard-trained Trinidadian trumpeter Etienne Charles and Creole Soul; at the 92nd Street Y, New York, and online; on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 92ny.org 🇹🇹
Etienne Charles is originally from Trinidad, the home of calypso and soca, and the Mother of Caribbean Carnival. Trinidad’s Indian and Chinese influences make it one of the most diverse Caribbean countries. Jazz sounds a little different everywhere that it is played. Charles’ sound has that Antillean Creole Swing in it. It’s that Carnival vibe! @etiennejazz
Preludes: Adam Birnbaum, Jeb Patton, and Aaron Diehl
The Jazz in July 2024 jazz festival explores the classical influence of jazz with Adam Birnbaum, Jeb Patton, and Aaron Diehl; at the 92nd Street Y, New York, and online; on Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 92ny.org 🇺🇸
Classical music and jazz are two sides of the same coin. The virtuosity of many jazz musicians comes from a lot of classical training. In a way, jazz is the American classical music. It is now accepted as the American opera. Hearing an artist flow back and forth between jazz and classical traditions is sweet like a popsicle on a hot summer day. @adambirnbaumpiano @jebpatton @aaronjdiehl
Tyshawn Sorey Trio and Warren Wolf
The Jazz in July 2024 jazz festival has composer and multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey reimagining the American Songbook with Aaron Diehl on piano, Warren Wolf on vibes; at the 92nd Street Y, New York, and online; on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 7:30pm. From $25. 92ny.org 🇺🇸
Jazz in July
The Festival has had a piano focus since its first artistic directors, pianists Dick Hyman and Bill Charlap. With Aaron Diehl taking the lead in 2024, Jazz in July opens to new horizons. An interesting thing about the piano is that though it plays melodies, it is a percussion instrument. The 92nd Street Y has a long tradition of supporting artists of color, way before it was popular to do so. We are excited to see where Diehl takes the Festival.