Announcing Chicago’s 27th Annual Englewood Jazz Festival

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Presented by Live the Spirit Residency, the Englewood Jazz Festival returns to Chicago’s historic Hamilton Park from September 17-19, 2026. This year’s festival celebrates the next generation of creative musicians while honoring the centennial legacies of Oscar Brown Jr., John Coltrane, and Miles Davis. All music performed will be original compositions by the featured artists.

Festival showcases performances by Julius Tucker, Live the Spirit Residency Expanded Ensemble, with Dee Alexander, Jeremiah Hunt, Kevin King, the Young Masters, Ernest Dawkins New Horizons Ensemble Redux, Maggie Brown, Bobby Broom, Dakarai Barclay, Marquis Hill‘s New Continuum Ensemble featuring Braxton Cook and more

Founded in 1999 by acclaimed saxophonist and composer Ernest Dawkins, the Englewood Jazz Festival has become one of Chicago’s premier cultural events, serving as a vital platform for creative expression, artistic excellence, community engagement, and cultural unity. Through free performances, educational activities, and intergenerational collaborations, the festival continues to showcase the rich tradition of (Jazz), Great Black Music while inspiring new generations of artists and audiences across Chicago.

“The Englewood Jazz Festival has always been about bringing people together through original music, honoring the masters who came before us while creating space for the next generation to find its own voice. As we celebrate 27 years, we’re excited to welcome our community for a weekend that reflects the creativity, resilience, and collective spirit that make Chicago one of the great jazz cities in the world.” – Ernest Dawkins, Festival Founder
The weekend will feature performances by both jazz legends and next-generation artists. Events take place indoors on Sep 17 and 18 and outdoors on September 19 rain or shine, moving indoors in case of inclement weather. Some seating is provided, but attendees are advised to bring their own chairs, blankets, picnics, and an appetite for the kind of music that uplifts and transforms the human spirit! Further information and full schedule is available at www.englewoodjazzfestival.org or by calling (773) 789-4227.

Additionally, as part of this event, to honor those whose work has helped shape and strengthen the foundation of jazz in Chicago, the annual Spirit of Jazz Awards will be presented to recipients to be announced.

Festival Schedule:

  • Thursday, September 17 (indoors – Hamilton Park Fieldhouse)
    5:30 pm: Julius Tucker Trio
    6:30 pm: Live the Spirit Residency Expanded Ensemble, featuring Dee Alexander: Composer Ernest Dawkins debuted his major jazz work Fannie Lou Hamer: No One Could Contain Her during the UNESCO International Jazz Day celebrations. The piece fuses spirituals, jazz improvisation, and spoken word to recount her historic civil rights journey.
  • Friday, September 18 (indoors – Hamilton Park Fieldhouse)
    5:30 pm: Jeremiah Hunt Quartet
    6:30 pm: Kevin King Quartet featuring Bobby Broom, John Tate and Frank Morrison
  • Saturday, September 19 (outdoors Hamilton Park)
    12:00 to 1:00 The Young Masters under the direction of Ernest Dawkins
    1:10 to 2:10 Ernest Dawkins New Horizons Ensemble Redux
    2:20 to 3:20 The two Brown Sisters – Maggie and Africa Brown tribute to their father Oscar Brown Jr.
    3:20 to 3:30 Spirit of Jazz Awards
    3:35 to 4:45 Dakarai Barclay Quartet – all original compositions celebrating the lives of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.
    5:00 to 6:00 New Continuum Ensemble led by Marquis Hill featuring Braxton Cook