The DC Jazz Festival is turning up the volume with a special radio program that brings the spirit of the festival straight to your speakers. Curated by DC Jazz Festival CEO Sunny Sumter alongside Lucinda Chase, this program offers a hand-picked journey through the dazzling array of artists set to light up stages across Washington, DC during this year’s DC JazzFest (August 27–31). From iconic NEA Jazz Masters and GRAMMY winners to bold rising stars and the vibrant voices of the DMV scene, the program reflects the festival’s global reach and deep community roots.
Listeners will hear tracks from marquee headliners like Marcus Miller, Lalah Hathaway, Branford Marsalis, and Ron Carter, alongside festival favorites including The String Queens, Akua Allrich, Birckhead, and the Sun Ra Arkestra and so much more.
Adding to the celebration, NEA Jazz Master Willard Jenkins joins the program for a special appearance, offering insights that only he can bring.
Technical Credits:
Curated by Sunny Sumter & Lucinda Chase
Hosted by Sunny Sumter with special guest Willard Jenkins
Produced by Lydia Liebman
Playlist:
The String Queens – Billie Jean
Marcus Miller – Detroit
Emmet Cohen – Dardanella
Steve Wilson – Wilsonian Alto
Branford Marsalis Quartet – Cianna
Lalah Hathaway – No Lie
John Scofield – I Don’t Need No Doctor
Ron Carter – Flamenco Sketches
Matthew Whitaker – Journey Uptown
Eddie Palmieri – Azúcar
Corcoran Holt – 14th Street Bounce
Akua Allrich – Fire
Brent Birckhead – There’s Salt in the Honey
Hiruy Tirfe – 10,000 Hours
Makoto Ozone – Egg on the Roof
Gary Bartz and Jazz is Dead – Spiritual Ideation
Heidi Martin – Memphis
Sun Ra Arkestra – Plutonian Nights
Langston Hughes II – Tomorrow