Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY PRESENTS
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA
WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
IN A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY PERFORMANCE, 
MAY 26, 2026

Evening includes music by legendary composers including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, and Charles Mingus, alongside new works from the orchestra’s unrivaled collection of world-renowned composers and arrangers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 22, 2026) – Ensemble Arts Philly is thrilled to present the highly anticipated return of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, widely regarded as one of the world’s premier jazz big bands, for a special one-night performance in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. The evening is a vibrant celebration brought to life by more than a dozen of today’s leading jazz soloists and ensemble musicians. Featuring both beloved classics and rarely heard works alongside bold new compositions, the program honors jazz’s rich legacy while showcasing its continued evolution.

Featuring music by legendary composers including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, and Charles Mingus, alongside new works from the orchestra’s unrivaled collection of world-renowned composers and arrangers, the evening highlights the extraordinary artistry that has redefined modern big band music. Under Marsalis’ direction, the ensemble delivers performances marked by swinging rhythms, soulful melodies, and electrifying improvisation – each one a celebration of the enduring spirit and influence of jazz.

Founded in 1988, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) is internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading jazz ensembles. Dedicated to performing, preserving, and expanding the canon of jazz, the orchestra tours globally, appears regularly on television, collaborates with symphony orchestras, and engages audiences of all ages through education initiatives and school performances.

“Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is an annual tradition for Ensemble Arts Philly – part of our work celebrating jazz for its past, present, and future – and in 2026, the tradition is expanded as The Philadelphia Orchestra partners with this renowned big band for an America 250 celebration,” said Frances Egler, Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations. “Following our one-night-only engagement, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will spend the weekend with us for the world premiere of Marsalis’s Symphony No. 5 (“Liberty”), co-commissioned by the Orchestra; not only does this work reflect our pride in honoring voices of those who helped shape our country but were not fully heard in 1776, it reflects our commitment to amplifying historically marginalized voices and inviting great American musicians to our stages.”

Since 2015, the Orchestra’s albums have been issued on its own label, Blue Engine Records. The first release from Blue Engine Records, Live in Cuba, was recorded on a historic 2010 trip to Havana by the JLCO and released in October 2015. The label issued Big Band Holidays in December 2015, The Abyssinian Mass in March 2016, The Music of John Lewis in March 2017, and the JLCO’s Handful of Keys in September 2017.

Other featured upcoming performances include Shucked (April 21–May 3, 2026, Forrest Theatre); Bat Out of Hell (May 1 & 2, 2026, Miller Theater); WXPN Welcomes Rhiannon Giddens (May 5, 2026, Miller Theater);  Chicago (May 12–17, 2026, Forrest Theatre); The Outsiders (May 26–June 7, 2026, Academy of Music); and Herbie Hancock (July 29, 2026, Marian Anderson Hall inside the Kimmel Center).

Tickets
Tickets can be purchased online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org, by calling 215-893-1999, or in person at the Academy of Music Box Office (240 S. Broad Street) daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Marian Anderson Hall inside the Kimmel Center
Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 7:00 p.m. 

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ABOUT ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY
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