As January 2026 rolls forward, the global jazz scene is anything but quiet. From packed clubs and marathon festival sets to international celebrations already on the calendar, the music is thriving—and at The Improv Café Radio, we remain fully locked into the heartbeat of it all. As always, our station plays only live jazz, big band, swing, and vocal jazz. Every track you hear is a live performance—no studio cuts, no exceptions—because jazz, at its core, is meant to be experienced in the moment.

That philosophy feels especially fitting right now, as major jazz hubs across the country and around the world are alive with energy.

Jazz Festivals Setting the Winter Pace

New York City’s Winter Jazzfest is closing out its ambitious, month-long “Still We Rise” season, a sprawling celebration that turned Manhattan and Brooklyn into nightly destinations for adventurous listeners. Marathon performances, late-night improvisation, and boundary-pushing collaborations reminded everyone why New York remains a global epicenter for live jazz culture.

Out west, the Tucson Jazz Festival continues through January 24, welcoming a diverse lineup that bridges modern groove and classic sophistication. Performers like Cory Wong, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Bill Charlap are delivering sets that feel as much like celebrations as concerts—exactly the kind of performances that define today’s live jazz revival.

Later this month, jazz quite literally takes to the seas with The Jazz Cruise ’26, setting sail from Fort Lauderdale on January 27. With icons like Ron Carter, Emmet Cohen, and Paquito D’Rivera on board, it’s a floating reminder that live jazz has no boundaries—not geographic, not stylistic, and certainly not creative.

Looking further ahead, anticipation is already building for International Jazz Day 2026 on April 30. Chicago has been announced as the Global Host City, and official countdowns are underway for what promises to be a worldwide celebration of the music’s past, present, and future.

Clubs Where the Music Is Happening Right Now

Beyond the festivals, legendary clubs are continuing their tradition of presenting unforgettable live performances.

At New York’s iconic Blue Note, drummer Antonio Sánchez is in the middle of a powerful weekend run through January 24, followed by a GroundUP Music Showcase on January 25—proof that rhythm-forward jazz remains as compelling as ever.

Uptown at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club, pianist Cyrus Chestnut is taking the stage tonight, January 23, delivering the kind of soulful, swinging performance that reminds listeners why live piano jazz resonates so deeply.

On the West Coast, Yoshi’s continues to blur genre lines, recently hosting hip-hop legends DJ Quik and Spice 1 backed by live bands—another example of how jazz remains a living, evolving art form.

Meanwhile, beneath The Roxy Hotel at The Django, upcoming dates include the Gabriel Guerrero Trio on January 27 and the Michael Blake Quartet on January 31, offering intimate, late-night sessions that echo the golden age of underground jazz rooms.

Honoring the Legends We’ve Lost

This season also carries moments of reflection. The jazz world continues to mourn the loss of drummer Jack DeJohnette, who passed away in October 2025 at age 83. A true innovator, his influence on modern jazz rhythm is immeasurable. More recently, beloved American Songbook vocalist Rebecca Kilgore passed on January 20, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of warmth, elegance, and timeless swing. Their live recordings continue to inspire—and you’ll hear them honored on our airwaves.

A Global Jazz Year Ahead

The 2026 international festival calendar is already shaping up to be extraordinary. Montreux Jazz Festival Miami arrives February 27 through March 1 with Jon Batiste and Nile Rodgers headlining. The Montreal International Jazz Festival follows June 25 through July 4, featuring Diana Krall and Melody Gardot, while the Seoul Jazz Festival takes place May 22–24, underscoring jazz’s truly global reach.

Tonight on The Improv Café Radio: Swing With the Big Bands

If you’re looking for something special to kick off your Friday night, we’ve got you covered. Tonight, tune in to our “Swing With the Big Bands” radio show, where we spin legendary live performances from the greatest big band artists in history. Expect explosive brass sections, driving rhythm, and the kind of swing that makes it impossible to sit still.

As always, every song played is a live recording—authentic big band energy captured exactly as it happened. Whether you’re dancing in your living room, bopping along in the car, or just letting the music wash over you, it’s the perfect soundtrack for a Friday night.

At The Improv Café Radio, we don’t just play jazz—we preserve its spirit. Live. Always.

For high-energy Live Swing and Big Band recordings that capture the authentic atmosphere of a concert hall or jazz club, these essential albums are widely regarded as the best examples of the genre in a live setting, tuner in tonight on Swing With Big Bands.

Legendary Concert Recordings 

These albums are famous for revitalizing the careers of bandleaders or setting the gold standard for live jazz performance.

• Duke Ellington: Ellington at Newport(1956)
  • This is arguably the most famous live big band recording in history.
  • The centerpiece is a 27-chorus tenor sax solo by Paul Gonsalves on “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” that nearly caused a riot and single-handedly revitalized Ellington’s career.
• Benny Goodman: The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert
  • Recorded on January 16, 1938, this was the first time jazz was presented as a serious art form at Carnegie Hall.
  • It features the definitive, high-energy live version of “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)”.
• Frank Sinatra & Count Basie: Sinatra at the Sands(1966)
  • Captured at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, this album features the Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones.
  • Sinatra is at his peak here, backed by one of the hardest-swinging big bands ever recorded. 

Hard-Swinging Club & Broadcast Sets

These recordings offer a more intimate but equally powerful “live” feel, often captured in nightclubs or via radio broadcasts. 

• Count Basie: Breakfast Dance and Barbecue(1959)
  • Recorded live at a 2:00 AM DJ convention in Miami, this album captures the “Atomic” era Basie band in a loose, high-energy late-night setting.
• Count Basie: Live in Berlin 1963
  • An original master concert recording from the Sportpalast Berlin, featuring the classic Basie rhythm section and innovations like “split” tenor saxophones.
• Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra: All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard
  • This album documents the birth of one of the most influential modern big bands.
  • The recording captures their first Monday night at the Village Vanguard, showcasing a modern, inventive, yet hard-swinging style.
• Buddy Rich: Big Swing Face(1967)
  • Recorded live at The Chez in Hollywood, this album showcases the incredible power and speed of the Buddy Rich Big Band. 

Essential Live Big Band List