Information Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Dec. 10, 2025: Trinidad and Tobago’s globally acclaimed Kes the Band will kick off 2026 on one of many world’s most prestigious levels, headlining Jazz at Lincoln Middle’s extremely anticipated Unity Jazz Pageant on January 8-9, 2026. The group, led by frontman Kees Dieffenthaller, will carry their signature “Creole Soul” sound – infused with soca, calypso, reggae, and up to date Caribbean rhythms – to the Rose Theater in Manhattan for an unforgettable celebration of music and tradition.
The 2-night competition marks a significant second for Caribbean illustration in worldwide jazz programming, pairing Kes with award-winning Trinidadian trumpeter Etienne Charles, who will be part of the band for a set that blends jazz improvisation with island power.
Billed as “winter’s hottest jazz competition,” the Unity Jazz Pageant transforms each efficiency area inside Jazz at Lincoln Middle right into a multi-stage musical journey. Audiences can select between unique entry to the Kes and Buddies live shows or discover dozens of performances all through the halls that includes rising stars, jazz veterans, and world innovators.
Kes will headline two reveals:
- Thursday, Jan. 8 – Rose Theater
- Friday, Jan. 9 – Appel Room
Each live shows are included within the All-Entry Cross, which ensures assigned seating for the Kes efficiency whereas offering full entry to all competition exercise on the chosen evening.
For Kes, identified internationally for hits like “Hey,” “Savannah Grass,” and “Psychological Day,” the Lincoln Middle look represents a fusion of Caribbean soul with the improvisational essence of jazz—a gathering level of cultures and genres in one of many world’s biggest performing arts venues.
Trumpeter Etienne Charles, celebrated for weaving Caribbean people traditions into up to date jazz, will be part of the band for collaborative performances that spotlight the area’s vibrant musical heritage.
Past the headline present, the Unity Jazz Pageant showcases over a dozen artists and ensembles that replicate the evolving panorama of jazz. The Nightly Pageant Cross provides attendees entry to all competition occasions – besides the Kes live shows, providing a wealthy lineup that includes:
- Tributes to Latin jazz legend Eddie Palmieri
- Cellist and composer Tomeka Reid
- Jazz-funk visionary DJ Logic
- Blues and guitar rising star Solomon Hicks
- Saxophonist Erena Terakubo
- Pianist and composer Gabriel Chakarji
- Percussionist and composer Rajna Swaminathan
- Kate Kortum, winner of the 2025 Sarah Vaughan Worldwide Jazz Vocal Competitors
The competition can even current the Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honors All-Star Live performance, that includes over 15 grasp musicians together with George Coleman, Amina Claudine Myers, Akua Dixon, Herlin Riley, and Billy Hart.
With performances unfolding concurrently throughout Rose Theater, the Appel Room, and numerous smaller areas, Jazz at Lincoln Middle guarantees an immersive expertise the place audiences can wander, uncover new sounds, and interact with jazz in its most expansive, artistic kind.
For the Caribbean diaspora, the Kes + Etienne Charles collaboration on the Unity Jazz Pageant is a milestone – a uncommon alternative to see the area’s musical id spotlighted at one among New York Metropolis’s most iconic cultural establishments.
The occasion underscores Jazz at Lincoln Middle’s dedication to showcasing world influences inside the jazz custom, whereas amplifying Caribbean artistry on a world stage.
Pageant passes at the moment are accessible HERE
From Creole rhythms to improvisational brilliance, the 2026 Unity Jazz Pageant guarantees an exhilarating convergence of cultures—inviting audiences to “discover their rhythm” and have a good time the unifying energy of music.
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