Photos: Lincoln Center\Wikimedia Commons
New York, NY (December 8, 2025): Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly announces KestheBand featuring Etienne Charles as the 2026 headliner for the third annual Unity Jazz Festival: a celebration dedicated to musical community, global connections through jazz, and cross-cultural storytelling. Taking place January 8–9, 2026 at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, also known as The House Of Swing, this year’s festival embraces the organization’s 38th Season “Mother Africa”- a recognition of the worldwide influence of Afro-American and African diaspora music traditions, as well as Africa’s lasting imprint on jazz.
Known for electrifying performances and boundary-breaking sound, Trinidad and Tobago’s KestheBand will bring its signature blend of Soca, soul, calypso, and island pop to the Jazz at Lincoln Center stage. The headlining performance is at the epicenter of the legendary group’s 20th anniversary celebrations, along with additional new music set to roll out in early 2026. The history-making debut will see the band’s first-ever stripped-down performances, featuring two intimate sets that feature reimagined arrangements of their music alongside special guest collaborations – including acclaimed Trinidadian trumpeter Etienne Charles. Bringing production support to Kes’ headlining performance, Charles will infuse the concerts with his signature blend of Afro-Caribbean storytelling and musical craftsmanship. Kes’ Unity Jazz Festival performance arrives just ahead of the band’s highly anticipated new single, “Rum And Coca Cola”, along with additional new music set to roll out in early 2026.
“Caribbean music has always been a voice of resilience, rhythm, and unity, and stages like Jazz at Lincoln Center give us the chance to share that unique voice with the world,” said Kees Dieffenthaller, lead vocalist of KestheBand. “Headlining Jazz at Lincoln Center’s United Jazz Festival is a dream come true for us – we feel so aligned in a bigger purpose,’ he further explained. KestheBand has also taken an active role in Caribbean relief efforts, following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica. The group continues to support fundraising efforts for affected communities, such as the Jamaica Strong Benefit Concert with celebrities such as Shaggy and Inner Circle—continuing their long-standing commitment to uplifting the wider Caribbean family. “It’s a timely moment f,or Caribbean culture to stand proudly on the global stage and remind everyone of the shared roots that connect us.”
“Looking forward to bringing Creole Soul to the House of Swing and being a part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Unity Jazz Festival,” said Etienne Charles. “I couldn’t be more excited to reunite with my brother Kes and continue the creative journey we’ve shared for years.”
For more than three decades, Jazz at Lincoln Center has been a pillar of artistic expression, uniting musicians, fans, students, and educators across cultures and perspectives. Unity Jazz Festival invites audiences to experience a carefully curated program that fosters creative exchange and celebrates the dynamic future of jazz.
Unity Jazz Festival showcases an exciting lineup of more than 20 acclaimed acts and emerging artists across five stages. With performances celebrating the legacy of legendary Eddie Palmieri, along with a first time JALC performances by DJ Logic, and sets featuring Tomeka Reid, Veronica Swift, Erena Terakubo, Gabriel Chakarji, Rajna Swaminathan. Unity Festival proudly presents the first Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honors All-Star Concert, spotlighting over 17 masters of the music: Valerie Capers, Amina Claudine Myers, George Coleman, Akua Dixon, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Bertha Hope, Roger Humphries, Carmen Lundy, Roscoe Mitchell, Johnny O’Neal, Shannon Powell, Julian Priester, Herlin Riley, Michele Rosewoman, Dom Slavador and Reggie Workman.
New this year to the Unity Jazz Festival: All-Access Passes include admission to all Unity Jazz Festival performances plus KestheBand’s headlining concerts, with guaranteed entry and assigned seating.
The Nightly Festival Pass (excludes Kes concert) offers its own world of discovery, providing access to every performance throughout The House of Swing—excluding KestheBand—featuring the Festival’s full slate of artists.
For tickets and more information, visit: jazz.org/unity
For live stream information, visit: jazzlive.com
2026 UNITY JAZZ FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
*All times are EST*
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8
6:30–7:45 p.m.:
FUNMI’S JAM with Stacy Dillard & Brookyln Circle and Friends
Stage: Ertegun Atrium
6:45–7:45 p.m.:
Camila Cortina Trio
Stage: Agnes Varis Studio
7:00–8:30 p.m.:
Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honors All-Star Concert 2026: featuring Valerie Capers, Amina Claudine Myers, George Coleman, Akua Dixon, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Bertha Hope, Roger Humphries, Carmen Lundy, Roscoe Mitchell, Johnny O’Neal, Shannon Powell, Julian Priester, Herlin Riley, Michele Rosewoman, Dom Slavador and Reggie Workman
Stage: Rose Theater
7:30–8:45 p.m.:
Tomeka Reid Septet: In Tribute to Ellington
Stage: Dizzy’s Club
8:15–9:15 p.m.:
William Hill III Trio
Stage: Agnes Varis Studio
8:15–9:30 p.m.:
Erena Terakubo Sextet
Stage: Ertegun Atrium
9:30–11:00 p.m.:
An Intimate Evening with Kes and Friends
Stage: Rose Theater
9:30–10:45 p.m.:
Veronica Swift
Stage: Dizzy’s Club
9:45–10:45 p.m.:
Rajna Swaminathan & Miles Okazaki
Stage: Agnes Varis Studio
10:15–11:30 p.m.:
DJ Logic and Friends with Herlin Riley, Luques Curtis, and Nicole Glover
Stage: Ertegun Atrium
11:15p.m.12:30 a.m.:
Theme for Akiko: Organ Jam Celebrating Akiko Tsuruga
Stage: Dizzy’s Club
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9:
6:30–7:45 p.m.:
Etienne Charles: Gullah Roots
Stage: Ertegun Atrium
6:45–7:45 p.m.:
Andre White Trio
Stage: Agnes Varis Studio
7:00–8:30 p.m.:
Eddie Palmieri Experience: A Musical Retrospective
Stage: The Appel Room
7:30–8:45 p.m.:
Kate Kortum
Stage: Dizzy’s Club
8:15–9:15 p.m.:
Samir LanGus Trio
Stage: Agnes Varis Studio
8:15–9:30 p.m.:
Gabriel Chakarji Trio
Stage: Ertegun Atrium
9:30–11:00 p.m.:
An Intimate Evening with Kes and Friends Stage: The Appel Room
9:30–10:45 p.m.:
Hometown Heroes: New Orleans Own Leroy Jones Quartet with Luther Allison piano TBA, Yasushi Nakamura, Herlin Riley
Stage: Dizzy’s Club
9:45–10:45 p.m.:
Veronica Leahy & Emmanuel Michael
Stage: Agnes Varis Studio
10:15–11:30 p.m.:
Solomon Hicks
Stage: Ertegun Atrium
11:15P.M.–12:30 a.m.:
Tivon Pennicott and Friends
Stage: Dizzy’s Club
*Schedule and artists are subject to change
UNITY JAZZ FESTIVAL TICKETING INFORMATION:
All-Access Pass: Unity Jazz Festival + Kes Includes admission to all Unity Jazz Festival performances plus the KestheBand headlining performance on each evening.
– Thursday, January 8 (Rose Theater)
Orch. $175.00 | Mezz. $150.00 | Balc. $125.00
– Friday, January 9 (The Appel Room)
Orch. $150.00 | Mezz. $125.00
Nightly Festival Pass (Excluding Kes concert) Provides entry to all Unity Jazz Festival performances excluding entry to the KestheBand headlining performance.
– Thursday, January 8: $75.00
– Friday, January 9: $75.00
*Please note that a $5.00 Jazz at Lincoln Center Facility Fee applies to all ticket purchases. A $7 handling fee also applies when purchasing tickets from CenterCharge or when purchasing tickets online via jazz.org.*
Unity Jazz Festival tickets can be purchased through jazz.org 24 hours a day or through CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, Ground Floor.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office hours are: Tuesday-Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday: Closed
About Jazz at Lincoln Center:
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 38th season, Mother Africa, delves into the creative spirit that unites African and American musical traditions, and runs through June 20, 2026. The organization’s 2025-26 season includes 19 unique weekends of Jazz at Lincoln Center concerts in the 1233-seat Rose Theater, nine concerts in the 467-seat Appel Room, and more than 350 nights of music at Dizzy’s Club, in addition to webcast performances and in-person and virtual education programs. The 2025-26 season also features tour dates worldwide by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, an ensemble of 15 virtuoso instrumentalists, unique soloists, composers, arrangers, and educators whose mandate is to coalesce and animate an unprecedented variety of styles and genres, in collaboration with noted guest artists and appearances by major figures in jazz and its related genres.
About KestheBand
Hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, KestheBand is one of the world’s most influential music groups, known for its vibrant blend of soca, calypso, reggae, R&B, and global pop. Led by frontman Kees Dieffenthaller (Kes), the band has captivated audiences worldwide with hits such as “Hello,” “Wotless,” and “Savannah Grass.” Celebrated for their soulful vocals, infectious energy, and boundary-pushing artistry, KestheBand continues to elevate Caribbean music on the international stage through dynamic live performances, community impact, and genre-expanding new releases.
