36th Annual
PURDUE JAZZ FESTIVAL
Jazz bands from middle schools and high schools across the Midwest will converge on Purdue University on January 24, 2026 for the 36th annual Purdue Jazz Festival, sponsored by Music for All.
Director Packet and other resources will become available in December.
WEather Update
Due to the bitter cold and impending winter storm, Purdue Bands & Orchestras has made the difficult decision to cancel the 36th Annual Purdue Jazz Festival. We are disappointed to miss the opportunity to gather with the 100+ middle and high schools to celebrate their hard work, talent, and love for jazz. However, we are more immediately concerned for their safety, and the safety of our students on campus. Thank you to all the faculty, staff, student volunteers, visiting artists, clinicians, adjudicators, and guest schools that have prepared tirelessly for this event. The Annual Purdue Jazz Festival has been a highlight for our community for the last 35 years, and we look forward to 2027 when we will all gather again.
The festival cancellation does not affect the Yellowjackets concert this evening or the upcoming Jazz at Lincoln Center performance featuring the Purdue Jazz Band on Saturday, January 31, at 8 PM.
View the 2026 Purdue Jazz Festival Program
Guest Artist & Clinicians
John Reynolds
Essentially Ellington Clinician
Thursday, January 22 – 7:00 PM
Community Jazz Showcase
The Purdue Jazz Festival kicks off with a free Community Jazz Showcase at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Lafayette, Indiana. The concert features Artist-In-Residence, Kirby Fellis, alongside the Purdue Jazz Band and four high school jazz bands from Tippecanoe County.
Friday, January 23 – 8:00 PM
Yellowjackets
With a 43-year legacy, the Yellowjackets have released 26 albums, earned 16 Grammy® nominations, and built a reputation as one of jazz’s most influential groups. Originally formed in the late 1970s as Robben Ford’s backing band, they soon evolved into their own powerhouse trio.
Individual and Group tickets will become available soon! Read more at the link below.
Saturday, January 24 – All Day
Festival Day
Over 100 high school and middle school jazz ensembles compete in various divisions throughout Stewart Center and the Purdue Memorial Union. The Purdue Jazz Band performs twice during the festival:
12:45 PM – Loeb Playhouse – Featuring Artist-In-Residence, Kirby Fellis
7:00 PM – Elliott Hall of Music – Featuring Guest Artist, Marshall Gilkes
Throughout the day, our Guest Artists and Clinicians will host lectures and demonstrations that are open to all festival participants.
Saturday, January 31 – 8:00 PM
JLCO with Wynton Marsalis
In their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Event, Purdue Convocations presents the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by trumpeter and artistic director, Wynton Marsalis. Established in 1987, it serves as the resident orchestra of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, dedicated to preserving and advancing the legacy of jazz.