Proclaimed at UNESCO in 2011 at the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every year on April 30. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is UNESCO’s partner in the organization and promotion of International Jazz Day around the world.
The program for the 2023 celebration of International Jazz Day, with participation from more than 190 countries, will feature an extraordinary selection of jazz performances from Austria to Zimbabwe, highlighting the power of jazz in bridging differences and promoting unity and peace through intercultural dialogue and collaboration
To kick off the International Jazz Day weekend, PBS will debut a one-hour special on Friday evening, April 28 at 9:00 pm CDT, locally on WNPT, channel 8.1. “International Jazz Day from the United Nations” highlights the 2022 All-Star Global Concert with performances by Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Shemekia Copeland, Gregory Porter, Lizz Wright, José James, Hiromi, Marcus Miller, Ravi Coltrane, Terri Lyne Carrington, Zakir Hussain, Brian Blade, Linda May Han Oh, Joey Alexander and more. It will re-air late night Friday/Saturday morning at 1:00 am, and again late night Sunday/ Monday morning at 3:00 am.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, recalling the significant role played by jazz in modern history, stated, “On this International Jazz Day, musicians around the world are once again answering, in great numbers, the resounding call for peace through music. Born out of struggles for justice, jazz inspires us to build a future that reflects its spirit – united in the celebration of diversity. Join us on this ‘Jazz Journey around the World’ and witness the power of music.”
The flagship Jazz Day event, a spectacular All-Star Global Concert, hosted by Herbie Hancock, will take viewers on an international tour of sights and sounds showcasing jazz in all its diversity. The concert will feature performances from Beijing, China; Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Johannesburg, South Africa; Marondera, Zimbabwe; Paris, France; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Vienna, Austria; and Fairbanks, Honolulu, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC, USA, featuring performances by Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Somi, Melody Gardot, Sérgio Mendes, Cyrille Aimée, Antonio Sánchez, John Beasley and many more.
The All-Star Global Concert will be webcast worldwide on Sunday, April 30 at 3 pm CDT on jazzday.com, unesco.org, hancockinstitute.org, the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook channels, and other outlets. Jazz festivals around the world will also be commemorating International Jazz Day through special events. To learn about the hundreds of other events planned in all 50 U.S. states and 190+ countries across the world, visit jazzday.com/events.
Looking back on twelve years of International Jazz Day, Herbie Hancock remarked, “As the world’s largest, most inclusive celebration of jazz music, International Jazz Day unites people across the globe. Jazz has always been about expanding boundaries – inspiring musicians toward the future and its infinite possibilities. This year, we are thrilled that the All-Star Global Concert will reflect this expansive identity in a new way, by sharing with our audience a rich palette of sounds on more than a dozen stages in every corner of the planet.”
