Herbie Hancock to Captain ‘A Jazz Journey Around the World’ for International Jazz Day

Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Christian McBride will be among the artists performing in celebration of International Jazz Day on April 30. This year’s annual flagship event, the All-Star Global Concert, will be livestreamed from 13 global cities and is being billed as “A Jazz Journey Around the World.”

The concert lineup also includes Sergio Mendes (Brazil), Cyrille Aimée (France), Somi (Rwanda) and Antonio Sánchez (Mexico). Further showcasing jazz’s diversity will be acts performing from Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Marondera, Zimbabwe; Beijing, China; and Vienna, Austria, as well as Honolulu, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.  

In announcing International Jazz Day’s 2023 program, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay 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.”

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and concert host Herbie Hancock added, “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.”

The All-Star Global Concert will be webcast worldwide on April 30 (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT) on jazzday.com, unesco.org, hancockinstitute.org and the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook pages. Prior to the concert, free educational programs and other offerings will be presented via the same outlets. For more information, visit jazzday.com/events.

In the walkup to International Jazz Day weekend, PBS will present International Jazz Day From the United Nations. Highlighting performances from the 2022 All-Star Global Concert by Hancock, David Sanborn, Shemekia Copeland, Gregory Porter, Terri Lyne Carringinton and more, the special will air on April 28 (10 p.m. ET; check local listings).