Jazz Fest
Sidebar
February 25-28, 2026
Your invitation:
We would like to take this opportunity to extend a special invitation to you and your jazz ensemble, vocal jazz ensemble, and/or combo to be a part of the University of Louisville Jazz Festival, Friday February 27th, and/or Saturday February 28th, 2026.
This festival will be the culmination of a multiple-day celebration of jazz here on the University of Louisville campus. Please let us know which day you would prefer to perform, and we will do our best to try to accommodate your group with our scheduling.
This year's guest artists will be the fabulous trombonist, Wycliffe Gordon (Friday, February 27), and bass legend, John Clayton (Saturday, February 28). Each participating ensemble will have a 20–25-minute performance clinic with our festival adjudicators. This year’s adjudicators are Kelley Ray- McCracken Co. H.S., Todd Hill- Murray State University and Matt Leder-Gadsen State College. Ensembles will receive citations for outstanding, excellent, and good performances as well as a video recording of their performance. One to two outstanding soloists will be determined each day by the adjudicators. Outstanding soloists will receive free tuition to attend the UofL Honors Jazz Band Invitational in April 2026. Additionally, the adjudicators will select an outstanding ensemble to open each evening’s performance. Other activities on Friday and Saturday will include clinics and/or performances by our guest artists, UofL jazz faculty and adjudicators.
The UofL Jazz Festival is also an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in attending the University to audition for music scholarships and activity awards and to tour the campus. If you have students who are interested in auditioning, please note that on the enclosed entry form. The University jazz program is a very active program with a renowned faculty. The UofL jazz faculty includes David Clark, Ansyn Banks, Chris Fitzgerald, Gabe Evens, Marlin McKay, Craig Wagner and Terry O’Mahoney. The UofL jazz program includes big bands, combos, repertory ensembles, courses in jazz theory, improvisation, composition and arranging, jazz history, music technology, and jazz pedagogy. We offer both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz studies.
A limited number of performance slots are available. To assure your spot, please fill out the JazzFest26 Entry Form. The required registration fee ($180 for jazz ensembles; $130 for jazz combos and vocal groups) can be paid via check or with credit card. The registration deadline is January 26, 2026. Registration forms may also be downloaded from our web site, jazz.louisville.edu. Your registration will not be complete until the registration fee has been received. Lastly, be on the lookout to hear from us about our upcoming Invitational Honor Jazz Band scheduled for April 2026.
Guest artists:
Wycliffe Gordon experiences an impressive career touring the world performing to great acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Last year, Jazz Journalists Association named him 2022 “Trombonist of the Year” for the record-breaking 15th time, and he’s topped Downbeat Critics Poll for “Best Trombone” for an unprecedented six times (2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 & 2012). Recent awards include the “Louie Award”, the International Trombone Award and the Satchmo Award, among others. Wycliffe is a prolific recording artist and is extremely popular for his unmatched signature sound, plunger technique and unique vocals. He can be heard on hundreds of recordings, soundtracks, live DVD’s and documentaries, and has an extensive catalog of original compositions that span the various timbres of jazz and chamber music. His arrangement of the theme song to NPR’s “All Things Considered” is heard daily across the globe.
In addition to a successful solo career, Gordon tours regularly leading the International All Stars performing at festivals and performing arts centers worldwide. Gordon is also one of America’s most persuasive and committed music educators and is highly sought after as a clinician and guest speaker.
Wycliffe Gordon is a Yamaha Performing Artist and has his own line of Wycliffe Gordon Pro Signature Mouthpieces by Pickett Brass.
Bassist, Composer, Arranger, and Producer, John Clayton is a busy man. He is a Grammy© winner with nine additional nominations and has written and/or recorded with artists such as Milt Jackson, Diana Krall, Paul McCartney, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah, McCoy Tyner, YoYo Ma, and Charles Aznavour, to name only a few.
John was the principal bassist in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (The Netherlands) from 1980–1984. In 1986, John co-founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and rekindled The Clayton Brothers Quintet. He works annually as the Big Band Director for The Jazz Cruise. In addition to his individual clinics and workshops, he also directs the educational components of the Vail Jazz Workshop.
It is John’s arrangement of the “Star Spangled Banner” that helped propel Whitney Houston in her 1990 performance at the Super Bowl (the recording went platinum). His recordings with the Clayton Brothers, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Count Basie, and others are plentiful.
“I’ve been guided by a village of musicians who helped me understand the humility that goes along with playing music at the highest level you can. Ray Brown used to tell me to ‘Learn how to play the bass!!’ Just take care of the music and it will take care of you.” — John Clayton