Next Jazz Legacy To Debut At The Jazz Gallery In May

Next Jazz Legacy will present its 2025 cohort's showcase performance at the iconic Jazz Gallery in New York City on May 14, 2025. Performing two sets, at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM, this special concert will mark the debut performance by the newly announced fourth cohort, which includes emerging jazz artists DoYeon Kim (gayageum), Carmen Quill (upright bass), Melissa Almaguer (tap dance/feet percussion), Chanelle Ignant (guitar), April May Webb (vocals), Nora Stanley (alto saxophone), Brenda Navarrete Guzman (Afro-Cuban percussion and vocals) and Alexandra Ridout (trumpeter). Tickets start at $25, and can be purchased online. The cohort will perform two sets at 7:30 and 9:30pm. There will also be an accompanying livestream - tickets will be available for that soon.

Now in its fourth year, Next Jazz Legacy (NJL) is a national apprenticeship and mentorship program led by NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington in collaboration with New Music USA that is designed to elevate emerging jazz improvisers. Funded by the Mellon Foundation, this pioneering initiative increases opportunities for musicians who will contribute to a vibrant and inclusive jazz future.

This debut performance at the Jazz Gallery is particularly noteworthy as it features, for the first time in NJL's history, both a tap dancer (Melissa Almaguer) and a gayageum performer (DoYeon Kim), highlighting the program's commitment to expanding the boundaries of jazz improvisation and instrumentation.

The 2025 cohort represents a dynamic fusion of backgrounds, talents, and perspectives, embodying a commitment to innovation and artistic excellence within the jazz community. These artists have been paired with master bandleaders including Melissa Aldana, Kris Davis, Billy Hart, Meshell Ndegeocello, Kassa Overall, Danilo Perez, Tyshawn Sorey, and David Virelles for year-long performance apprenticeships. Additionally, they work with creative mentors including Becca Stevens, Ellen Arkbro, Ledisi, Mark Dresser, Marquis Hill, Matthew Stevens, Susie Ibarra, and Terri Lyne Carrington.

Through one-on-one mentorship sessions, in-person networking opportunities, and partnerships with top cultural institutions and events, NJL awardees benefit from a comprehensive support package that provides deep and lasting career impact. Each receives a $10,000 unrestricted grant, a one-year performance apprenticeship, a two-track mutual mentorship program, peer-learning cohorts, a 12-week instructor-led online course from Berklee Online, and various promotional opportunities.

By the end of this fourth year of the program, Next Jazz Legacy's impact will have grown to encompass the direct support of 29 emerging artists, the engagement of 87 bandleaders and mentors, 348 creative and business mentorship sessions, 1174 apprenticeship sessions, 24 cohort learning sessions, and 14 showcase performances.