2026 Tilles Jazz Fest

72 hours before the 2026 Tilles Jazz Fest, the mercury hit 100 degrees on Long Island; 48 hours ahead of the event, Canadian wildfires sent orange skies and unsafe air quality; and one day before everything was set to get underway, the forecast looked seriously grim—heavy rain(s), thunderstorms, a chance of hail and even a tornado warning showed on the apps.  So what did the Tilles staff due?  Weather the weather together, of course.  With mere hours to pivot, they came up with an indoor alternative to their standard setup.  The plan was to have two indoor stages—in the Krasnoff Theater and the Gold Coast Cinema—and a full slate of vendors in the spacious Hillwood Commons.   And wouldn't you know, the whole thing came off without a hitch.  

The daytime program, preceded by an LIU-Post Faculty Trio ushering audiences in and a student ensemble setting the mood, featured eight different acts covering a broad spectrum. Dan and Claudia Zanes, with Tyree Austin, delivered an upbeat, interactive, global folk gumbo worth savoring.  Pianist William Hill III's trio laid it down in an Oscar Peterson Trio mold. And vocalist/drummer Ruby Laks, with no competing set and a capacity audience, captivated with a Broadway-based show highlighting the sharp arranging skills of trombonist Andre Perlman.   

Bobby Sanabria & Ascensión, a stacked band including pianist Silvano Monasterios, bassist Leo Traversa, conguero Oreste Abrantes, and horns of plenty in multi-reedist Peter Brainin, tenorist Jeff Lederer, trumpeter Kali Rodriguez-Peña and trombonist Chris Washburne, blended Afro-Cuban tradition with modernistic allure.   Running parallel to that performance, young trumpet phenom Kal Ferretti, sharing front line duties with an unbilled Donny McCaslin, ripped through a dynamic Miles Davis Centennial tribute. Then, fellow young gun Jarien Jamanila flipped focus to the John Coltrane Centennial when he took to the stage, gifting a series of the legendary saxophonist's best known numbers in a drummer-less trio context.

The Hot Jazz All-Stars, a triumphant trad gathering with vocalist Molly Ryan, woodwind ace Dan Levinson, trumpeter Bria Skonberg, trombonist Ron Wilkins, pianist Conal Fowkes, bassist Tal Ronen and drummer Alex Raderman, ended the day in high spirits in the Krasnoff Theater.  And Brazilian guitarist Chico Pinheiro offered solo virtuosity in Songbook standards, Jobim gems and original music to bring the curtain down in the Gold Coast Cinema.  

This writer had to bolt before the celebratory second-line parade and the Buena Vista Orchestra's evening show but was thankful to hear nearly five hours of first-class performances.  Plenty of striking images amplified each one, so it was a blessing to have a camera on hand.  Here's a small selection of images captured throughout the day...