Miles Everywhere
Miles Davis would have turned 100 this year. And if you needed proof that his shadow still moves, just look at this week's calendar — not as a graveyard of nostalgia, but as a live wire running through the city, the country, and every subgenre jazz touches.
At Jazz at Lincoln Center, the JALC Orchestra's Sketches of Miles runs through the weekend, with arrangements that refuse to simply quote. Across town, Dizzy's Club is mid-run with the Marcus Roberts Trio's Rhythm in Blue, and Monday brings the Future of Jazz Orchestra under Ted Nash in a centennial set that looks forward as much as back. Carnegie Hall put Keyon Harrold on the trumpet chair Saturday night — a choice that says everything about the lineage. Harrold doesn't play like Miles. He plays because Miles. That's the distinction that matters.
In Washington, Blues Alley is running a full week of centennial programming: Mike Stern opened Thursday, Buster Williams and Something More hold the weekend, and Bill Evans's Return of the Vans Band arrives next Thursday with a "Happy Birthday Miles" banner. On the West Coast, SFJAZZ already ran its centennial series; Yoshi's in Oakland has been folding Miles into its programming all spring. You can feel the gravity of the centennial pulling the whole jazz world into alignment, like a comet everyone decided to orbit at once.
But here's what's worth sitting with: the events this week that honor Miles most deeply aren't always the ones with his name in the title. Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at City Winery and El Museo del Barrio are working the Sketches of Spain and Bitches Brew continuum — that restless cross-cultural ambition Miles carried. Makaya McCraven at SFJAZZ through the weekend is playing the kind of beat-stitched, slow-dissolving jazz that Miles pointed toward in On the Corner and never fully mapped. aja monet at Carnegie Hall Wednesday night is doing the thing Miles always respected most: using the stage to say something true.
Miles didn't just leave music. He left permission — to turn, to discard, to start again. This week, everywhere you look, somebody is using it.
🚀 BOUNDARY-PUSHERS
Jazz at Lincoln Center — Sketches of Miles: Miles Davis at 100 (Fri–Sat, May 15–16, 7:30pm) — Columbus Circle [Festival] MORE INFO
Carnegie Hall — Keyon Harrold: A Miles Davis Centennial Celebration (Sat, May 16, 7pm) — Midtown Manhattan MORE INFO
Smoke Jazz Club — Joel Ross’s Good Vibes (Wed–Sun, May 20–24) — Upper West Side • smokejazz.com
The Stone at The New School — Shardik: Cruelty Bacchanal (Sat, May 16, 8:30pm) — West Village [Experimental]
Blue Note Jazz Club — The Terrace Martin Residency (Fri, May 15 – Sun, May 17, 8pm) — Greenwich Village $20 • bluenotejazz.com
Jazz Gallery — KOKAYI (Sat, May 16, 7pm) — Flatiron/Chelsea $30–$40 • jazzgallery.org
The Stone at The New School — Shardik: Cruelty Bacchanal (Sat, May 16, 8:30pm) — West Village [Experimental] • thestonenyc.com
Close Up — “Monk on Thursdays” hosted by Miles Okazaki (Thu, May 21, 10:30pm) — Lower East Side $20 • closeupnyc.com
Jazz Gallery — Wayne Tucker: A Tribute to Miles Davis (Fri, May 22, 7pm) — Flatiron/Chelsea $30–$35 • jazzgallery.org
Jazz at Lincoln Center — Sketches of Miles: Miles Davis at 100 (Fri–Sat, May 15–16, 7:30pm) — Columbus Circle [Festival] • jazz.org
Dizzy’s Club — Miles Davis Reimagined with Zach Adleman (Thu–Sat, May 14–16, 7pm) — Columbus Circle • jazz.org/dizzys
Dizzy’s Club — Future of Jazz Orchestra feat. Ted Nash: Miles Davis Centennial Celebration (Mon, May 18, 7pm) — Columbus Circle • jazz.org/dizzys
Carnegie Hall — Keyon Harrold: A Miles Davis Centennial Celebration (Sat, May 16, 7pm) — Midtown Manhattan • carnegiehall.org
Village Vanguard — Brad Mehldau Trio (Tue–Sun, May 19–24) — Greenwich Village • villagevanguard.com
Jazz Gallery — Fay Victor presents Faith, The Gift (Fri–Sat, May 22–23) — Flatiron • jazzgallery.org
South Jazz Kitchen — Tia Fuller (Fri–Sun, May 22–24) — Philadelphia • southjazzkitchen.com
Firehouse 12 — Jerome Sabbagh Quartet (Fri, May 15, 8:30pm) — New Haven $25 • firehouse12.com
🕯️ Keepers of the Flame
Birdland Jazz Club — Bill Charlap Trio (Fri, May 15 – Thu, May 21, 7pm) — Midtown Manhattan $45.76–$56.06 • birdlandjazz.com
Village Vanguard — Dave Douglas Gifts Quintet (Fri, May 15 – Sun, May 17, 8pm) — Greenwich Village $45 • villagevanguard.com
Smoke Jazz Club — Billy Childs Trio (Fri, May 15 – Sun, May 17, 6pm) — Upper West Side $25–$65 • smokejazz.com
Dizzy’s Club — Marcus Roberts Trio: Rhythm in Blue (Fri, May 15 – Sat, May 16, 7pm) — Columbus Circle $30–$60 • jazz.org/dizzys
Smalls Jazz Club — Lew Tabackin Quartet (Sun, May 17, 6pm) — Greenwich Village $40 • smallsjazzclub.com
Birdland Theater — Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks (Mon, May 18 – Tue, May 19, 5:30pm) — Midtown Manhattan $24.91–$45.76 • birdlandjazz.com
Village Vanguard — David Murray Quartet (Tue, May 19 – Sun, May 24, 8pm) — Greenwich Village $45 • villagevanguard.com
Zinc Bar — Johnny O’Neal Trio (Wed, May 20, 7pm) — Greenwich Village $40 • zincbar.com
Smalls Jazz Club — Don Braden Quartet (Fri, May 22 – Sat, May 23, 6pm) — Greenwich Village $40 • smallsjazzclub.com
Blue Note Jazz Club — Kenny Garrett (Fri, May 22 – Sun, May 24, 8pm) — Greenwich Village $20 • bluenotejazz.com
Birdland Theater — Robin McKelle (Fri, May 22 – Sun, May 24, 7pm) — Midtown Manhattan $35.46–$45.76 • birdlandjazz.com
Side Door at Olde Lyme Inn — Billy Childs Trio (Sat, May 23, 8pm) — Old Lyme, CT from $27.98 • thesidedoorjazz.com
🌟 SPECIAL FEATURE: Clifton Anderson at The Iridium
Fri, May 15, 2026 — 8:30pm | The Iridium, 1650 Broadway, Midtown Manhattan
Clifton Anderson is one of jazz's most distinguished voices on trombone — and one of its most quietly essential figures. The nephew of Sonny Rollins, Anderson joined his uncle's band in 1983 and spent decades in that furnace, sharpening a tone that is at once burnished and conversational, warm without being soft. His own recordings as a leader — Landmarks (Milestone, 1997), Decade (2007), and Been Down This Road Before (2020) — have drawn consistent critical praise, including a 2009 "Trombonist of the Year" nomination from the American Jazz Journalists Association.
Tonight Anderson brings his sextet to The Iridium for what insiders call a rare NYC club date. Rare is the right word. Anderson moves through the world with a craftsman's patience — no hustle, no hype — and when he does step out front, the results remind you why the trombone, in the right hands, can carry a full story by itself. Tonight is a don't-miss.
Full feature in Hot House Jazz Magazine — May 2026 issue.
✊🏾 Voices of Resistance
El Museo del Barrio — Arturo O’Farrill & ALJO + Strings (Fri, May 15, 7pm; Sat, May 16, 5pm) — East Harlem • elmuseo.org
City Winery NYC — Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Sun, May 17, 11:30am; Sun, May 24, 7pm) — Chelsea $36 • citywinery.com/newyork-city
New Amsterdam Music Association — Music of the Diaspora (Mon, May 18, 7pm) — Harlem [Diaspora] • namaharlem.org
Carnegie Hall — aja monet (Wed, May 20, 8pm) — Midtown Manhattan from $81 • carnegiehall.org
St. Nicholas Park — West Harlem Summer Jazz Festival: Santiago y La Orquesta (Fri, May 22, 6pm) — West Harlem [Festival][Free] • nycgovparks.org
West Coast PulseThe World Stage — Leimert Park Sacred Music and Healing Festival (Sat, May 23, 11am) — Leimert Park, LA [Community] • theworldstage.org
The World Stage — Leimert Park Jazz Festival: B~Free & Q (Sun, May 24, 3pm) — Leimert Park, LA $15 • theworldstage.org
🎉 Festivals & Specials
Jazz at Lincoln Center — Sketches of Miles: Miles Davis at 100 (Thu, May 14 – Sat, May 16, 7:30pm) — Columbus Circle [Festival] $42–$207 • jazz.org
Carnegie Hall — Keyon Harrold: A Miles Davis Centennial Celebration (Sat, May 16, 9pm) — Midtown Manhattan from $69 • carnegiehall.org
Exit Zero Jazz Festival — Miles Electric Band / Orrin Evans / José James / Ravi Coltrane (Fri, May 15 – Sun, May 17) — Cape May, NJ [Festival] • exitzerojazzfestival.com
St. Nicholas Park — West Harlem Summer Jazz Festival: Santiago y La Orquesta (Fri, May 22, 6pm) — West Harlem [Festival][Free] • nycgovparks.org
🔔 MUST SEE NEXT WEEK
New York City & Metro
JazzCultural — Wallace Roney Jr. Quartet (Thu, May 21 – Sun, May 24, 7pm) — Midtown Manhattan • jazzculturaltheater.org
Dizzy’s Club — Future of Jazz Orchestra feat. Ted Nash: Miles Davis Centennial (Mon, May 18, 7pm) — Columbus Circle $30–$60 • jazz.org/dizzys
Village Vanguard — David Murray Quartet (Tue, May 19 onward, 8pm) — Greenwich Village $45 • villagevanguard.com
Carnegie Hall — aja monet (Wed, May 20, 8pm) — Midtown Manhattan from $81 • carnegiehall.org
Jazz Foundation of America — “A Great Night” Spring Gala (Thu, May 21, 8pm) — Midtown Manhattan [Benefit] • jazzfoundation.org
Blue Note Jazz Club — Kenny Garrett (Fri, May 22 – Sun, May 24, 8pm) — Greenwich Village $20 • bluenotejazz.com
Jazz Gallery — Wayne Tucker: A Tribute to Miles Davis (Fri, May 22, 7pm) — Flatiron/Chelsea $30–$35 • jazzgallery.org
Rebar Chelsea — Keyed Up! ft. Richard Cortez & special guests (Thu, May 21, 6pm) — Chelsea [Keyed Up!][Free] • rebarchelsea.com
Dizzy’s Club — Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side of Miles and ’Trane (Thu, May 21 – Sun, May 24, 7pm) — Columbus Circle $30–$60 • jazz.org/dizzys
Birdland Theater — Robin McKelle (Fri, May 22 – Sun, May 24, 7pm) — Midtown Manhattan $35.46–$45.76 • birdlandjazz.com
Smalls Jazz Club — Don Braden Quartet (Fri, May 22 – Sat, May 23, 6pm) — Greenwich Village $40 • smallsjazzclub.com
Zinc Bar — Johnny O’Neal Trio (Wed, May 20, 7pm) — Greenwich Village $40 • zincbar.com
Smoke Jazz Club — Luciana Souza (Wed, May 20 – Sun, May 24, 6pm) — Upper West Side • smokejazz.com
Saint Peter’s Church — Jazz Vespers: Fukushi Tainaka (Sun, May 24, 5pm) — Midtown East [Free] • saintpeters.org
Close Up — “Monk on Thursdays” hosted by Miles Okazaki (Thu, May 21, 10:30pm) — Lower East Side $20 • closeupnyc.com
Beyond NYC
Exit Zero Jazz Festival — Miles Electric Band / Orrin Evans / José James / Ravi Coltrane (Fri, May 15 – Sun, May 17) — Cape May, NJ [Festival] • exitzerojazzfestival.com
Blues Alley — Bill Evans “Return of the Vans Band”: Happy Birthday Miles (Thu, May 21 – Fri, May 22, 7pm) — Washington, DC $40–$60 • bluesalley.com
Keystone Korner Baltimore — Zach Brock, Bob Lanzetti & Keita Ogawa of Snarky Puppy (Wed, May 20, 7pm) — Baltimore $15–$40 • keystonekornerbaltimore.com
Jazz Forum — Ted Rosenthal Quartet (Fri, May 22 – Sat, May 23, 7pm) — Tarrytown, NY $35 • jazzforumarts.org
Side Door at Olde Lyme Inn — Billy Childs Trio (Sat, May 23, 8pm) — Old Lyme, CT from $27.98 • thesidedoorjazz.com
South Jazz Kitchen — Tia Fuller (Fri, May 22 – Sun, May 24) — Philadelphia • southjazzkitchen.com
Firehouse 12 — Jerome Sabbagh Quartet (Fri, May 15, 8:30pm) — New Haven $25 • firehouse12.com
