CUNY Jazz Festival 2026
May 7–8
Aaron Davis Hall
Theatre B
129 Convent Ave (at 134th Street)
Performances by CCNY faculty and student ensembles. Featuring performances and master classes with saxophonist Chris Potter, and drummer Adam Cruz. Free admission. Open to the public.
*For all festival attendees and performers, please RSVP for each day you will be present:
Festival Schedule
Thursday, May 7
| 11:30 | CCNY Faculty Jazz Ensemble Jason Rigby (tenor sax); Pete McCann (guitar); Ray Gallon (piano); Aidan O’Donnell (bass); Adam Cruz (drums); Suzanne Pittson (voice) |
| 12:30 | Hunter College Jazz Performances Jazz Combos (Directors: Priscilla Owens, David Demotta, Ike Sturm); Jazz Ensemble (Director: David Demotta); Vocal Jazz Ensemble (Director: Priscilla Owens) |
| 2:10 | York College Jazz Improvisation Ensemble Director: Tom Zlabinger |
| 2:55 | City College Jazz Vocal Ensemble Director: Will Gorman |
| 3:45 | Master Class with drummer Adam Cruz |
| 5:15 | BMCC Jazz Combo Director: Jon DeLucia |
| 6:00 | Dinner Break |
| 7:30 | City College Small Jazz Ensemble, feat. Adam Cruz (drums) The Music of Wayne Shorter (Director: Mike Holober) |
| 8:30 | Jam Session, feat. Adam Cruz |
Friday, May 8
| 11:30 | City College Small Jazz Ensembles The Music of Thelonious Monk (Director: Ray Gallon) |
| 1:30 | City College Graduate Ensemble (Group 1) Director: Pete McCann |
| 2:20 | A Tribute Performance to Sheila Jordan |
| 3:10 | Master Class with saxophonist Chris Potter |
| 4:40 | City College Graduate Ensemble (Group A) Director: Pete McCann |
| 5:30 | Dinner Break |
| 7:00 | City College Graduate Ensemble Director: Ingrid Jensen |
| 8:00 | Chris Potter Quartet Chris Potter (tenor sax); Adam Rogers (guitar); Scott Colley (bass); Nasheet Waits (drums) |
About the Artists
Chris Potter
A world-class soloist, accomplished composer and formidable bandleader, saxophonist Chris Potter has emerged as a leading light of his generation. Down Beat called him “One of the most studied (and copied) saxophonists on the planet” while Jazz Times identified him as “a figure of international renown.” Jazz sax elder statesman Dave Liebman called him simply, “one of the best musicians around,” a sentiment shared by the readers of Down Beat in voting him second only to tenor sax great Sonny Rollins in the magazine’s 2008 Readers Poll.
A potent improvisor and the youngest musician ever to win Denmark’s Jazzpar Prize, Potter’s impressive discography includes 15 albums as a leader and sideman appearances on over 100 albums. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his solo work on “In Vogue,” a track from Joanne Brackeen’s 1999 album Pink Elephant Magic, and was prominently featured on Steely Dan’s Grammy-winning album from 2000, Two Against Nature. He has performed or recorded with many of the leading names in jazz, such as Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, John Scofield, the Mingus Big Band, Jim Hall, Paul Motian, Dave Douglas, Ray Brown and many others.
Adam Cruz
A creative force on the international jazz scene for the last two decades, drummer and composer Adam Cruz is best known for his work with Danilo Pérez, Steve Wilson, David Sanchez, and Edward Simon. Cruz was born in New York City. He worked extensively with saxophonist David Sanchez and the Mingus Big Band during the 1990s. He then toured with Chick Corea, recording Origin: A Week at the Blue Note, and spent the end of the ’90s touring in a duo setting with guitarist Charlie Hunter.
In recent years, Cruz has forged a steady musical relationship with Pérez and is a member of the Danilo Pérez Trio, which also features bassist Ben Street. His teachers have included his father, percussionist Ray Cruz; Frank Malabe; Keith Copeland; Kenny Washington; and Joe Chambers. He has also worked at various times with artists such as Tom Harrell, Chris Potter, Pharaoh Sanders, John Patitucci, Paquito D’Rivera, and many more. Cruz’s remarkable musicianship has made him one of the most in-demand drummers of today. In 2010, he was awarded a grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music to record Milestone, his debut recording as a composer and bandleader, which was released on Sunnyside Records in 2011.