2025 DC Jazz Festival at The Wharf in review
By Bridget Arnwine
photo provided by the DC Jazz Festival
This past weekend, the DC Jazz Festival wrapped up nearly a week of festivities with a full schedule of performances from some of the best and brightest talents in jazz. For the sixth consecutive year, The Wharf offered the stages, with music ringing out from one end of the bustling, mile-long waterfront to the other. Although the festival has scaled back in recent years, one thing has remained constant throughout its twenty-one-year history: the DC Jazz Festival continues to be a true champion of jazz music.
This year’s lineup brought together rising young stars and seasoned icons, sharing the stages for two full days of world-class performances. Grammy-nominated and award-winning artists – The Baylor Project, Jazzmeia Horn, Marcus Miller, John Scofield, Christie Dashiell, Emmet Cohen, and Keyon Harold – shared the bill with NEA Jazz Masters Branford Marsalis, Gary Bartz, and Ron Carter, as well as hometown heroes Corcoran Holt, Todd Marcus, Akua Allrich, the String Queens, and Paul Carr. The festival also highlighted international partnerships, showcasing performances by talented creators from South Korea (Jongkuk Kim), Japan (Makoto Ozone), and Italy (Dado Moroni).
Family connections took center stage as well. ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipient Jahari Stampley’s mother performed on bass and saxophone during his set; vocalist extraordinaire Christie Dashiell’s brother filled in on drums for her set; and Jose Luis Martins’ wife performed on flute during his DC JazzPrix Finals competition win for Emerging Jazz Ensemble. Even one of the top jazz writers covering the scene today, John Murph, transformed into DJ Murph for the weekend, spinning vinyl classics into fun, irresistible dance grooves away from the bright lights of the main stages. It was a fantastic way to close what the festival’s CEO repeatedly called “the jazz takeover.”
Even with occasional scheduling overlaps and unclear guidance, the DC Jazz Festival continues to stand out as one of the nation’s premier events for exceptional artist selection and celebration.
