Highlights of the month:
Prototype Festival, January 7-18
Winterjazzfest, January 8-13
Ches Smith residency at the Stone, January 7-17

THURSDAY, January 1
The 52nd Annual New Year’s Day Poetry Marathon
7–8pm, hosted by Patricia Spears Jones:
Holland Andrews and Yuniya Edi Kwon; Sol Cabrini and Erinn Buhyoff; Mónica de la Torre; Anahit Gulian; Gillian McCain; Yoshiko Chuma and Dane Terry; Brenda Coultas; Praise Fuller; Greg Masters; Christian Nyampeta; Anne Waldman with Fast Speaking Music (Devin Brahja Waldman and Georgia Wartell Collins); Christeene
8–9pm, hosted by David Velasco:
Benjamin Krusling; Kimberly Alidio; Mai’yah Kau and Amina Ross; Early Shinada; Spike Einbinder; OHYUNG; Angie Sijun Lou; Drew Zeiba; John Coletti; Ed Friedman and Sam Friedman; Edmund Berrigan; Arthur K; Brandon López; Kaleem Hawa
VENUE: St. Mark’s Church
ADMISSION: $30

FRIDAY, January 2
8:30pm Celine Kang Unit
Celine Kang (guitar) Brian Marsella (piano) Colson Jimenez (bass) Jacob Patrone (drums)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20

SATURDAY, January 3
8PM Ben Bennett / Susan Hefner / Shelley Hirsch, TJ Borden / Kris Gruda / Stan Zenkov
VENUE: Susan’s Salon, downtown Brooklyn
rsvp for address meshinmotion@gmail.com
ADMISSION: tbd

SATURDAY, January 3
6 pm Unscripted Soundscapes
Barbara Mansukhani – Alto Sax/Soprano Sax
Yuko Togami – Drums
Jeff Pearring – Alto Sax
Megumi Yonezawa – Piano
Zach Swanson – Bass
Ken Kobayashi – Drums
Anthony Coleman – Piano
Elfie Shi – Vibraphone
Ruby Wagner – Drums
VENUE: Ibeam
ADMISSION: $20

SATURDAY, January 3
6 pm Tim Berne’s residency
Tim Berne – saxophone
Tom Rainey – drums
Gregg Belisle-Chi – guitar
John Hebert – bass
Aurora Nealand – accordion, reeds
VENUE: Barbes
ADMISSION: $20

TUESDAY, January 6
1–7 pm Unity Song (listening sessions)
Fixed media installation by Samuel Clay Birmaher
VENUE: Alison Bradley Projects (526 W 26 St #814)
ADMISSION: Free (sign up for time slot)

WEDNESDAY, January 7
7:30PM and 9PM Angelica Sanchez – Sam Newsome – Nasheet Waits
Angelica Sanchez – Piano
Sam Newsome – Saxophone
Nasheet Waits – Drums
VENUE: Close Up
ADMISSION: $20

January 7 – 10
7:30pm Mario Banushi: Mami
Conceived and directed by Mario Banushi
Performers: Vasiliki Driva / Katerina Kristo, Dimitris Lagos / Nontas Damopoulos, Eftychia Stefanou / Ilia Koukouzeli, Angeliki Stellatou, Fotis Stratigos and Panagiota Υiagli
Set and costume design: Sotiris Melanos
Original music and sound design: Jeph Vanger
VENUE: NYU Skirball
ADMISSION: $60

January 7 – 10 and 14-17
8:30 pm Ches Smith Quartet
Mary Halvorson (guitar)
Liberty Ellman (guitar)
Nick Dunston (bass)
Ches Smith (drums)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20

THURSDAY, January 8
7 PM Jazz Legacies Fellowship Honors All-Star Concert 2026:
Feat. Valerie Capers, Amina Claudine Myers, George Coleman, Akua Dixon, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Bertha Hope, Roger Humphries, Carmen Lundy, Roscoe Mitchell, Johnny O’Neal, Shannon Powell, Julian Priester, Herlin Riley, Michele Rosewoman, Dom Salvador and Reggie Workman
VENUE: Dizzy’s Club/Frederick P. Rose Hall
ADMISSION: $87-187

THURSDAY, January 8
Pyroclastic Artists: A Winter Festival
7pm – Eric Revis featuring Kris Davis and Andrew Cyrille
9pm – Patricia Brennan Septet
Adam O’Farrill – trumpet with electronics
Jon Irabagon – alto and sopranino saxophones
Mark Shim – tenor saxophone
Stephan Crump – bass
Dan Weiss – drums
Mauricio Herrera – percussion
Patricia Brennan – vibes with electronics
VENUE: Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $45-56

THURSDAY, January 8
10 pm NYC William Parker Pocket Watch Orchestra & Tomoki Sanders
NYC Winter Jazzfest
VENUE: Nublu (151 Avenue C, NY)
ADMISSION: $29.58

January 8-11
Precipice
experimental opera
Susan Zeeman Rogers, Concept & Production Design
Rima Fand, Music
Karen Fisher, Libretto
VENUE: La MaMa
ADMISSION: $35.00 – $75

FRIDAY, January 9
Pyroclastic Artists: A Winter Festival
7pm – Solos and Duos featuring Brandon Seabrook, Yvonne Rogers, David Leon and Ned Rothenberg
9pm – Angelica Sanchez trio featuring Sam Newsome and Nasheet Waits
VENUE: Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $45-56

FRIDAY, January 9
8pm Sunny Jain’s Love Force
Sunny Jain (dhol, drumset), Alison Shearer (alto saxophone), David Adewumi (trumpet), Jasim Perales (trombone), Julia Chen (keyboards, percussion), Almog Sharvit (bass, percussion)
VENUE: Peter Jay Sharp Theatre (Symphony Space)
ADMISSION: $40 – $50

FRIDAY, January 9
Winter Jazzfest Manhattan Marathon
9:30 PM Merope with Shahzad Ismaily
10:45 PM Tomas Fujiwara: Dream Up
12:00 AM Shahzad Ismaily, Maria Chavez and Greg Saunier
VENUE: Nublu
ADMISSION: Manhattan Marathon pass $85

January 9, 10, 11, 14
Hildegard
Sarah Kirkland Snider, Composer And Librettist
Cast:
Hildegard Von Bingen – Nola Richardson
Richardis Von Stade – Mikaela Bennett
Abbot Cuno – David Adam Moore
Volmar – Roy Hage
Novus Ensemble
VENUE: John Jay College, 524 W 59th Street, New York
ADMISSION: $36-78

SATURDAY, January 10
6pm Tim Berne’s residency
Tim Berne – saxophone
Tom Rainey – drums
Gregg Belisle-Chi – guitar
VENUE: Barbes
ADMISSION: $20

SATURDAY, January 10
Pyroclastic Artists: A Winter Festival
7pm – Kris Davis quartet featuring Larry Grenadier, Nasheet Waits, and Ingrid Laubrock
9pm – Sylvie Courvoisier’s Amalthea featuring Patricia Brennan, Dan Weiss and Thomas Morgan
VENUE: The Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $20-50

SATURDAY, January 10
8–10:30 pm Rotunda After Dark: A Cosmic Concert with the Sun Ra Arkestra
Sun Ra Arkestra
VENUE: Guggenheim museum
ADMISSION: $25-40

MONDAY, January 12
8 PM C Spencer Yeh & Kwami Winfield
Gryphon Rue & Sean Meehan
Shoko Nagai & David Watson
VENUE: Striped Light, LIC DM for address
ADMISSION: $15

MONDAY, January 12
8PM Gelsey Bell: mɔɹnɪŋ [morning//mourning] in Concert
Gelsey Bell voice, daxophone, accordion, modular, synthesizer
Aviva Jaye voice, celtic, harp
Brian McCorkle voice, synthesizers, sundrum guitar
Mia Pak voice, modular, synthesizer
Paul Pinto voice, metallophone, synthesizers
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $20-30

MONDAY, January 12
6:30 pm Book Release Celebration – Double Header:
Elliott Sharp – Translations from the IrRational – Reading from, Talking about ‘Feedback’ and Playing with
VENUE: DMG
ADMISSION: free

TUESDAY, January 13
1–7pm Unity Song (listening sessions)
Fixed media installation by Samuel Clay Birmaher
VENUE: Alison Bradley Projects (526 W 26 St #814)
ADMISSION: Free (sign up for time slot)

TUESDAY, January 13
8PM Take Two: Dave Harrington’s Pranksters East Reimagine MILES DAVIS “Bitches Brew”
Dave Harrington – guitar
Nels Cline – guitar
Yuka Honda – keys/electronics
Shahzad Ismaily – percussion/synth
Anna Abondolo – bass
Kenny wollesen – drums/percussion
Tcheser Holmes – drums
Stuart Bogie – bass clarinet/keys
Ilhan Ersahin – sax
Alfredo Colón – sax/ewi
Phil Weinrobe – live dub mix/electronics
VENUE: LPR
ADMISSION: $51

WEDNESDAY, January 14
7:30 and 9PM Krischen Lil’injure – Peter Evans – Mark Helias – Nick Joz
Krischen Lil’injure – Drums
Peter Evans – Trumpet
Mark Helias – Bass
Nick Joz – Bass
VENUE: Close Up
ADMISSION: $20

January 14-18
7:30 pm What To Wear
comedic post-rock opera
Richard Foreman, Librettist
Michael Gordon, Composer
Performers
Sarah Frei – Soprano 1
Sophie Delphis – Soprano 2
Hai-Ting Chinn – Mezzo
Morgan Mastrangelo – Tenor
And Others
Guest Performer St. Vincent
VENUE: Bam Strong Harvey Theater
ADMISSION: TBD

THURSDAY, January 15
7pm Alex Da Corte & Emily Wells: The Glass Age
In The Glass Age, conceptual artist Alex Da Corte—renowned for works that shatter boundaries between media—transforms himself into the Dada pioneer. As Duchamp, Da Corte will deliver a lecture as a poem to hundreds of pictures in choreographed musical dialogue with composer Emily Wells
VENUE: Metropolitan Museum
ADMISSION: $75

THURSDAY, January 15
7:30 and 9PM
Brandon Seabrook – Sylvie Courvoisier – Zeena Parkins
Brandon Seabrook – Guitar
Sylvie Courvoisier – Piano
Zeena Parkins – Harp
VENUE: Close Up
ADMISSION: $20

THURSDAY, January 15
8 PM Ryan Sawyer Shaker Ensemble // Sam Wenc + Friends
Ryan Sawyer Shaker Ensemble
Ryan Sawyer maracas, voice
Laura Cocks flutes, voice
Isa Crespo Pardo voice
Nate Wooley trumpet, voice
Jessica Pavone viola, voice
Henry Fraser bass, voice
Madison Greenstone clarinets, voice
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $20-$30

THURSDAY, January 15
7PM Heavy Trip & Big Ears Festival present: Myriam Gendron + Zoh Amba
VENUE: Public Records
ADMISSION: $25

FRIDAY, January 16
7pm Works & Process: Opera Philadelphia: Complications in Sue by Michael R. Jackson
preview of Complications in Sue, an opera by Michael R. Jackson
The production stars MacArthur Fellow and cabaret icon Justin Vivian Bond, with Zack Winokur and Raja Feather Kelly directing, and conductor Caren Levine making her Opera Philadelphia debut. Jackson, Costanzo, Winokur, and Kelly join in a moderated discussion, followed by performances of selected excerpts.
VENUE: Guggenheim Museum
ADMISSION: $25 – $65

SATURDAY, January 17
6pm Tim Berne’s residency
Tim Berne – saxophone
Tom Rainey – drums
Gregg Belisle-Chi – guitar
John Hebert – bass
Keller Etēel – guitar
VENUE: Barbes
ADMISSION: $20

SATURDAY, January 17
8 PM Elias Stemeseder: Studies in Prolation, for S-L plus Ensemble
DoYeon Kim gayageum
Simon Kanzler digital signal processing, sound spatialisation
Shakoor Hakeem percussion
Kris Chen Lil’Injure drum set, percussion
Elias Stemeseder lautenwerk, synthesizers, samples
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $20-$30

TUESDAY, January 20
8pm New Ear Festival 2026: Night 03
La Frae Sci
Ben Shirken x Dorothy Carlos
Lucky Dragons (Sarah Rara, Luke Fischbeck)
pushing the boundaries of sonic innovation
VENUE: Fridman Gallery
ADMISSION: $22.46 – 43.57

WEDNESDAY, January 21
8:30 pm TRIO
Bill Frisell (guitar) Ingrid Laubrock (saxophone) Marta Sanchez (piano)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20

January 22 – 24
7:30 pm Yuja Wang & Thomas Adès
Program:
Ives, Orchestral Set No. 2
Rautavaara, Piano Concerto No. 1
Saariaho, Oltra mar
Thomas Adès, America (A Prophecy)
Artists:
Thomas Adès, Conductor
Yuja Wang, Piano
Anna Dennis, Soprano
VENUE: David Geffen Hall
ADMISSION: $110-280

January 22 and 28
7:30pm Nava Dunkelman
VENUE: NuBlu Classic
ADMISSION: $20

FRIDAY, January 23
7:30 pm Julia Bullock, soprano; Seth Parker Woods, cello; Conor Hanick, piano: From Ordinary Things
VENUE: 92nd Street Y
ADMISSION: Starting at $45

FRIDAY, January 23
8 PM Improv Nights 2026: A Tribute to Derek Bailey, guest curated by Chris Ryan Williams
Zeena Parkins harp
Booker Stardrum drums
Nate Wooley trumpet
Kwami Winfield electronics
Caroline Davis saxophone
Ryan Sawyer drums
Alexandra Buschman-Román electronics, vocals
Patrick Holmes clarinet
Amir ElSaffar trumpet
Rafiq Batia guitar
Chris Williams trumpet
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $20-$30

FRIDAY, January 23
9 PM Sō Percussion: American Flow (Vol. 1)
Program:
Bryce Dessner New Work
Michael J. Love / Jason Treuting A Better Genome
Caroline Shaw Strange and Artificial Echoes
Kendall K. Williams New Work
Performers:
Sō Percussion
Eric Cha-Beach
Josh Quillen
Adam Sliwinski
Jason Treuting
Michael J. Love, Interdisciplinary Tap Dance Artist
VENUE: Zankel Hall
ADMISSION: startING at $83

FRIDAY, January 23- SATURDAY, January 24
7pm + 9pm Anna Webber Nonet
Anna Webber – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
Ingrid Laubrock – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Yuma Uesaka – clarinet, contrabass clarinet, soprano saxophone
Ryan Easter – trumpet
David Virelles – piano
Mary Halvorson – guitar
Chris Tordini – bass
Ches Smith – drums, chimes
DoYeon Kim – gayageum
VENUE: The Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $15-45

SATURDAY, January 24
8 PM Improv Nights 2026: A Tribute to Derek Bailey, guest curated by Chris Cochrane
Sam Newsome soprano sax
Dafna Naphtali electronics and voice
James Ilgenfritz upright bass
Mike Pride drums and percussion
Andrew Drury drums and percussion
Theo Woodward electronics, tambura and voice
Ka Baird vocals
Selendis Sebastian Alexander Johnson vibraphone and trombone
Shoko Nagai piano, accordion and other keyboard and electronics
Sarah Bernstein violin and vocals
Chris Cochrane guitar
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $20-$30

SATURDAY, January 24
6pm Tim Berne’s residency
Tim Berne – saxophone
Tom Rainey – drums
Gregg Belisle-Chi – guitar
John Hebert – bass
VENUE: Barbes
ADMISSION: $20

SATURDAY, January 24
8 PM LaFrae Sci – Drums & Electronics
9 PM William Hooker Quartet
William Hooker – Drums
Jair-Rohm Parker-Wells – Bass
Mara Rosenbloom – Piano
Charles Burnham – Violin
VENUE: Ibeam
ADMISSION: $20

SUNDAY, January 25
7:30 pm Philip Glass Ensemble: Songs from Liquid Days
Philip Glass’s Songs from Liquid Days
Philip Glass Ensemble
Ivalas Quartet
Melisa Bonetti, mezzo
Angel Raii Gomez, Tenor
Sasha Gutiérrez, Soprano
Magos Herrera, Mezzo
Britt Hewitt, Mezzo
Darian Donovan Thomas, Tenor
Kayla Viviana, Mezzo
VENUE: David Geffen Hall
ADMISSION: suggested $35

TUESDAY, January 27
6pm Trinket Ensemble
https://www.millertheatre.com/events/trinket-ensemble
Repertoire:
Rick Burkhardt New Work (2025)
Modney New Work (2025)
Wang Lu Trinket (2013)
Beatriz De Dia A chantar m’ér de ço qu’eu non volria (c. 1270) arr. Trinket
Alice Teyssier, flute;
Modney, violin;
Daniel Lippel, guitar;
Michael Nicolas, cello
VENUE: Miller Theatre at Columbia University
ADMISSION: free

WEDNESDAY, January 28
7:30 PM Master and Apprentice
Axelle Fanyo, Soprano
Julius Drake, Piano
Program:
Schoenberg, Vier Lieder, Op. 2
Schoenberg, Selections From Brettl-Lieder
Cage, Aria
Messiaen, Trois Mélodies
Messiaen, Selections From Poèmes Pour Mi
William Bolcom, Selections from Cabaret Songs
VENUE: Weill Recital Hall
ADMISSION: starting at $54

THURSDAY, January 29
7:30 PM Brooklyn Rider: Citizenship Notes
Program:
Haydn String Quartet In F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5
Don Byron String Quartet No. 3
Angélica Negrón Our Children Speak Spanish And English
Ted Hearne We Are Working Tirelessly For A Ceasefire
Bob Dylan “The Times They Are a-Changin'” (arr. Colin Jacobsen; NY Premiere)
Beethoven String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3, “Razumovsky”
Performers
Brooklyn Rider
VENUE: Zankel Hall
ADMISSION: starting at $77

THURSDAY, January 29
8 PM Tashi Dorji / Kertenkele feat. Darius Jones
Kertenkele
Nick Dunston bass, banjo, feedback
Cenk Ergün electronics
Joan Sue voice, electronics, clarinet
Darius Jones alto saxophone
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $20-$30

FRIDAY, January 30
8pm After Nan Shepherd, composed by 2011 ISSUE AIR, composition by Nate Wooley.
Joan La Barbara (2006 AIR) and Yarn/Wire (2012 AIR)
VENUE: Issue Project Room
ADMISSION: $17/$27

FRIDAY, January 30
7pm + 9pm Tim Berne Trio
Tim Berne – saxophone
Tim Angulo – drums
Matt Mitchell – piano
VENUE: The Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $15-50

FRIDAY, January 30
8:30 pm Quartet
Kalia Vandever (trombone) Mary Halvorson (guitar) Nick Dunston (bass) Lesley Mok (drums)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20

FRIDAY, January 30
7:30 PM What Is Your Hand in This?
Ruckus and Davóne Tines
Wesley “Jesus, Lover Of My Soul” (Arr. Davóne Tines; Ny Premiere, Commissioned By Carnegie Hall)
Handel “Calm Thou My Soul…Convey Me To Some Peaceful Shore” From Alexander Balus
Trad. “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes”
Anon. “What Mean Ye”
Eastman Buddha
Dickinson “The Liberty Song” (Arr. Doug Balliett; Ny Premiere)
J. M. Simpson “To The White People of America” (arr. Davóne Tines and Ruckus)
Carr Federal Overture (Arr. Doug Balliett; Ny Premiere)
Handel “Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage” from Messiah (arr. Doug Balliett)
Otis “This Bitter Earth”
Robinson “The House I Live In” (Arr. Davóne Tines And Doug Balliett)
Doug Balliett Steps To Compassion (Ny Premiere)
Davóne Tines / Doug Balliett “What Is My Hand In This”
VENUE: Zankel Hall
ADMISSION: $65