Hamptons Jazz Fest 2025 Brings Eclectic Range of Jazz to the East End

Though the East End is a far cry away from famous New York City jazz clubs like Birdland and the Village Vanguard, the exciting and ever-changing sound of jazz can be heard across the East End all summer long at Hamptons JazzFest 2025.

Unlike other jazz festivals, which typically last up to a week at most, the festival features shows from June through September, featuring a wide array of artists and subgenres of jazz at multiple venues.

The festival was first held in 2021, with its origins lying in a desire to hold in-person events and experience live music again after being cooped up during the pandemic, something that both musicians and concert-goers struggled with.

“Coming out of COVID, a lot of people said ‘What does it mean to socialize again, what does it mean for the performing arts?’” said Claes Brondal, executive director of Hamptons Jazz Fest. “A lot of people sort of had an existential crisis and questions about it.”

Brondal, a jazz drummer himself, had been presenting jazz concerts on the East End since 2009 under the name The Jam Session when he was approached by a donor about creating a festival to make jazz more accessible to the community. With a timetable of eight weeks to get everything together, Brondal quickly got to work contacting venues, organizations and artists.

The festival was a hit, with full attendance at each of the shows that first year. Since then, the festival has continued to grow with an expanding slate of artists and venues.

This year’s festival features shows at seven different venues: Southampton Arts Center, the Masonic Temple in Sag Harbor, The Church in Sag Harbor, Second House Museum in Montauk, LTV Studios in Wainscott, Hampton Library in Bridgehampton and Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor.

The festival begins on Sunday, June 22, with the Kick Off Party at Southampton Arts Center. The event will feature the music of the Hamptons JazzFest All-Star Ensemble, a six-piece group that includes Brondal on drums.

The festival’s slate for the summer includes a wide variety of jazz and its many distinct sub-genres, including Latin jazz, funk and even gospel. Some shows feature more challenging, experimental music, but Brondal noted that “we try to present a wide variety under the jazz umbrella,” with an emphasis on presenting it in up-close and personal settings.

“This is music that will appeal to most people, young and old, from all demographics,” he explained. “We want people to be up close and personal so they can experience what the music is all about, because I think that’s lacking in a semi-rural community.”

One of the highlights of this year’s lineup will be a performance by the Harlem Gospel Choir on Monday, August 11, at Bay Street Theater. Known for powerful vocals and rich harmonies, the choir will be making its third appearance at the festival after being one of the most popular shows in 2023 and 2024.

“The gospel orchestration and approach to music is so emotional exciting for most people,” said Brondal. “We try not to do repeats, but they’re so fantastic and they reinvent themselves every time with a new theme.”

Last year, the group’s performance was a tribute to the late, great Aretha Franklin. This year’s show is called “The Magic of Motown,” and will feature the music of the most iconic artists from the legendary record label.

For those unfamiliar with jazz, Brondal recommended attending the choir’s show at Bay Street, as well as some of the Latin jazz-themed nights like The Piazzolla Mulligan Project’s performance at the Southampton Arts Center on Saturday, July 12.

Meanwhile, for more hardcore jazz fans, Brondal recommended checking out Alex Sipiagin, a Russian virtuoso trumpeter, and his quartet on Sunday, July 6, at the Masonic Temple. Another show he recommended is Jane Ira Bloom, an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, and her quartet at The Church on August 29.

Most of the ensembles performing at the festivals are trios, quartets and quintets, some of the most common configurations for jazz groups. There will also be a series of solo piano performances held at LTV Studios in Wainscott.

Another one of the marquee performances of the festival is the Masters of Jazz show at the Southampton Arts Center on Saturday, August 16. The show will be performed by a quintet featuring Lenny White, a drummer known for his tenure in jazz fusion group Return to Forever, and Buster Williams, a bassist most known for his work with Herbie Hancock in the 1970s.

The final event of the summer is the Haitian Heritage Celebration at the Southampton Arts Center on Sunday, September 7. The event will feature the music of Godwin Louis’s Experience Ayiti Project, featuring the sounds of Haitian jazz. Brondal noted that Haitian jazz is a genre that hasn’t been featured before at the festival, but is one that is “fascinating, danceable and also very listener friendly.”

After the main festival is done, an additional performance will be held on Sunday, September 27, by the Kirk Knuffke Quartet at the Masonic Temple as a collaboration with the Sag Harbor American Music Festival. Brondal said that “the name of our game is always collaborations” as a way to expand their reach and continue to showcase jazz on the East End.

Tickets for the concerts range from free to $35, with Brondal emphasizing that one of the main goals for the festival is to offer affordable performances. Tickets can be purchased on hamptonsjazzfest.org.

Hamptons Jazz Fest Lineup

Kick Off Event Sunday, June 22 – 4 to 6 p.m. Southampton Arts Center

Hamptons JazzFest All-Star Ensemble with Michael Cruse, Bill O’Connell, Edward Perez, Ada Rovatti, Emedin Rivera, Claes Brondal

Southampton Arts Center, 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton

Saturday, July 12 – The Piazzolla Mulligan Project: Tango, Jazz, and Dance Reimagined; Presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center

Saturday, August 2 – Elio Villafranca Quintet: Rhythms Across the Americas; Presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center

Saturday, August 16 – Masters of Jazz — Lenny White, Buster Williams, Benito Gonzalez, Emilio Modeste Presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center

Sunday, September 7 – Haitian Heritage Celebration featuring Godwin Louis’s Experience Ayiti Project

Masonic Temple, 200 Main Street, Sag Harbor

Sunday, July 6 – Alex Sipiagin Quartet

Saturday, July 19 – Spike Wilner Trio ft. Simon Moullier

Saturday, September 6 – Hector Martignon Foreign Affair

Saturday, September 27 – Kirk Knuffke Quartet

Hampton Library, 2478 Main Street, Bridgehampton

Wednesday, July 9 – Jake Herzog Quartet

Wednesday, July 23 – Rico Jones’s Bloodlines

Wednesday, July 30 – Neta Raanan Quartet

Second House Museum, 12 Second House Road, Montauk

Sunday, August 10 – Jazz by the Sea: Montauk Jazz Day, featuring Ada Rovatti Organ Trio, Richard Baratta & Gotham City Latin/Jazz Quintet

The Church, 48 Madison Street, Sag Harbor

Friday, July 18 – Santi Debriano’s Bembe Arktet

Friday, July 25 – Brazilian Voyage with Nilson Matta, Chico Pinheiro

Friday, August 8 – Brian Charette Quartet with Joel Frahm, Sheryl Bailey

Friday, August 29 – Jane Ira Bloom Quartet with Mark Elias, Matt Wilson, Dawn Clement

Bay Street Theater, Long Wharf, Sag Harbor

Monday, August 11 – Harlem Gospel Choir, “The Magic of Motown”

LTV Studios, 75 Industrial Road, Wainscott

Monday, July 7 – Solo Piano: Roberta Piket

Sunday, July 20 – Solo Piano: Phil Markowitz

Friday, August 15 – Camille Thurman Quintet

Monday, August 18 – Solo Piano: Julius Rodriguez

Monday, August 25 – Solo Piano: Bill O’Connell

Thursday, August 28 – Mike Rodriguez Quintet