BRIC JazzFest 2025 concluded its 11th annual edition over October 17-19 at BRIC House in Downtown Brooklyn, drawing sold-out crowds for Saturday night’s performances and delivering a powerful program that connected jazz innovation with urgent conversations about art and activism.
The festival, curated by Los Angeles-based composer and producer Adrian Younge (founder of Jazz Is Dead), along with BRIC’s Chief Programming Officer Deron Johnston, BRIC’s Associate Producer Penelope Gould, and independent concert promoter Brice Rosenbloom, brought together jazz icons, boundary-pushers, and global innovators for two days of performances spanning North America, Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
GRAMMY Winner Dee Dee Bridgewater Brings Down the House
Saturday night’s sold-out performance featured GRAMMY-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, who captivated the audience with her all-female quartet, “WE EXIST!.” The legendary singer opened her set with a stirring rendition of the Stylistics’ “People Make The World Go Round,” and ended with a fiery version of Roberta Flack’s “Compared to What.” Her powerful set reinforced the festival’s commitment to elevating women artists.
Women Take Centerstage
BRIC JazzFest 2025 made a bold statement about the future of jazz by centering women artists throughout its programming, with more than half of the festival’s lineup featuring women performers. Beyond Ms. Bridgewater’s triumphant performance, the evening continued with London saxophonist Nubya Garcia, whose innovative approach has made her one of contemporary jazz’s most compelling voices, and bassist-composer Endea Owens, whose ensemble captivates millions nightly on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Canadian Afro-Cuban duo OKAN further demonstrated the festival’s commitment to highlighting women’s contributions across global cultural traditions. From established icons to boundary-pushing innovators, the weekend proved that women aren’t just participating in jazz’s evolution—they’re leading it.
Friday’s performances featured Afrofuturist trumpeter Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), curator Adrian Younge, South African artists Vuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall, Moroccan ensemble Saha Gnawa, Ethiopian-American singer Meklit Hadero, and Israeli bassist Dida Pelled across two stages at BRIC House. The evening’s lineup embodied the festival’s global vision, bringing together artists from across continents to demonstrate how jazz functions as a universal language that absorbs and transforms diverse cultural traditions. From the hypnotic Gnawa rhythms of Morocco to South African improvisational techniques and Ethiopian melodic sensibilities, the performances illustrated jazz’s ongoing evolution as a genuinely international art form.
Jazz “Artists In Action”
The festival opened Friday evening with “Artists in Action,” a probing and timely panel discussion that explored how jazz musicians navigate art, identity, and responsibility in today’s world. Moderated by multidisciplinary artist and change agent Niama Safia Sandy, the conversation examined the intersections of jazz and activism, and how artists adapt their practices to rapidly changing social and political landscapes.
Celebrating BRIC’s Cultural Institution Milestone
BRIC JazzFest 2025’s successful weekend launched BRIC Arts & Media’s broader celebration of its recent designation as a member of New York City Cultural Institution Group (CIG) —a recognition that acknowledges BRIC’s vital role in Brooklyn’s cultural ecosystem. Through its commitment to equity, global exchange, and meaningful dialogue about art’s role in society, the festival exemplified the values that have made BRIC an essential anchor of Brooklyn’s creative community for more than four decades. BRIC JazzFest will return for its 12th edition in October 2026.
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