JazzBuffalo and Kleinhans Music Hall have announced the creation of “Jazz at Kleinhans,” a bold new program with an aim to establish Buffalo’s historic concert hall as a premier center for jazz performance and celebration in Western New York.
Going beyond the concept of a traditional series, Jazz at Kleinhans will serve as a home for jazz in Buffalo, offering a range of concerts and experiences across Kleinhans’ iconic spaces: the Main Hall, the Mary Seaton Room, and the intimate Blue Room.
The inaugural season will feature a dynamic lineup of internationally acclaimed artists and performances that highlight the enduring power of jazz and the Great American Songbook. The four-show package is on sale now for a $15 discount, before single tickets are released in early October. See info below on the shows that are a part of this new series.
Friday, December 5 @ 7:30 pm
A Swingin’ Christmas with Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses
Mary Seaton Room
Kick off the holiday season in spectacular style with Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses as they bring their electrifying “Swingin’ Christmas” tour to Kleinhans Music Hall! This isn’t your dad’s holiday show—it’s a high-energy celebration where vintage swing meets modern musical firepower.
Carrying on the legacy of his legendary father, Louis Prima Jr. leads a boisterous, horn-driven, New Orleans–style band known for their powerhouse performances that bring audiences to their feet. With a dynamic blend of big band, swing, rock, and blues, the group delivers a one-of-a-kind holiday party, featuring the catchy “Hey Skinny Santa”, beloved Prima Christmas classics, and the band’s signature musical mayhem that promises to lift you right out of your seat.
This inaugural Jazz at Kleinhans holiday event, Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses carry that spirit forward, igniting the hall with their rowdy, swinging sound. Expect an exhilarating night where the roof is raised, the holidays swing hard, and the music leaves you smiling well into the new year.
Sunday, February 15, 2026 @ 3:00 pm
Tierney Sutton: Celebrating Harold Arlen’s 121st Birthday
Mary Seaton Room
Celebrate one of Buffalo’s most legendary musical icons: Harold Arlen, the brilliant composer behind many of the greatest songs in the Great American Songbook. From the iconic “Over the Rainbow” to “Stormy Weather” and “Come Rain or Come Shine,” Arlen’s music has shaped American culture for generations.
This very special event, produced in collaboration between JazzBuffalo and Kleinhans Music Hall, honors Arlen’s immense contributions to jazz and popular music while highlighting his roots in Buffalo. Building on last year’s tremendous reception, we are proud to make this an annual tradition for Jazz at Kleinhans—one that each year pays tribute to a true legend of American music and of Buffalo’s own history.
Headlining the evening will be Tierney Sutton, a nine-time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist acclaimed for her luminous voice, imaginative interpretations, and extraordinary storytelling. Sutton, whose albums have earned Grammy nominations for “Best Jazz Vocal Album” year after year, is renowned for reimagining the Great American Songbook with elegance and depth.
She will be joined by the extraordinary pianist Tamir Hendelman, whose artistry has graced the stages of the Jeff Hamilton Trio, the Grammy-winning Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and collaborations with Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole, and countless jazz luminaries. Sutton and Hendelman share a musical partnership spanning more than two decades, touring the world together and creating unforgettable duo performances. Their synergy promises to bring Arlen’s timeless songs to life with fresh arrangements, heartfelt interpretations, and historical insights.
Though Arlen was born and raised in Buffalo—his journey beginning with piano performances on the S.S. Canadiana before he became a major force on Broadway and in Hollywood—his legacy here remains underrecognized. This concert is not only a tribute to Arlen’s genius but also a celebration of Buffalo’s role in shaping one of America’s most treasured songwriters.
For more about Harold Arlen’s legacy, visit the online exhibition curated by Chana Revell Kotzin.
Sunday, April 26, 2026 @ 3:00 pm
John Pizzarelli Trio
Mary Seaton Room
Grammy Award-winning guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli brings his swinging sophistication to Jazz at Kleinhans. Hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz,” Pizzarelli has spent more than four decades delighting audiences around the world with his inventive interpretations of timeless classics.
A masterful interpreter and storyteller, Pizzarelli has recently paid heartfelt tribute to his dear friend, the late Tony Bennett, while continuing to push forward with his acclaimed recent album Stage & Screen, which reimagines nearly a century of Broadway and Hollywood favorites. With his dynamic trio, he brings warmth, wit, and dazzling musicianship to every performance.
Whether honoring Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Tony Bennett—or finding fresh magic in the works of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and the Beatles—Pizzarelli creates concerts that are a joyful celebration of American Songbook music at its very best.
Sunday, May 17, 2026 @ 3:00 pm
Emmet Cohen Presents Miles & Coltrane at 100
Kleinhans Music Hall
A landmark celebration of two of the most transformative figures in jazz history, featuring pianist Emmet Cohen as he returns to Buffalo to honor the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. This special Jazz at Kleinhans presentation brings together Cohen and an all-star quintet for a profound exploration of the music, spirit, and innovation that defined these towering icons.
Guided by the legacies of Davis and Coltrane, Cohen and his ensemble will reimagine the music that forever changed the course of jazz—probing the same fundamental questions that fueled their artistry: Why are we here? What are we reaching for? Where does the music take us?
A dynamic pianist, composer, and bandleader, Emmet Cohen is one of the leading voices of his generation, celebrated for his ability to bridge the traditions of jazz with a forward-looking sense of invention. His artistry, as seen in his acclaimed Masters Legacy Series and his wildly popular Live from Emmet’s Place streaming sessions, reveals a deep respect for the past while pushing the music into bold, new territory.
Fresh from a recent Buffalo performance that left audiences spellbound, Cohen now returns with a program of even greater scope and ambition. He approaches jazz as a living, evolving conversation—one that connects audiences to the infinite spirit of sound and to each other. In this special concert, his quintet will channel the timeless power of Miles and Coltrane, not through imitation, but through discovery, spontaneity, and reverence for the enduring questions these artists left behind.
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