Arts Council Ends River City Jazz Masters Series
The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge will close its long-running jazz concert series after its 2026-27 season.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Jazz
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The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is ending the River City Jazz Masters series after its 20th and final four-concert season in 2026-27. The council will continue presenting the Alvin Batiste Legacy Series at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center.
Why it matters
The series, which has presented jazz artists in Baton Rouge since 2007, is being discontinued as the council adapts its programming. Its president and CEO, Jonathan Grimes, cited the need to adapt to the times as the reason for ending the series.
The series' final season is its 20th, comprising four concerts, following an inaugural concert on Sept. 21, 2007. Most concerts were held at the Manship Theatre in the Shaw Center for the Arts.
The players
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is the local nonprofit arts organization that has presented the River City Jazz Masters series and the Alvin Batiste Legacy Series.
Jonathan Grimes
Jonathan Grimes is the president and CEO of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, who cited the need to adapt to the times as the reason for ending the series.
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is a Grammy-winning saxophonist from New Orleans who inaugurated the River City Jazz Masters series in 2007.
The details
The next River City Jazz Masters concert at the Manship Theatre features trumpeter Wendell Brunious and the New Orleans Jazz Legends, followed by Tierney Sutton and her band on Jan. 14 and Delfeayo Marsalis with the Uptown Jazz Orchestra on April 7. Grimes anticipates some standalone concerts in place of the series.
Timeline
Sept. 21, 2007: Branford Marsalis inaugurates the River City Jazz Masters series.
Wednesday (week of Nov. 6, 2026): Next concert at the Manship Theatre with Wendell Brunious and the New Orleans Jazz Legends.
Jan. 14, 2027: Tierney Sutton and her band perform.
April 7, 2027: Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra perform.
Legacy Series
The River City Jazz Masters series opened in 2007 with Branford Marsalis and ran for 20 seasons before the Arts Council chose to end it. The council's Alvin Batiste Legacy Series, named for the New Orleans clarinetist and educator, will continue at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center.
Baton Rouge jazz fans will have fewer subscription-style concerts at the Manship Theatre after the 2026-27 season. The four remaining Jazz Masters concerts will be the last opportunity to attend the series in its current format.
The takeaway
Fans of live jazz in Baton Rouge should watch for standalone concerts the Arts Council plans to present in place of the series. Attending the remaining four Jazz Masters shows is the most direct way to experience the series before it ends.
What happens next
The Jazz Masters series' final concerts run through the 2026-27 season, ending with Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra on April 7, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more Jazz coverage from across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Advocate.
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