*NOTE* GAINESVILLE BIG BAND CELEBRATES JAM AND TONY BENNETT APRIL 12, 2026. INFO HERE.
Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) was established at the museum in 2001 to recognize and celebrate the heritage and history of jazz throughout the month of April.
JAM is designed to encourage participation from audiences of all ages. Individuals are invited to explore jazz through study, attend live performances, listen to broadcasts and recordings, read about the music, and engage with its ongoing development.
Jazz Appreciation Month 2026
JAM continues as an annual, monthlong tribute to jazz as both a historic and living American art form. The Smithsonian Jazz 2025–2026 season is supported by lead sponsors David C. Frederick and Sophia Lynn, with additional contributions from the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation; the Argus Fund; the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, founding donor of the Smithsonian Jazz Endowment; and Goldman Sachs.
For Jazz Appreciation Month 2026, the National Museum of American History will present a full schedule of programming aligned with the 250th anniversary of the United States. The series will examine the diverse regional traditions that have shaped jazz across the country—from New Orleans to Chicago, Kansas City, and the West Coast—highlighting the cultural influences and distinct styles that define the music.
Each performance will focus on the unique voices and historical roots that contribute to the broader American jazz tradition, illustrating how these elements continue to interact within an evolving musical form. The programming presents jazz as both an artistic expression and a reflection of shared cultural identity, emphasizing its role in connecting communities through a common musical language.
All programs are offered free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Featured JAM Events
Blossom and the Shrub-TonesSaturday, April 04, 2026
History Film Forum presents Early Jazz on Film
aturday, April 11, 2026
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Jazz Across America
Friday, April 17, 2026
Ella Fitzgerald Day
Friday, April 25, 2025
Shout and Feel It! Swing Dance with DC Lindy Exchange
Saturday, April 25, 2026
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