Gregory Porter, David Sanborn & More To Perform At International Jazz Day 2022

More than 180 countries are set to participate in International Jazz Day 2022 with the help of the United Nations, the organizers have announced.

The annual celebration will be capped once again by an All-Star Global Concert whose lineup this year includes such genre luminaries as Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter, David Sanborn, Ravi Coltrane, Terri Lyne Carrington, Shemekia Copeland and Lizz Wright.

The flagship event — helmed by host/artistic director Herbie Hancock and musical director John Beasley — will take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York on April 30. In addition, it will be webcast worldwide at 5 p.m. ET on jazzday.com, unesco.org, hancockinstitute.org, the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook channels, UN Web TV and U.S. State Department outlets.

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication.

Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity; eradicating discrimination; fostering gender equality; and promoting freedom of expression.

“With conflict and division in many parts of the world, it is my hope that through the universal language of jazz, our celebration this year can inspire people of all nations to heal, to hope and to work together to foster peace,” said Hancock in a statement announcing the event. The jazz icon co-chairs International Jazz Day with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. He also chairs The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, which is UNESCO’s partner in the organization and promotion of International Jazz Day.

Commented Azoulay, “Jazz carries a universal message with the power to strengthen dialogue, our understanding of each other and our mutual respect. As the world is affected by multiple crises and conflicts, this international day highlights how much music and culture can contribute to peace.”

Support for International Jazz Day is provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. For more information about events being planned in all 50 U.S. states and countries across the world, visit the event’s official website.

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