News

Vail Jazz Workshop alumni took home top honors at the 2026 GRAMMY® Awards, marking another exciting milestone for our community.

Congratulations to Sullivan Fortner (piano 2002) and Marcus Gilmore (drums 2002), winners of Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Southern Nights. Their collaboration is a stunning example of artistry, innovation, and musical conversation at the highest level.

We also celebrate Bryan Carter (drums 2007), who won Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for Super Mario Praise Break.

In addition to our winners, we once again congratulate all of our remarkable alumni nominees: Sam Keedy (trombone 2017), Terrace Martin (saxophone 1997), Lakecia Benjamin (saxophone 1999), Keyon Harrold (trumpet 1997), Morgan Guerin (saxophone 2014), Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet 2000), Robert Glasper (piano 1997), and Gerald Clayton (piano 2002).

We could not be prouder of all our extraordinary alumni and the continued impact they’re making on the global music scene!

Performances 

Keyon Harrold (trumpet 1997) will be at the Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre in San Luis Obispo, CA, on February 4. On February 8, Harrold will perform a double feature at the Blue Note Los Angeles. 

Sullivan Fortner (piano 2002) will perform alongside Cecile McLorin Salvant at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, on February 5 before heading to the Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge, CA, on February 6 and 7. On February 10, Fortner and Salvant will be at Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, OR, before heading to Seattle, WA, for a five-night residency at the Jazz Alley from February 12 through 15. 

Benny Benack (trumpet 2008) is hitting the road on his Great American Crooners tour starting in Irvine, CA, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Febuary 5, followed by a Febuary 6 show at the Sunset Center in Carmel-By-The Sea, CA. On February 7, the group will take the stage at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto, CA, before heading to Scottsdale, AZ, for the Arizona Musicfest on February 9. Benack will be back in California on February 11 for a performance at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, and then on February 12 at the Presidio Theatre in San Francisco. On February 13, the group will be in Los Angeles for a performance at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, and on February 14, in Lancaster, CA, at The Lancaster Performing Arts Center. Benack will wrap up this two-week period at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, CA, on February 15. 

Bassist Katie Thiroux (2005) will be at the Paul JAS Center in Aspen, CO, on February 7. 

Trumpeter Anthony Hervey (2014) will be at Dizzy’s Club on February 9, at Stern Auditorium on February 13, and The Jazz Club on February 14, all in NYC.

Jumaane Smith (trumpet 1998) will perform at Jazz TX in San Antonio on February 11, before a two-night stint at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston, TX, on February 12 and 13. 

Chad Lefkowitz-Brown (saxophone 2007) will take the stage for a double feature at Birdland on February 17 in NYC.

Trumpeter John Michael Bradford (2013) will perform at Gold-Diggers in Los Angeles, CA, on February 17.

[If you’re a Vail Jazz Workshop alum, do you know about the communication channel we created exclusively for alumni? It’s free on Slack and is a great way to keep in touch with your alumni colleagues and stay current on what’s happening with them. To join, contact Alan Tanenbaum at info@vailjazz.org and he’ll send you the link!]