Jazz super-group The Cookers have cancelled two New Year’s Eve performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following a string of artists cancelling their scheduled performances after the center was renamed to include President Donald Trump. The band did not explicitly mention the name-change, but stated, “This decision has come together very quickly, and we understand how frustrating last‑minute changes can be.”
“Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom” the statement says. “Freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice. Some of us have been making this music for many decades, and that history still shapes us. We are not turning away from our audience, and do want to make sure that when we do return to the bandstand, the room is able to celebrate the full presence of the music and everyone in it.”
The statement continues:“Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment. To everyone who is disappointed or upset, we understand and share your sadness. We remain committed to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.”
No official statement from the band has attributed the cancellation to the Kennedy Center’s name change, but drummer Billy Hart told the New York Times that the center’s name change “evidently” played a role. Former saxophonist Billy Harper, quoted in an interview by Facebook group Jazz Stage, said that performing at the Kennedy Center was “not even a question.” He said, “I would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture.”
This is the second holiday jazz concert at the Kennedy Center to be cancelled this month, after host Chuck Redd, a jazz musician, cancelled the annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam days after Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center. Richard Grenell, the interim President of the Kennedy Center, said they plan to file a $1 million lawsuit against Redd after the holidays.
After The Cookers announced their cancellation, Grenell posted on X, saying, “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership. Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists rather than artists willing to perform for everyone regardless of their political beliefs.”
“Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome. The arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it.”
Other artists that have cancelled performances in light of the Kennedy Center’s name change include the contemporary dance troupe, Doug Varone and Dancers, and the folk singer Kristy Lee, who stated, “I won't lie to you, canceling shows hurts. This is how I keep the lights on. But losing my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck.”
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