Jazz Generations Initiative will introduce its inaugural New Orleans Jazz Cohort with a debut performance, Ancient Entry, during New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival week on Tuesday, April 28 at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro.

Curated by JGI co-founder Courtney Bryan, the cohort brings together a multigenerational collective of New Orleans musicians to collaborate across disciplines and traditions. The initiative centers on using jazz as a vehicle for dialogue—exploring themes of healing, democracy, and creolité through composition and improvisation.

The 2026 cohort features vocalist Tonya Boyd-Cannon, trumpeter Steve Lands, multi-instrumentalist Aurora Nealand, pianist Victor Campbell, and bassist Max Moran. Together, they will present Ancient Entry as a “time-traveling” musical experience, weaving ancestral rhythms, familiar melodies, and new sonic textures into an evening-length performance.

The April 28 concert marks the first in an ongoing series from the cohort, highlighting original compositions alongside improvisational collaborations that reflect jazz’s evolution across generations and diasporas.

Special guests for this inaugural Ancient Entry performance include vocalist Germaine Bazzle, guitarist and vocalist Vanito Brown, drummer Alfred Jordan Jr., percussionist Weedie Braimah, and bounce artist Cheeky Blakk, with additional guests to be announced.

Two sets will be presented at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro. Tickets and additional information are available at snugjazz.com.