Sue Matthews, Dick Durham, and Stefan Scaggiari
On Saturday, September 12, the Chestertown Jazz Festival will present its 30th Anniversary Jazz Festival beneath the big white tent at Wilmer Park along the Chester River. This year’s festival will be the final presentation of the beloved annual event.
Since its founding in 1996, the Chestertown Jazz Festival has become one of the region’s premier music events, welcoming nationally and internationally acclaimed performers while creating unforgettable memories for thousands of music lovers.
James Fernando Trio
The 2026 Chestertown Jazz Festival Schedule:
12:30 PM – Karen Somerville’s Band, Sombarkin’
1:30 PM – Sue Matthews, Dick Durham, and Stefan Scaggiari, with Max Murray and Frank Russo 3:00 PM – James Fernando Trio
4:00 PM – Champian Fulton
5:00 PM – HEADLINER: The Marcus Roberts Trio featuring Marcus Roberts (piano), Rodney Jordan (bass) and Grammy Award-winning drummer Jason Marsalis.
Headlining the festival is the internationally acclaimed Marcus Roberts Trio, featuring legendary pianist Marcus Roberts, bassist Rodney Jordan, and Grammy Award-winning drummer Jason Marsalis. Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier jazz ensembles, the trio will bring the 30-year legacy of the Chestertown Jazz Festival to a spectacular close. Their 5:00 PM appearance is the centerpiece of this final celebration and a rare opportunity for audiences to experience one of jazz’s finest performing groups.
Karen Somerville’s Band, Sombarkin’, will kick off the festival at 12:30 PM with their spirited gospel, blues, jazz and acclaimed a capella and harmonies.
At 1:30 PM are three musicians who performed at the first Chestertown Jazz Festival - Sue Matthews, Dick Durham and Stef Scaggiari. The three are proud to be representatives of all those who graced the stage over the last 30 years. They will be bringing some of their favorites from the Great American Songbook as well as some more contemporary writers.
Hailing from the Philly area- the James Fernando Trio has become a favorite at the Mainstay in Rock Hall for their joyful chemistry. DownBeat praised the trio for “swinging within an inch of its ever-loving Life”. Their performance begins at 3:00 PM.
Pianist Champian Fulton takes the stage at 4:00 PM. Fulton began her career at age 10 and hasn’t looked back. Her “galvanizing presence” (New Yorker) and her alluring musical presentation have made her “a charming young steward of the mainstream Jazz tradition.” (The New York Times)
Food, wine and beer will be available at the festival. No coolers, containers or pets are permitted within the Festival area.
Early Bird tickets are $40.00 and may be purchased by visiting and more info available at https://www.garfieldcenter.org. Once there, navigate to the “annual” tab at the top of the page, then click the Jazz Fest event listed on the next page, and finally click the red “click here” button on the right. Tickets may also be purchased in advance by calling the Garfield Center Box Office on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays, from 10 AM to 3 PM, at 410-810-2060.
