Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

demmiblue

(39,164 posts)
Wed Dec 24, 2025, 05:44 PM 2 hrs ago

Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled after Trump name added to building

NEW YORK (AP) — A planned Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center, a holiday tradition dating back more than 20 years, has been canceled. The show’s host, musician Chuck Redd, says that he called off the performance in the wake of the White House announcing last week that President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the facility.

As of last Friday, the building’s facade reads The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. According to the White House, the president’s handpicked board approved the decision, which scholars have said violates the law. Trump had been suggesting for months he was open to changing the center’s name.

“When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told The Associated Press in an email Wednesday. Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player who has toured with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Ray Brown, has been presiding over holiday “Jazz Jams” at the Kennedy Center since 2006, succeeding bassist William “Keter” Betts.

https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-center-jazz-jam-canceled-e556b53085a483140436cfaa8b6f177f
10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled after Trump name added to building (Original Post) demmiblue 2 hrs ago OP
TY & Chuck Reed! Cha 2 hrs ago #1
A group I perform with is planning to play there in a few months Bluetus 1 hr ago #2
Maybe they can call kid rock dweller 1 hr ago #3
Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, and Lee Greenwood..... what a show!!!!!!! groundloop 25 sec ago #10
Merry Christmas Botany 1 hr ago #4
Kid Rock will be playing at this venue every night of the year LetMyPeopleVote 1 hr ago #5
Well, that news made my day! Great big gracias to you Demmiblue! 1WorldHope 55 min ago #6
Kick. N/T Upthevibe 39 min ago #7
Hell, if you DO want to listen to jazz, there's some good streams on Youtube sakabatou 37 min ago #8
They fired the jazz director earlier this year after decades of excellent performances IronLionZion 21 min ago #9

Bluetus

(2,197 posts)
2. A group I perform with is planning to play there in a few months
Wed Dec 24, 2025, 06:07 PM
1 hr ago

This is not a high level thing. There is a cottage industry of organizing trips for groups of any sort to perform inside Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center or other famous buildings. It is basically a specialized travel agency business that uses dates when those centers would normally be empty.

When this group started talking about this trip, I put my name on the "likely" list. But once Trump fired the professional management and installed his lackeys, I moved to the "no way" list. And after his name desecrated the place, I am now on the "Hell no, WTF are you people thinking?" list.

I guess this group is still planning to appear, but the last I heard, they were recruiting home school kids and their parents to fill the many vacancies.

I bet this story is repeated over and over in the next 12 months.

dweller

(27,778 posts)
3. Maybe they can call kid rock
Wed Dec 24, 2025, 06:20 PM
1 hr ago

to come in and scat about a bit … oh wait , thats a job for ted nugent instead

🫤




✌🏻

LetMyPeopleVote

(174,352 posts)
5. Kid Rock will be playing at this venue every night of the year
Wed Dec 24, 2025, 06:36 PM
1 hr ago

Finding people who will perform at this venue will be hard

IronLionZion

(50,732 posts)
9. They fired the jazz director earlier this year after decades of excellent performances
Wed Dec 24, 2025, 07:28 PM
21 min ago

I've enjoyed many great jazz concerts at the Kennedy Center over the years. But jazz is a bit too "DEI" for MAGA apparently.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Kennedy Center Christmas ...