Jul 30, 2026 | News
It’s a milestone! That’s right, Outpost celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the New Mexico Jazz Festival this year and it’s going to be another great one featuring major touring artists, NEA Jazz Masters, and respected New Mexico-based jazz, international, Rhythm & Blues and Latin music practitioners performing in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos.
Kicking it all off on Thursday, August 27, 7:30pm at the Lensic in Santa Fe (and also closing out the 35th Anniversary Music Under the Stars at the Albuquerque Museum on Friday, August 28) is the New York style, hard core salsa of the three-time Grammy Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO)! Then, we’re off for a full month of music, art and more! Also at the Lensic this year are esperanza spalding (9/18); René Marie (9/19), A.B. Spellman in conversation with M. Marie (9/19) and NEA Jazz Master Chucho Valdes Royal Quartet (9/20).
At the Outpost this year are the William Parker Heart Trio; Django Festival Allstars (who will also perform in Santa Fe and Taos); Melissa Aldana Quartet; The Rodriguez Brothers; The Bad Plus (on their Farewell Tour!); Fred Hersch Trio; Mingus Dynasty; and so much more! Plus, we’ll have another great Blues Night on Civic Plaza featuring Judith Hill, an Inpost Artspace exhibition: work by Greg Tucker, a special LP Release & Listening Party featuring Cecil Taylor Unit – KiMo Theater 1979 and a panel discussion with William Parker, films at the Guild Cinema and more! Check out the full 20th Anniversary New Mexico Jazz Festival Schedule and Purchase Your Tickets Here Today!
Apr 15, 2026 | News
The Outpost/New Mexico Jazz Workshop Summer Season 2026 kicks off with the 35th Annual Music Under the Stars series at the Albuquerque Museum, starting with the Cuban Salsa of New Mexico’s own Son Como Son, Friday, June 12, and the Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra Swing Night with Hillary Smith, Saturday, June 13! Full & Half Season Passes are available for the series, which runs through Aug 28. Also coming up – Outpost’s 30th Annual Summer Thursday Jazz Nights, June 25 – Aug 13, featuring a great variety of New Mexico talent. And, the New Mexico Jazz Festival Stage at Route 66 Summerfest in Nob Hill on Saturday, July18, part of the City of Albuquerque’s Route 66 Centennial celebration! So much to look forward to for those warm summer days! FULL SCHEDULE AND TICKETS HERE!
Meanwhile, we are also planning an exciting 20th Anniversary of the New Mexico Jazz Festival, August 27-September 30! It’s going to be a fantastic month of world class music with artists including The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Esperanza Spalding, Chucho Valdes, Mingus Dynasty, Brian Blade, Fred Hersch, and so much more! Stay Tuned for full details coming soon! We are looking for SPONSORS for the 20th New Mexico Jazz Festival! Help Us Sponsor Every Concert and make the 20th anniversary a swingin’ success! Please contact alicia@outpostspace.orgfor more information. Your support makes it all happen and we truly appreciate it!
Plus, don’t forget Summer Session Jazz & Latin Music Classes for Youth & Adults at the Outpost, July 6 – August 26. AND Classes at the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, including Reharmonizing & Arranging Standards with Instructor: Michael Anthony, July 6-August 10!
We look forward to seeing you soon and often at the Outpost, the Albuquerque Museum and beyond this summer!
Dec 10, 2025 | News
Exciting news to report! It’s official! As of January 3, 2026, Outpost and the venerable New Mexico Jazz Workshop (founded 1976) have merged and joined forces to unite the spirit of jazz, creativity, and community under the Outpost banner. This is an exciting new chapter which brings together two of the state’s most respected arts organizations with over 80 years of combined experience in jazz education, performance, and community engagement. It will allow for expanded opportunities for musicians from all over and of all ages, more extraordinary live music presentations, art exhibitions, educational programs and more! There is much to look forward to in the year ahead and we will continue to update you as new directions and opportunities unfold!
One such opportunity includes Membership! With the merging of Outpost and the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, we are offering new membership categories and enhanced member benefits. Outpost members will continue to receive the current benefits like $10 ticket discounts, member-only concerts, etc. in addition to the benefits offered by the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, including early access to concerts, passes to summer Music Under the Stars concerts and more!
There’s a lot to look forward to in 2026, including another great spring season of music beginning in March (check out the schedule and purchase tickets here); expanded class offerings (at the NMJW building as well as at Outpost), art exhibits in the Inpost Artspace; a full summer season which includes Outpost’s 30th Annual Summer Thursday Jazz Nights; the 35th anniversary of the Music Under the Stars series at the Albuquerque Museum; the 20th anniversary of the New Mexico Jazz Festival; and the renovation of the Outpost building (tentatively scheduled to start in October), which will allow us to provide better facilities for expanded programming and services!
We look forward to seeing you soon and sharing all that this new chapter brings for all of us here at Outpost and for the community!
Sincerely,
Tom Guralnick,
Outpost Founder & Executive Director
