Christmas Eve jazz show canceled due to name change at Kennedy Center
Drummer Chuck Redd has made the decision to cancel the Christmas Eve concert he has been hosting for nearly two decades at the Kennedy Center. This action follows a recent controversy involving the center’s name change, which was initiated by the board appointed by former President Donald Trump. Redd revealed that the altering of the center’s name to include Trump’s—now officially designating it as The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts—was the catalyst for his decision.
The announcement of the renaming was made publicly on Friday, leading to a swift modification of the Kennedy Center’s exterior to reflect this change. However, questions have arisen regarding the legality of this alteration, given the historical significance of the institution, which was established as a tribute to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy. In 1958, bipartisan legislation signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower enabled the creation of this national cultural center. Subsequent fundraising efforts led by both President Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy culminated in Congress naming the center after JFK just months after his assassination in 1963.
Redd has a storied history with the Kennedy Center, having launched the holiday “Jazz Jams” series in Washington, D.C., in 2006. The Kennedy Center’s official website acknowledged the cancellation of Redd’s concert but did not provide further commentary. The Trump administration has not offered any remarks regarding Redd’s decision or the broader implications of the naming change.
Since the announcement, various artists have expressed their disapproval, distancing themselves from the Kennedy Center during Trump’s presidency well before the name change was revealed. Notable figures such as opera singer Renee Fleming, musician Ben Folds, actress Issa Rae, and the cast of the acclaimed musical “Hamilton” have taken a stand against the shift in the center’s management and ethos.
As for the Kennedy Center’s holiday programming, jazz enthusiasts can still purchase tickets to enjoy performances by The Jazz Cookers during their New Year’s Eve shows. This ongoing commitment to jazz signifies the center’s dedication to musical traditions amid political changes impacting its administration.
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