Oregon Coast Jazz Party Announces Lineup in Newport - October

Published 06/27/26 at 8:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Newport, Oregon) - With the early comes a greater warmth and calmer winds to Newport's adorable Nye Beach district, but it also heats up in the world of culture.

Oregon Coast Council for the Arts and The Jazz Cruise have unveiled the full artist roster for the 22nd annual Oregon Coast Jazz Party, set for October 2 - 4, 2026, at the Newport Performing Arts Center overlooking Nye Beach. This year’s event, guided by Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and educator John Clayton, will honor the legacy of Ken Peplowski, whose leadership shaped the Party over the past five years before his passing earlier this year.

The 2026 lineup brings together thirteen artists representing a wide span of jazz styles and generations. Clayton will be joined throughout the weekend by pianist Taylor Eigsti, bassist and vocalist Katie Thiroux, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, each appearing in all four sessions. Also performing are flutist Holly Hofmann, clarinetist Jacob Scesney, tenor saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman, trumpeters Terell Stafford and Byron Stripling, guitarist Anthony Wilson, pianist Randy Porter, drummer Darrell Green, and emerging tenor saxophonist Kiara Rouse.

“As announced earlier this year, Clayton will step into the role of Interim Artistic Director following the passing of Ken Peplowski, who brought his extraordinary wit, masterful musicianship, and gift for assembling world-class musicians to the Party,” said organizers. “This October, Clayton and the assembled artists will carry that spirit forward, offering a program that celebrates Peplowski and the joy and energy of live jazz.”

Hofmann’s return adds another layer of history to the weekend. She previously served as Artistic Director from 2006 to 2018 and co-led the event with Peplowski in 2019 before he assumed sole leadership from 2021 through 2025.

Randy Porter

The festival unfolds over four sessions: Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, October 3 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, October 4 at 1 p.m. Friday’s opener features Hofmann, Scesney, Eigsti, Clayton, Hamilton, and Thiroux. Saturday afternoon brings Wilson, Scesney, Hamilton, Clayton, Stripling, Eigsti, and Thiroux. Saturday night’s expanded lineup includes Thurman, Porter, Clayton, Green, Stafford, Scesney, Hofmann, Eigsti, Thiroux, and Rouse. The Sunday matinee closes the weekend with Thiroux, Stripling, Thurman, Eigsti, Hofmann, Clayton, Stafford, Wilson, Porter, Green, and Rouse. (Lineup subject to change.)

All performances take place at the Newport Performing Arts Center, home to the acclaimed Meyer Constellation sound system. For more than twenty years, the Oregon Coast Jazz Party has drawn audiences from across the region and the country, pairing world-class musicianship with the intimate, free-flowing format that distinguishes a jazz party from a traditional festival.

The 2026 event is produced by Oregon Coast Council for the Arts in partnership with The Jazz Cruise, with continued support from lead underwriter Rev. Carol Stubbs Smith. Proceeds benefit the Newport Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are on sale now. For details or to purchase, call 541-265-2787, visit the box office Tuesday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or go to coastarts.org/jazz.

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