Jason Moran is an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator born in Houston, Texas in 1975, widely regarded as one of the most inventive voices in contemporary jazz. His music draws on stride piano, hip-hop, blues, and avant-garde improvisation, and he regularly extends it into multimedia installations and visual art. He served as Artistic Director for Jazz at the Kennedy Center from 2011 to 2025, and teaches at the New England Conservatory. A MacArthur Fellow since 2010, he has scored films for Ava DuVernay and collaborated with visual artists including Kara Walker and Joan Jonas.
Moran announced on social media on July 9, 2025 that he has left his position as Artistic Director for Jazz at the Kennedy Center, ending a 14-year tenure.
Moran was named artist-in-residence at the Detroit Jazz Festival 2025 (Labor Day weekend, Aug 28 - Sep 1), where he plans to premiere a new composition blending jazz and Detroit techno.
Moran performed at the Kennedy Center as part of a new trio with electronic musician BlankFor.ms and drummer Marcus Gilmore, exploring real-time digital-acoustic interaction.
Moran completed an experimental artist residency at RISD's Film/Animation/Video department, which he began in fall 2024 with workshops and a talk on Louis Armstrong as visual artist.
Moran received the German Jazz Prize for pianist of the year in 2023.
American jazz piano star Jason Moran returns with a solo recital at the Enjoy Jazz festival, performing at the Friedenskirche in Ludwigshafen.
American jazz pianist Jason Moran takes the stage at Thomaskirche.
