New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Announce 2026 Next Jazz Legacy Cohort
2026 Next Jazz Legacy cohort, clockwise from top left: Devon Gates, Alden Hellmuth, Destiny “Lé Queen” Diggs, Lily Finnegan, Sequoia “REDWOOD” Snyder, Siya Charles, Allison Philips
Fifth Year Of Program Led By New Music USA & Berklee Institute of Jazz & Gender Justice Continues To Advance Jazz Inclusivity
Fifth Cohort of Emerging Artists Paired with Allison Miller, Braxton Cook, Camae Ayewa, Ingrid Jensen, Jason Moran, Jeff Watt, and Sylvie Courvoisier for Bandleader Apprenticeships
Andrew Cyrille, Aneesa Strings, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Dianne Reeves, Ingrid Laubrock, Marilyn Crispell, and Steve Davis Participate as Creative Mentors
New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice are excited to announce the seven artists that make up the 2026 Next Jazz Legacy cohort. The trailblazing program offers intergenerational apprenticeship, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to emerging jazz artists who contribute to a more vibrant and inclusive jazz future. The program is funded by the Mellon Foundation.
This group of Next Jazz Legacy awardees was chosen through an open application call followed by a meticulous review process by a distinguished panel of jazz luminaries, chaired by NEA Jazz Master and Next Jazz Legacy’s Artistic Director, Terri Lyne Carrington. Once the awardees were selected, Carrington and the Next Jazz Legacy team worked closely with each of the musicians to match them with a master bandleader for a year-long performance apprenticeship, as well as a creative mentor for holistic career support, both of whom align with the awardees’ unique interests.
The selection committee for the 2026 Next Jazz Legacy cohort also included Consuelo Candelaria-Barry, Patricia Perez, Caroline Davis, Neal Smith, Matthew Stevens, Gregory Grover, Jr, Aja Burrell Wood, and Vanessa Rose.
The fifth cohort of seven Next Jazz Legacy artists represents a dynamic fusion of backgrounds, talents, and perspectives, embodying a commitment to innovation and artistic excellence within the jazz community. As a genre that has long embraced cultural diversity and creative exploration, jazz continues to evolve through the voices of musicians from all traditions. Beyond their musical achievements, these artists have overcome challenges including sexism, socio-economic barriers, and limited access to opportunities, further reinforcing the program’s mission to foster equity and inclusion in jazz. The members of this year’s cohort are:
Alden Hellmuth (she/her): Saxophonist, Bandleader, Composer
Bandleader: Sylvie Courvoisier; Creative Mentor: Ingrid Laubrock
Brooklyn, NY
Allison Philips (she/her): Trumpeter, Bandleader, Composer
Bandleader: Allison Miller; Creative Mentor: Andrew Cyrille
Brooklyn, NY
Destiny “Lé Queen” Diggs (she/her): Bassist, Bandleader, Composer
Bandleader: Jeff Watts; Creative Mentor: Cecile McLorin Salvant
Brooklyn, NY
Devon Gates (she/her): Bassist, Vocalist, Composer
Bandleader: Jason Moran; Creative Mentor: Dianne Reeves
Brooklyn, NY
Lily Finnegan (she/her): Drummer, Composer, Improviser, Organizer
Bandleader: Camae Ayewa; Creative Mentor: Marilyn Crispell
Chicago, IL
Sequoia “REDWOOD” Snyder (she/her): Pianist, Composer, Producer, Bandleader
Bandleader: Braxton Cook; Creative Mentor: Aneesa Strings
Washington, DC
Siya Charles (she/her): Trombonist, Composer, Arranger
Bandleader: Ingrid Jensen; Creative Mentor: Steve Davis
Brooklyn, NY
Co-founded by New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, Next Jazz Legacy has made a remarkable impact in its first four years by providing invaluable experiences to its four awardee cohorts and aiding in their artistic development. As of July 2025:
- 100% of the NJL awardees state they have grown as an artist both as a side-person and as a performer
- 100% state they have achieved their goals and have increased confidence
- 86% are continuing their relationship with their assigned bandleader beyond the NJL program
- 71% will continue their relationship with their NJL mentor
- 100% of NJL awardees feel more connected to and have a stronger sense of belonging in the jazz community after participating in the program.
Awardees have performed at some of the most prestigious jazz events across the country, including New York City’s Winter Jazzfest, Washington, DC’s Mary Lou Williams Festival & DC Jazz Festival, and Los Angeles’ Angel City Jazz Festival. Next Jazz Legacy awardees have also had the chance to work and perform with some of the most acclaimed names in jazz including Makaya McCraven, esperanza spalding, Tia Fuller, Nasheet Waits, Brandee Younger, Patrice Rushen, Craig Taborn, Nicole Mitchell, Marcus Miller, Regina Carter, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Helen Sung, Bobby McFerrin, the late Wayne Shorter, and two recent GRAMMY winners, Meshell Ndegeocello and Miguel Zenón. Furthermore, Next Jazz Legacy has gained national recognition from top media outlets like PBS NewsHour, Billboard, GRAMMY.com, AllArts, and more.
By the end of 2026, the fifth year of the program, Next Jazz Legacy’s impact will have grown to encompass:
- the direct support of 36 emerging artists
- the engagement of 108 bandleaders, creative and business mentors
- 432 creative and business mentorship sessions
- 28 cohort learning sessions
- 17 showcase performances.
Next Jazz Legacy Artistic Director and GRAMMY award-winning artist Terri Lyne Carrington says about the new cohort:
“I am delighted to welcome the fifth cohort of Next Jazz Legacy. Over the years, we have had the privilege of collaborating with an exceptional range of creative improvisers and esteemed jazz veterans, all working together to advance a more inclusive and vibrant future for the art form. Onstage apprenticeship was instrumental in my own artistic development, and it is deeply meaningful to now help provide these outstanding emerging musicians with the mentorship and hands-on experience that will support them in their continued growth.”
New Music USA President & CEO Vanessa Rose adds:
“I am proud to celebrate Next Jazz Legacy’s fifth cohort as this pioneering initiative continues to foster a true representation of jazz artists through our newest generation. Thanks to the Mellon Foundation’s generous support, we are able to invest in the proven impact of mentorship and the cohort experience as well as performance and development opportunities for our awardees. We are grateful to be partners in this endeavor with Terri Lyne Carrington, Aja Burrell Wood, and the many esteemed artists engaging in this program. Congratulations to NJL 2026!”
Devon Gates, a member of the 2026 Next Jazz Legacy cohort, shares:
“I am excited to be part of Next Jazz Legacy to learn firsthand from world-class musicians within the cohort and beyond it, both on and off the bandstand. As artists and as people, I believe we are deeply shaped by the community that we are able to build around us, and I hope that this program will strengthen and establish new connections that I can call upon and collaborate with for the rest of my career.”
ABOUT THE 2026 NEXT JAZZ LEGACY COHORT
Alden Hellmuth is a saxophonist, composer, and improviser based in New York City. A graduate of the Herbie Hancock Institute, she received the 2025 German Jazz Prize for Debut Album of the Year (International) and has performed internationally at major venues and festivals including the NYC Winter Jazz Festival, Hollywood Bowl and Blue Note Jazz Festival, International Jazz Day (Morocco and Abu Dhabi), The Jazz Gallery, and Blue Note NYC. Alden has been recognized with numerous honors, including ASCAP’s Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award (2024), Chamber Music America’s Performance Plus Grant (2025), and the Focus Year Fellowship (2021-22). As an artist, Alden seeks expression through freedom, intuition, and a deep commitment to her craft.
Allison Philips is a Brooklyn-based trumpet player, composer, and educator. Currently Allison leads her quartet project with Neta Raanan (Tenor Sax), Isaac Levien (Bass) and Connor Parks (Drums.) Their debut album “Make it Better” was released on Dox Records on May 16th, 2025. Allison is a member of the The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and has performed with: Alfa Mist, The Jonas Brothers, Japanese Breakfast, Sara McDonald’s “NY Chillharmonic”, Yo La Tengo, Alita Moses, Sungazer, Aberdeen, and many others. Philips holds a BFA in Jazz Performance from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and an MM in Jazz Performance from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
Destiny “Lé Queen” Diggs is a bassist, composer and bandleader born in Newark, NJ. She was mentored by Chris Berger, Ron Carter, Buster Williams, and Joe Sanders. Lé Queen completed her Masters Degree at the Herbie Hancock Institute in 2025. Aside from her studies, she has toured internationally, and performed at venues such as Birdland, JALC, Carnegie Hall, Jazz Forum, Hollywood Bowl and NJPAC. Diggs has played multiple festivals including New York Fashion Week, Hartford Paul Brown Jazz Festival and Blue Note Jazz Festival. At 25 she has begun to make her mark performing with Dianne Reeves, Jon Batiste, Godwin Louis, Jon Faddis, amongst many others. Despite being an illustrious sideman, Lé Queen primarily leads her own band “LéQueentet.”
Devon Gates is a bassist, vocalist, and composer from Atlanta, Georgia, now based in Brooklyn, NY. After studying anthropology and jazz performance at Harvard University and Berklee College of Music, she has worked with esteemed artists including Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Jen Shyu, Fay Victor, Nicole Mitchell, Susie Ibarra, and Sara Serpa, and performed at venues including The Jazz Gallery, the Monterey Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, Winter JazzFest, Roulette Intermedium, and SFJazz. Most recently, she is featured on bass and vocals in Terri Lyne Carrington’s newest Grammy-nominated release, We Insist 2025, a tribute to the seminal Abbey Lincoln/Max Roach 1960 album.
Lily Finnegan is a Chicago-based drummer, composer, improviser, and organizer. She was spotlighted by The Chicago Reader as a “Chicagoan of Note” and included in The Chicago Sun Times “Next Generation of Jazz Musicians”. She leads her own quartet, Heat On, which released their debut album on Cuneiform Records. Other projects include improvisational duo with gabby fluke-mogul and playing in Ken Vandermark’s Edition Redux. Finnegan has collaborated with wide ranging artists including James Brandon Lewis, Macie Stewart, Bill Orcutt, Edward Wilkerson, Nick Dunston, Fay Victor, Patrick Shiroishi, Brandon Seabrook, and Shanta Nurullah. Lily earned a MM from Berklee College of Music and a BA in Sociology and Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sequoia (sey-COY-uh) “REDWOOD” Snyder is a Washington, D.C.-born musician, producer, composer, and recording artist who blends the contemporary sounds of jazz, R&B, soul, and hip-hop with striking individuality. Mentored by legends like Rodney Whitaker, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Jason Moran, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University’s Jazz Studies program. REDWOOD has performed with esteemed musicians such as Kenny Barron, Cory Henry, and the R&B band The Internet. A multifaceted artist, REDWOOD showcases her vocal and production talents on her debut album Red 2 Go. Stepping forward as a bandleader in 2025, she has headlined at the Kennedy Center and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club.
Siya (See-Yah) Charles is a New York City–based South African trombonist, composer, and arranger redefining contemporary jazz. A magna cum laude graduate of The Juilliard School, she has established an international presence, performing on major stages and collaborating with artists including the late Hugh Masekela and multiple Grammy Award winners. Rooted in her cultural heritage, Charles explores the intersection of South African rhythms, storytelling, and modern jazz, crafting music marked by emotional depth, technical mastery, and innovation. Last year, Charles received the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz in South Africa. Beyond performance, she is a dedicated advocate for music education, leading workshops and masterclasses that inspire emerging musicians. Whether on stage, in the studio, or in the classroom, Charles is a fearless artist honoring tradition while pushing creative boundaries.
ABOUT THE NEXT JAZZ LEGACY PROGRAM
Next Jazz Legacy is a national apprenticeship and mentorship program focused on elevating early-career jazz artists. Designed by New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, the program’s mission is to increase opportunities for musicians who will contribute to a vibrant and inclusive jazz future, and to create waves of lasting change that benefit the whole jazz community. Next Jazz Legacy invests in its awardees through a comprehensive support package that includes intergenerational apprenticeships and mentorship, showcases, cohort learning, and an unrestricted grant that contributes to awardees’ creative and professional development. Next Jazz Legacy is made possible by New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, with funding from the Mellon Foundation. GRAMMY-winning artist and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington is the program’s Artistic Director, and is supported by Aja Burrell Wood, Managing Director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice and a New Music USA board member. Next Jazz Legacy welcomes applications from musicians of all gender and sexual identities to achieve the goal of true gender representation in the field.newmusicusa.org/program/next-jazz-legacy
ABOUT NEW MUSIC USA
New Music USA’s mission is to nurture a vibrant and inclusive community for artists and listeners by supporting the creation, performance, and appreciation of new music across the United States. To us, that means supporting the many musical approaches and dynamic ideas being created and performed today. We welcome all curious listeners and artists/organizations who are curating compelling sonic experiences, influencing original musical creations and presentations, and contributing to the sounds of tomorrow. newmusicusa.org
ABOUT THE BERKLEE INSTITUTE OF JAZZ & GENDER JUSTICE
The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice’s mission is to recruit, teach, mentor, and advocate for young musicians desiring to study jazz in a safe, egalitarian and nurturing environment, with gender justice and racial justice as guiding principles. We share in the collective work to challenge systemic forms of oppression embedded in the art form. We believe a cultural transformation is needed and that the music itself will not reach its full potential until these issues are meaningfully addressed. Learn more at berklee.edu/jazz-gender-justice.
ABOUT THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.
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