Wynton Marsalis got a taste of what his farewell from Jazz at Lincoln Center may look like before he takes his final bow as leader of the org next year.

The jazz great, who founded JALC, was lauded for his leadership at its annual gala on Wednesday night.

Angela Bassett hosted the gala and praised Marsalis for his vision and stewardship. Former American Express CEO, Kenneth I. Chenault and his wife, Kathryn, received the 2026 Ed Bradley Award for Leadership in Jazz and then unexpectedly took a moment to honor Marsalis.

Speaking of America’s upcoming 250th birthday, Chenault said jazz is “the perfect metaphor for the American expression,” he said. “If you want to understand the soul of our democracy, listen to the music. Jazz is our uniquely American contribution to the world’s cultural heritage. It is the sound of freedom. Its music that demands we listen to one another… No one has articulated this vision more powerfully than our dear friend Wynton Marsalis,” Kenneth continued.

Kenneth added that Marsalis “has often reminded us that jazz is also the soundtrack to our democracy.”

Marsalis announced in January he was stepping down as artistic director of the organization he founded in 1987 next year.

“When we established Jazz at Lincoln Center in 1987, our goal was to build an enduring jazz institution that would both entertain and educate multi-generational audiences to an often-overlooked aspect of American culture and I am proud of the tremendous progress we’ve made,” he said in a statement.

He appeared as a special guest performer and played his trumpet as a part of JALC’s orchestra throughout the evening. The gala, whose theme of the evening was “Rhythms That Moved the World,” honored Ghanaian djembe virtuoso Weedie Braimah, Joan Chamorron, band director of Sant Andreu Jazz Band of Barcelona, Spain and the Chenaults.

Kenneth concluded his speech describing Marsalas as “our founder, our heartbeat and a true American original.”

“He built an enduring institution that stands today as a beacon of excellence and creativity. And, while he’s changing roles, he will remain a vital part of [JALC]. He is and will always be our founder,” he said as the audience applauded.

The evening brought out New Yorkers Crystal McCrary, Ray McGuire, Laura Jarrett, Spencer Means, Katherine Brown and Helen and David Jaffe. The jazzy partygoers ended the evening with dinner and dancing at the afterparty in the concert hall’s Dizzy’s Club.