2026 Award Applications are Closed
Honoring the memory of John Stites and his passion for jazz music
Honoring the memory of John Stites and his passion for jazz music
Posted September 20, 2026
The JSJAO will partner with The Gilmore to present the first 2026 Rising Star Jazz performance – the Dabin Ryu Trio on Saturday, October 3. Ryu will perform with her trio (Matt Penmen on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums) at 4 pm and 7 pm at Bell’s Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo. The Gilmore regards Ryu as “a distinctive voice shaped by her roots in Seoul and her career in New York City” and noted that she has worked with many highly regarded jazz performers, including Carl Allen, Randy Brecker, Anat Cohen, Billy Harper, and David Virelles. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School, Ryu currently teaches at Berklee while performing at well known New York City jazz clubs as well as premier jazz festivals and national and international concert stages. She will be performing at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival prior to her appearance in Kalamazoo.
Ryu started taking classical piano lessons at age 3 before becoming interested in jazz in her teens. Her first album “Wall” in 2021 showcased her talents as a composer and arranger in addition to her ability to “immerse herself in a “hardbop-inspired groove as well as a more modern iteration with a funky backbeat”. (Jazziz magazine) Ryu has won numerous international accolades, including 1st prize at the 15th UNISA International Piano Competition, the Outstanding Piano Award at the Jack Rudin Jazz Competition, and she was named a semi-finalist at the Herbie Hancock International Jazz Competition. In 2025, she was awarded the prestigious Jazz Gallery Residency Commission, which recognizes “visionary artists shaping the future of contemporary jazz”. This commission became the foundation for her next album, “Discomfort” to be released in November 2026.
We invite you to join us at Bell’s on October 3 when the John Stites Jazz Artist Organization and The Gilmore will celebrate our 6th year of fulfilling John’s mission to “expand public awareness and appreciation of jazz” by bringing exceptional young jazz artists to Kalamazoo. Ticket information is available at thegilmore.org.
John recorded decades of live and studio performances with a master’s touch. His legacy is vast, and I am in awe of the man and his work.
Cara Lieurance
The John Stites Jazz Awards (JSJA) are funded by the John Stites Jazz Artist Organization.
The organization funds advanced studies for emerging jazz musicians, as well as personal development projects which enhance their career opportunities.