COTA Celebration Of The Arts

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COTA Celebration Of The Arts

COTA Jazz Fest 2026! September 12-13

Celebrate 48 years of COTA with our annual Jazz Festival

09/04/2026

We are a little over a week out from COTA 2026!! Are you ready?!

Photo: Broady Photography

09/02/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12th, 2026
and SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026

RISING STARS!

Join this group of young rising stars between Main Stage sets at the festival! This year’s group features:

Mary Hess Vocals
Geo Jung Saxophones
Julian Lee Vibraphone
Jonas Ballantyne Piano
James Elwood Bass
Dexter Sales Drums

08/31/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026
DEER HEAD INN STAGE

6:00PM NICOLE ZURAITIS

Nicole Zuraitis is a 2X GRAMMY® winning and 4X GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader, and winner of the prestigious American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” (Jazz Police), Nicole is a trailblazing artist who is redefining vocal jazz and jazz songwriting, which she coined “modern songbook”, earning her a place as one of the top artists and "prolific songwriters" (Broadway World) to watch in jazz and beyond.
As a recording artist, Nicole has released seven albums as leader, and her sixth album How Love Begins, co-produced with nine-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride, features all original music and was awarded the 2024 GRAMMY for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM. Nicole is the only artist ever to have won this award who wrote and arranged the entire album herself. In addition to leading her quartet, Nicole performed and recorded with the Birdland Big Band as premier vocalist before taking off as a large ensemble leader of her own, co-producing the Dan Pugach Big Band and guesting for major European big bands. She has headlined at Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and Tanglewood, along with iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle, 54 Below and the late, great 55 Bar. She also has appeared as a featured soloist with the Savannah Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, Danish Radio Big Band and Macon Pops. She wrote the closing track “Always” on Teyana Taylor’s 2025 album Escape Room (Def Jam Records).
Nicole is a featured artist and producer on her husband, renowned drummer, bandleader, and composer Dan Pugach’s 2025 GRAMMY-winning album, “Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence” (Best Large Ensemble) for which they composed the GRAMMY-nominated song, “Little Fears” (Best Jazz Performance). Nicole is a vocalist on the GRAMMY-winning “Last Sunday in Plains: A Centennial Celebration” alongside Jon Batiste, Keb’ Mo’, and LeeAnn Rimes. In 2024, Broadway World honored Nicole with the “Best Big Band Show” Award. Nicole's arrangement of Dolly Parton's Jolene, co-written with renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach, was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY®, springboarding her career and making her a household name in the modern-day jazz landscape. Nicole has collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries, including Christian McBride, Larry Klein, Tom Scott, Keyon Harrold, David Cook, Gilad Hekselman, Donny McCaslin, Veronica Swift, Benny Benack, Stephen Feifke, Cyrille Aimee, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Omar Hakim, Rachel Z, Helen Sung, Melanie, Morgan James, Scott Sharrard, Darren Criss, Livingston Taylor, and Bernard Purdie. She is a proud educator and currently vocal faculty at NYU

www.nicolezmusic.com

08/30/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026
DEER HEAD INN STAGE

4:30PM THE GABRIELLE STRAVELLI QUARTET feat. TIM ARMACOST

Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli and Grammy-nominated tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost first found their musical chemistry headlining the 2019 Providencia Jazz Festival in Santiago, Chile — and they haven't looked back. Their adventurous pairing goes beyond the classic interplay of voice and horn: spontaneous, playful, and deeply swinging, they operate as a dynamic front line. Stravelli's luminous voice — described by the New York Times as naturally effervescent — weaves seamlessly with Armacost's rich, narrative-driven improvisations. Together they explore the American Songbook, original compositions, and adventurous arrangements that surprise and delight. Anchoring the group are pianist Art Hirahara and bassist Pat O’Leary.

www.gabriellestravelli.com

08/29/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026
MAIN STAGE

6:30PM THE STANK FACTORY

Named after the pungent water treatment plant near their rehearsal spot in Bethlehem, PA, The Stank Factory is a five piece party band inspired by the jazz, funk, soul, and blues sounds of New Orleans. Since their formation in October 2024, the band has performed throughout the mid-Atlantic region at jazz clubs, music festivals, libraries, outdoor bars, churches, and more.

Recent performance highlights include a short tour out to western Maryland and Pennsylvania, a sold out Mardi Gras weekend performance at the Deer Head Inn, and a fantastic debut at Bethlehem's Musikfest, the largest free outdoor music festival in the US. Each performance is a non-stop party - Stank always gets people clapping, shouting, and singing, no matter the time or place.

https://thestankfactory.com

08/27/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026
MAIN STAGE

5:00PM DAVE STRYKER QUARTET

Whether you've heard guitarist Dave Stryker leading his own group (with 37 CD's as a leader to date), or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.”

Hot House magazine awarded him Best Gutarist- Fans Decision for 2017. He was recently voted once again as one of the top Jazz Guitarists in the 2025 Downbeat Critics and Readers Polls for the 15th time.

“I have followed Dave Stryker's playing since his early days in Omaha through his long stay with Stanley Turrentine... and he just gets better and better with one of the most joyous feels around.”
— Pat Metheny

davestryker.com

08/26/2026

Counting down the days until COTA 2026? Check out our photo galleries from festivals past!

Wonderful photos by several of our volunteer festival photographers over the years are showcased here Jonathan Broady, Broady Photography, Garth Woods, Bob Weidner, David Coulter, and more!

08/25/2026

MAIN STAGE
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH
3:30PM COTA CATS

COTA is excited to welcome the COTA Cats back to the stage!

You will not want to miss this student big band packed full of wonderful young musicians from area schools! Join them and director Tim Reiche on Sunday afternoon! You don't want to miss this set!

08/23/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026
MAIN STAGE

2:00PM ADAM BRENNER OCTET

The Adam Brenner Octet is comprised of the same instrumentation as The George Coleman Octet. It features four saxophones, one trumpet and piano, bass and drums. This edition features some former stellar musical associates of Adam's from the NYC area including Vincent Herring on alto sax, Frank Basile on baritone sax and Jeb Patton on piano.
The other musicians are some of the finest players who are a part of the eastern Pennsylvania music scene including Dan Wilkins on tenor sax, Chris Rogers on trumpet, bassist Joe Michaels and drummer Adam Nussbaum.
Adam has performed, toured and/or recorded with many legendary artists including working for 5 years with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, George Coleman, Bill Lee & The Natural Spiritual Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Mel Torme, Vernel Fournier, and others. He has received praise from Ahmad Jamal, Michael Brecker, Lou Donaldson and others.

08/22/2026

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2026
MAIN STAGE

12:30PM MARCIO PHILOMENA QUARTET

Marcio Philomena is a guitarist and composer from southern Brazil, now based in Brooklyn, New York. Leading a quartet featuring Hélio Alves on piano, Gili Lopes on bass, and Alex Kautz on drums, Philomena presents original music from his upcoming album alongside selections from his debut release, Trails. His music is deeply rooted in the rhythms of Brazil while drawing inspiration from the expressiveness and freedom of contemporary jazz.

marciophilomena.com

Address

Delaware Water Gap, PA
18327

Website

http://www.cotajazz.org/

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