New York Forward Festival
The New York Forward Festival began in 2015 as a celebration of the remarkable Daniel Carter’s 70th birthday. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser, Daniel has been a vital presence in New York’s creative music scene for decades. His open spirit, boundless curiosity, and passion for collaboration have connected generations of musicians and shaped the language of improvisation worldwide.
What started as a heartfelt birthday tribute has blossomed into a festival with 20 editions across the US, Africa, and Europe, with Brooklyn, New York, as its home base. The festival has become a meeting point for improvisers from around the globe — a place where legendary artists share the stage with emerging voices, and where audiences are invited into the magic of spontaneous creation.
In New York, these concerts have strengthened the city’s reputation as a hub for adventurous music, offering intimate gatherings where artists and listeners alike can form deep connections. Internationally, the festival has helped foster a spirit of exchange, bringing together diverse traditions and inspiring improvisers worldwide to create, collaborate, and carry forward the spirit of Daniel Carter’s music: open, inclusive, and endlessly inventive.
