For more than 20 years, live jazz on Christmas Eve was a beloved tradition at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, offering audiences a warm and soulful way to mark the holiday season. This year, however, that tradition has come to an abrupt halt. The annual Christmas Eve Jazz Jam has been officially canceled, surprising longtime attendees and leaving a noticeable gap in the center’s holiday calendar.

The cancellation followed the decision of the concert’s longtime host, jazz drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd, to step away. Redd had led the event since 2006, taking over after the death of renowned bassist William Keter Betts, and became a defining presence of the performance.