A second jazz band has withdrawn from a performance at the controversially renamed “Trump-Kennedy” Center in Washington, D.C., providing just two days’ notice before their New Year’s Eve appearance was set to occur.

The Cookers, a Grammy-nominated ensemble composed of legendary post-bop jazz musicians, did not specify their reasons for the decision. However, they released a statement on their website, highlighting that “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.”

The band’s cancellation of “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” follows the recent decision by the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to rename the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center. This move has triggered significant public backlash and legal challenges, with the signage of the arts center quickly modified to reflect the new name.

In retaliation to this controversy, drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance, drawing ire from Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center president, who was appointed by Trump. Grenell threatened to sue Redd for $1 million in damages, labeling the cancellation a “political stunt.”

“Your decision to withdraw at the last moment—explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure—constitutes classic intolerance and is detrimental to a nonprofit arts institution,” Grenell stated in a letter obtained by News.

The backlash continued as folk singer Kristy Lee announced her cancellation of a concert scheduled for next month. She stated on social media, “When American history starts being treated like something you can ban, erase, rename, or rebrand for somebody else’s ego, I can’t stand on that stage and sleep right at night.”

Additionally, dance company Doug Varone and Dancers announced their withdrawal from two upcoming performances. They expressed that, following Trump’s name change of the Center, “we can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once-great institution.”

Grenell responded to the wave of cancellations, asserting, “The arts are for everyone, and the left is mad about it.” He claimed that the performances canceled were booked by “the previous far-left leadership,” arguing that the prior administration prioritized political activism over artistic merit.

“Boycotting the arts to show support for the arts is a form of derangement syndrome,” Grenell stated.

The Cookers expressed regret over their decision, stating, “We understand and share your sadness,” emphasizing their commitment to music that promotes unity rather than division. Band member Billy Harper further elaborated in a Facebook comment, declaring that he “would never consider performing in a venue bearing a name that represents overt racism and a deliberate destruction of African American music and culture.”

Comprised predominantly of African-American musicians, The Cookers’ statement about jazz’s roots in struggle underscores a significant historical context. Washington, D.C., long known as a center for Black arts and culture, has historically been referred to as “Chocolate City.” It is also home to legendary figures such as Duke Ellington and Marvin Gaye.

Harper, a seasoned musician who played alongside jazz innovators, reflected on the legacy of those who fought against racism, stating, “I know they would be turning in their graves to see me stand on a stage under such circumstances and betray all we fought for and sacrificed for.”