Jazz Musician Sued by Kennedy Center Over Canceled Show Asks Judge to Dismiss Lawsuit

Chuck Redd, the musician who canceled a Christmas Eve performance at the Kennedy Center in protest of President Donald Trump’s influence over the venue, is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit the performing arts institution brought against him. In a motion filed in D.C. Superior Court on Friday, lawyers for Redd said the breach of contract suit should be dismissed because he wasn’t contractually obligated to perform.

The motion included the contract provided by the Kennedy Center, which the artist never signed. But his lawyers argued there was more at stake than contract law, portraying the Kennedy Center’s suit as an effort to intimidate artists. “The Trump Kennedy Center filed this lawsuit to send a message to anyone who dares to publicly disagree with the decisions of those in power,” lawyers Debra S.

Katz and Lisa J. Banks said in a statement.Sue Representatives for the Kennedy Center didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the motion. Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player who has toured with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Ray Brown, has presided over holiday...