John R. Burr

Kenny Washington

Mendocino Music Festival

Zoe Ellis’s dramatic and colorful voice is well known to music fans in the Bay Area and beyond. Described by reviewers as “a resourceful and inventive vocalist,” she sang for many years with the Bay Area funk band, the Mo’Fessionals. A dynamic performer, Ellis’s credits include live performances with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, Donald Byrd, Phil Lesh and Friends, ZADELL music co-lead with her big brother Dave Ellis, SoVoSo, Slammin All-Body Band, Darryl Anders AgapeSoul, and as the leader of her own quartet, The Zoe Ellis Group. Currently, she is Director of Music Ministries at Glide Memorial Church.

Zoe Ellis, with Tammy Lynne Hall and Leberta Lorál

Preston Hall

On Sunday, December 14, 2025, the Mendocino Music Festival invites you to gather once again in the warm, wood-paneled intimacy of the Abalone Room at the Little River Inn for the return of Big Time in Little River. This cherished holiday-season tradition pairs world-class artistry with the Festival’s signature hospitality, bringing unforgettable music to a room alive with candlelight, laughter, and good cheer.

This year’s featured guest is the incomparable Kenny Washington, whose luminous voice and spellbinding stage presence have made him one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of our time. With his impeccable phrasing, astonishing range, and deeply personal interpretations, Washington transforms every song into a story that feels both timeless and newly discovered.

Big Time in Little River 2025