In their almost two-decade history, the Grammy-nominated band Kneebody has created a genre and style all its own. Their sound is explosive rock energy and high-level nuanced chamber ensemble playing set within the frames of highly wrought compositions that are balanced with adventurous no-holds-barred improvising.

EPSG:4326

Kneebody

University of California San Diego

Nubya Garcia isn’t an artist you can easily classify. Is it jazz? Sure, the London-born saxophonist,composer and bandleader grew up studying the genre under the noted pianist Nikki Yeoh at Camden Music.

Nubya Garcia

Corinne Bailey Rae first captured hearts worldwide in 2006 with her breakout hit Put Your Records On, a breezy, soulful anthem that became an instant classic. Her self-titled debut album cemented her as a standout voice in contemporary R&B and jazz-infused pop, earning her Grammy nominations and a devoted global fanbase. Known for her warm, honeyed vocals and deeply personal songwriting, Corinne’s music has always been a blend of elegance, emotion, and effortless cool.

Corinne Bailey Rae | Black Rainbows

Chicago/Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, curator, activist, motivational speaker, and educator Isaiah Collier is a musical virtuoso in the truest sense of the phrase. Most known for his work as a saxophonist, Collier’s sound and approach is drawn from the influences of other master saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Roscoe Mitchell, Wayner Shorter, Ari Brown, and Gene Ammons.

Isaiah Collier: The World Is On Fire

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/4hagYvrYbuM

The Artelize Podcast and Kasper Holten - Pedefining Opera for the modern world

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36M5Hi6O80

The Artelize Podcast - A legacy of innovation in Opera: Celebrating Marc A. Scorca

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59E40S_EQSY

The Artelize Podcast: A love letter that was never sent

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THv6htilWtI

The Artelize Podcast and Adolfo Corrado: Mediterranean flavors, opera and social media

Voctave’s holiday spectacular "It Feels Like Christmas" includes a stocking full of holiday favorites from their chart-topping album and is sure to be a magical evening of music for the whole family. Jazz Weekly raves, “Voctave brings a cappella music to a new dimension.”

VOCTAVE – It Feels Like Christmas

Jacobs Music Center

You’ll have “the world on a string” as we pay tribute to three of the most iconic divas in all of jazz in this tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. Don't miss our first jazz concert in the “new” Jacobs Music Center!

A Tribute to Ella, Billie and Sarah

Since making his international debut for Blue Note in 2020 with Modes of Communication: Letters From the Underworlds, the South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has earned widespread acclaim for the genuinely spiritual transcendence of his music. For Makhathini, a Zulu healer and educator who has delved deeply into the histories and traditions of his ancestors, improvised music has never been merely about aesthetics or idioms. As the New York Times put it when naming Modes of Communication one of the Best Jazz Albums of 2020: “In a moment when spiritual jazz has become a dangerously buzzy concept, trust a musician who has truly devoted his life to divination practices.”

Nduduzo Makhathini

Kassa Overall is a Grammy-nominated musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer who melds avant-garde experimentation with hip-hop production techniques to tilt the nexus of jazz and rap in unmapped directions. He previously released four critically acclaimed projects: I THINK I’M GOOD, Go Get Ice Cream, Listen to Jazz, Shades of Flu and Shades of Flu 2. On ANIMALS, his Warp Records debut, Kassa pushes his kaleidoscopic, subversive vision further. He layers Roland 808s against avant-garde drumming in the vein of his mentors Elvin Jones and Billy Hart, the latter of whom he studied with at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Virtuoso musos appear alongside rap poets, including Danny Brown, Wiki, Lil B, and Shabazz Palaces. Top-flight jazz improvisation weaves in and out of orchestral string arrangements by Jherek Bischoff. The album’s diverse, all-star roster of collaborators includes several of his close friends, like vocalists Nick Hakim, Laura Mvula, Francis and the Lights, and jazz stars like Theo Croker and Vijay Iyer.

Kassa Overall

The Sara Schoenbeck and Wayne Horvitz duo navigate through original tunes and improvisatory soundscapes. With feet firmly planted in a genre-less zone, electronics and an ever-expanding textural palate serve to deepen the feel of a shared melodic language.

Sara Schoenbeck and Wayne Horvitz

What if supernatural creatures were real? What if they’ve been walking among us, hiding, pretending to be human? What if on the days leading to Halloween, they get to be just as they are?

Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats: Haunting Days of Halloween

From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all essential elements of the profound African-American creative heritage he’s a part of. “It all comes from the same tree,” he says. “They simply blossomed from different branches.”

Marquis Hill: Composers Collective

Join us for an unforgettable experience at The 6th Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival, taking place on June 22nd and 23rd at the stunning Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. This much-anticipated event, presented by Rainbow Promotions, promises to unite music lovers from all corners of the globe in a celebration of smooth jazz's soothing sounds. With an incredible lineup of artists including Boney James, Gregory Porter, Kenny Lattimore, Spyro Gyra, Pieces of a Dream, Alex Bugnon, Will Donato, Blake Aaron, Jeff Ryan, Greg Manning, and more to be announced, this festival is set to create an unparalleled atmosphere of relaxation and enjoyment.

Hosted by the charismatic Eric Darius, the festival will feature performances spread over two days, ensuring a weekend filled with unforgettable musical moments. On Saturday, June 22nd, attendees will be treated to performances by Eric Darius, Kenny Lattimore, Pieces of a Dream, Spyro Gyra, Will Donato, and Blake Aaron. The following day, Sunday, June 23rd, the stage will welcome Boney James, Gregory Porter, Alex Bugnon, Jeff Ryan, and Greg Manning, offering a diverse range of smooth jazz sounds that cater to every taste.

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, known for its breathtaking views and state-of-the-art facilities, will enhance the festival experience, providing the perfect backdrop for the smooth melodies and rhythms of jazz. Attendees can also look forward to an expanded culinary program, The Shell Provisions, offering a variety of local specialties and upscale dining options from some of San Diego's finest eateries. With partners like Chef Richard Blais, Urban Kitchen, Biga, Lola 55, and more, the festival ensures a gastronomic delight to complement the musical feast.

Please note that the lineup and schedule are subject to change, ensuring the festival remains fresh and exciting. Dedicated parking pages for both days of the festival are provided by Ace Parking, making access to the venue hassle-free.

Mark your calendars for June 22nd and 23rd, and prepare for a weekend filled with the best smooth jazz, delicious cuisine, and an amazing atmosphere at The 6th Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to enjoy great music and food in one of San Diego's most picturesque locations.

The 6th Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival

Embarcadero Marina Park South

Our jazz Guest Curator Charles McPherson’s New York band performs all over the world and is acclaimed by audiences everywhere. Now the internationally renowned legend brings the best jazz musicians on the scene together for two intimate shows in The JAI, celebrating their new CD release.

The Charles McPherson Quintet

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Our inaugural Jazz @ The JAI Guest Curator, legendary award-winning saxophonist Charles McPherson, and John Beasley, two-time GRAMMY winner, pianist, and composer, curate a program from Duke Ellington through the eras of jazz up to what’s happening now. John Beasley is joined by a roster of rising star jazz artists.

Charles & Friends: John Beasley and the Next Generation

Spanning almost one hundred years of jazz piano styles from Tatum’s “stride” to Corea’s inventive fusion and everything in between, join us for a concert that will have you tapping out rhythms for days.

Piano Paragons: The Music of Monk, Powell, Tatum and Corea

Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center

Jazz Arranging & Composition (Music 566B) students will have their original works for Big Band performed by SDSU Jazz Ensemble I, under the direction of Karl Soukup. For many students, this is their capstone project for the Jazz Studies undergraduate degree. Come hear some exciting new music and support these students who worked very hard on their pieces this semester.

SDSU Jazz Student Big Band Compositions

San Diego State University

Jazz and L.A. studio musician, Doug Webb has played with Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Clarke, Sarah Vaughan, Carly Simon, Cher, Queen Latifah, and other famous artists. He’s also played in countless TV shows, movies, and recordings. Including the Simpsons, Law and Order, Minions, and Gran Torino.

Jazz Jam: Featuring Saxophonist Doug Webb

Hailed by the New York Times as “a drummer around whom a cult of admiration has formed,” Mark Guiliana brings the same adventurous spirit, eclectic palette and gift for spontaneous invention to a staggering range of styles. Equally virtuosic playing acoustic jazz, boundary-stretching electronic music, or next-level rock, he’s become a key collaborator with such original sonic thinkers as Brad Mehldau, Meshell Ndegeocello, Donny McCaslin, Matisyahu, and the late, great David Bowie.

Mark Guiliana

Nick Lee Jazz Guitar Recital

Ever since the 2003 release of her groundbreaking debut, Another Mind, pianist Hiromi has astonished audiences with a creative energy that eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical, and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication. Taking the stage as part of the electrified four-piece ensemble sonicwonder, Hiromi builds on the spark of collaboration to create something magnificent.

Jazz events in San Diego, CA

Kneebody

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Nubya Garcia

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Corinne Bailey Rae | Blac...

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Isaiah Collier: The World...

ArtPower at UC San Diego

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

VOCTAVE – It Feels Like C...

San Diego Symphony

A Tribute to Ella, Billie...

San Diego Symphony

Nduduzo Makhathini

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Kassa Overall

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Sara Schoenbeck and Wayne...

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Lucy Kalantari and the Ja...

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Marquis Hill: Composers C...

ArtPower at UC San Diego

The 6th Annual San Diego ...

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

The Charles McPherson Qui...

La Jolla Music Society

Charles & Friends: John B...

La Jolla Music Society

Piano Paragons: The Music...

San Diego Symphony

SDSU Jazz Student Big Ban...

San Diego State University School of Mus...

Jazz Jam: Featuring Saxop...

San Diego State University School of Mus...

Mark Guiliana

ArtPower at UC San Diego

Nick Lee Jazz Guitar Reci...

San Diego State University School of Mus...

Hiromi’s Sonicwonder

La Jolla Music Society