Events for May 2025

Kuumbwa Jazz Presents
Independently Produced Event
Education Event
Special Event

Calendar of Events

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1 event,

1 event,

Nnenna Freelon

0 events,

1 event,

International Jazz Day: Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band feat. Special Guest Alumni

0 events,

1 event,

First Friday: Celebrating Creativity – 50th Anniversary Exhibit Premiere & Conversation

1 event,

Sing Out For Pete’s Sake: a Singalong Concert Celebrating the Life of Pete Seeger

1 event,

John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band

2 events,

Cécile McLorin Salvant – 7:00 PM

Cécile McLorin Salvant – 9:00 PM

0 events,

0 events,

1 event,

Hot Club of San Francisco – “Original Gadjo” Album Release Show

1 event,

Laurie Lewis and Nina Gerber

1 event,

0 events,

1 event,

Jason Marsalis Quartet

0 events,

0 events,

1 event,

Bilal

2 events,

Bill Frisell – Good Dog feat. Greg Leisz, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen – 7:00 PM

Bill Frisell – Good Dog feat. Greg Leisz, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen – 9:00 PM

0 events,

1 event,

50th Anniversary Celebration at San Lorenzo Park feat. SambaDá, Tony Lindsay with The Joint Chiefs & More

0 events,

0 events,

1 event,

Kneebody

1 event,

The Bad Plus

1 event,

UCSC Center for the Middle East and North Africa & Kuumbwa Jazz Present: Cheb Nasro

0 events,

0 events,

0 events,

1 event,

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1 event,

Santa Cruz Pride & Kuumbwa Jazz Present: A Queer Evening in May – Music to Celebrate 50 Years of Pride in Santa Cruz County

0 events,

1 event,

Butcher Brown – Letters From The Atlantic

Dinner Special: Green Curry Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Spinach & Green Beans Rice House Salad & Baguette *meat or veggie chili will be available to order at the counter – – – “So, what kind of music do you make?” This question is the bane of every musician’s existence because it requires that they shrink […]

Nnenna Freelon

Dinner Special: Steelhead Trout Herb Pesto Rice Pilaf House Salad & Baguette *meat or veggie chili will be available to order at the counter – – – Seven-time GRAMMY Award nominee Nnenna Freelon is a compelling artist and captivating performer with numerous accolades and activities including another GRAMMY Award nomination for 2021’s Time Traveler. With […]

International Jazz Day: Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band feat. Special Guest Alumni

Join us to celebrate International Jazz Day with the Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band! Featuring Adler Blackmun, Reuben Cave, Raymond Cavlan, Ryu Cirillo, Nolan Frink, Kyle McMillan, Samuel Nicely, and Kai Thomas-Nasef, the ‘24/’25 Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band showcases some of the most talented high-school student musicians from Santa Cruz County and the Central Coast region. […]

First Friday: Celebrating Creativity – 50th Anniversary Exhibit Premiere & Conversation

Join us for this special First Friday event commemorating Kuumbwa Jazz’s 50th anniversary. Enjoy the premiere of Celebrating Creativity, an exhibit spanning 50 years of Kuumbwa archives, including posters, photos, and historical ephemera. At 6 PM there will be a conversation with Kuumbwa co-founder Tim Jackson and Bay Area vocalist Dr. Kim Nalley, exploring Kuumbwa’s […]

Sing Out For Pete’s Sake: a Singalong Concert Celebrating the Life of Pete Seeger

Join a celebration of Pete Seeger with musicians who made music with this beloved American folksinger! Jaeger & Reid (Bob Reid & Judi Jaeger), Aileen Vance and guests present "Sing Out for Pete’s Sake!” a singalong concert where the audience becomes a part of the performance. Bob and Judi, have performed their intimate, engaging music around […]

John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band

J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band) is an all-star bluegrass supergroup featuring four legendary, award-winning musicians: John Jorgensonon on acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Herb Pedersen on banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Patrick Sauber on acoustic guitar and vocals; and Mark Fain on bass. The combination of forces by Jorgenson, Pedersen, Sauber, and Fain form a […]

Cécile McLorin Salvant – 7:00 PM

Dinner Special: Gochujang Roast Chicken Black Rice, House Salad & Baguette *meat or veggie chili will be available to order at the counter – – – Cécile McLorin Salvant is a composer, singer, and visual artist. The late Jessye Norman described Salvant as “a unique voice supported by an intelligence and full-fledged musicality, which light […]

Cécile McLorin Salvant – 9:00 PM

Cécile McLorin Salvant is a composer, singer, and visual artist. The late Jessye Norman described Salvant as “a unique voice supported by an intelligence and full-fledged musicality, which light up every note she sings.” Salvant has developed a passion for storytelling and finding the connections between vaudeville, blues, folk traditions from around the world, theater, […]

Hot Club of San Francisco – “Original Gadjo” Album Release Show

Dinner Special: Roast Chicken with Pancetta & Olives Creamy Polenta, House Salad & Baguette *meat or veggie chili will be available to order at the counter – – – This ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Quintette du Hot Club de France. The Hot Club […]

Laurie Lewis and Nina Gerber

Laurie Lewis and Nina Gerber have been friends and collaborators for over four decades  There has rarely been an album that Laurie released that didn’t include Nina on at least one cut. These two California musicians are deeply rooted in the landscape, the colors, the aromas, and the sounds of their homeland. Nina was born […]

Sin Sisters Burlesque & Drag – 14th Anniversary Show

Sin Sisters Burlesque & Drag is the premier headliner review in Santa Cruz, CA. Produced by Cyanide Cyn, a local queer femme, Sin Sisters is committed to providing a stellar theatrical experience and a safe, inclusive space for its audiences, performers and crew. Contact: Sin Sisters email | Sin Sisters Facebook

Jason Marsalis Quartet

From a tender young age it was clear that Jason Marsalis had what it took to be great. Jason is the son of pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis and his wife Dolores, and the youngest sibling of Wynton, Branford and Delfeayo.  Together, the four brothers and Ellis comprise New Orleans’s venerable first family of […]

Bilal

Bilal Sayeed Oliver is a truly independent artist. A singer, songwriter, and producer who has always been ahead of his time - blending jazz, afro-futurism, classic soul, alternative r&b, rock, and even classical in his vocals and music. He's known for his wide vocal range, work across multiple genres, and magnetic live performances. Philip Bailey […]

Bill Frisell – Good Dog feat. Greg Leisz, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen – 7:00 PM

Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 40 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output of the decade.” Frisell will be joined on this date by his Good Dog ensemble, featuring longtime collaborators Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar, Tony […]

Bill Frisell – Good Dog feat. Greg Leisz, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen – 9:00 PM

Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 40 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output of the decade.” Frisell will be joined on this date by his Good Dog ensemble, featuring longtime collaborators Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar, Tony […]

Kneebody

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. Kneebody is keyboardist Adam Benjamin, trumpeter Shane Endsley, saxophonist Ben […]

The Bad Plus

The Bad Plus are the ultimate originals. A democratic unit with a clear vision and a refusal to conform to convention. For the past two decades they have played with spirit and adventure, made their own rules and done so with a bold sense of creativity and intent. Avoiding easy categorization, The Bad Plus has […]

Master Class: Ruth Davies – Essential Bassline Toolkit

Led by acclaimed bassist and educator Ruth Davies, this class will demystify the relationship between basslines and chord changes in jazz. Essential Bassline Toolkit will help you choose notes that not only fit the chord you are playing, but help lead to the chord changes that follow. Davies shares that the bass player is the […]

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