Events for Friday, April 18 - Wednesday, April 30

The China Cats, performing Grateful Dead music for 15 years in Santa Cruz, will be playing for first time "unplugged." Buffalo Blues Trio will transport you to another time celebrating American Roots Blues from the 1920s - 1960’s, and paying homage to female blues artists like Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Big Mama Thornton, Janis Joplin and more, […]

Dinner Special: Spicy Tomato Stew w/ Shrimp & Potatoes Herb Pesto Baguette *meat or veggie chili will be available to order at the counter – – – Over more than 20 years as a recording artist, the jazz piano phenomenon Hiromi has shifted seamlessly from one spellbinding project to the next. In the process, she’s […]

Over more than 20 years as a recording artist, the jazz piano phenomenon Hiromi has shifted seamlessly from one spellbinding project to the next. In the process, she’s earned a reputation as one of the most explosive live performers in jazz history and a global ambassador for the art form. Her many triumphs include an […]

Guitar virtuosos Martin Taylor and Ulf Wakenius create musical magic as The Great Guitars™. This project traces its colorful heritage back to the 1970s, when the legendary jazz guitarists of that era toured the world and recorded together. Award-winning guitarist Martin Taylor, who replaced Herb Ellis to become part of the original group in the 1980s […]

Singing the praises of the many services provided for those with vision loss, Vista Center will hold our fifth annual benefit concert, Voices for Vista on April 24 at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz. Believing that vision loss is no longer a barrier to independence, Vista Center empowers individuals who are blind or visually impaired […]

Born and raised in Baltimore, NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz stands as a titan of modern jazz, dedicated to honoring and advancing Black American musical heritage. With a career spanning over six decades, Bartz’s masterful approach to the alto saxophone and his concept of “informal composition” have redefined the boundaries of jazz improvisation. Bartz first […]

Join Poi Rogers in celebrating the release of their debut album and witness the harmoniously humorous handsomeness of Mood Indigo! Santa Cruz natives Poi Rogers (Gerard Egan & Carolyn Sills of the 2024 Ameripolitan Award Winners, The Carolyn Sills Combo) blend vintage Americana, western swing and Hawaiian steel guitar in their catchy originals and creative […]

“So, what kind of music do you make?” This question is the bane of every musician’s existence because it requires that they shrink down the wide expanse of their creativity to an easily (mis)understood genre description. No matter how vivid or elaborate the description, “show” will always be more powerful than “tell.” The words we […]

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 her son Pierce Freelon, they made GRAMMY history by being the first mother and son nominated for awards in separate categories. Their collaborative new recording, AnceStars, marks […]

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. […]