Events for Monday, April 20 - Saturday, May 2

NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz has been one of the best purveyors of what he calls “informal composition” (as opposed to improvisation) on alto saxophone since the 1960s, working with such luminaries as Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, and Miles Davis. He has released more than forty-five solo albums and appears on more than […]

Jane Monheit is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist with a deep passion for the Great American Songbook. With many highly acclaimed solo albums, countless awards and accolades, and over two decades of international touring experience, Monheit has not only been an extremely successful bandleader, but has had the privilege of making music with some […]

Kuumbwa Jazz and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music present: A Change is Gonna Come featuring Palaver Strings and tenor Nicholas Phan in partnership with UC Santa Cruz Arts Division A Change is Gonna Come celebrates the rich legacy of American protest songs, from beloved anthems to new commissions. Arrangements of 1960s classics explore the sonic […]

Poi Rogers is back at Kuumbwa Jazz Center to celebrate the release of their second album. Santa Cruz locals and national award winning musicians Carolyn Sills and Gerard Egan's unique take on American roots music blends western swing, Hawaiian steel guitar and Americana. They are both inductees in the Sacramento Western Swing Hall of Fame […]

“His fundamentals as a player could hardly be stronger, and his instincts as a composer and bandleader are almost startlingly mature.” - The New York Times For more than a decade, Sullivan Fortner has been stretching deep-rooted talents as a pianist, composer, bandleader, and uncompromising individualist. The GRAMMY Award-winning artist and recipient of the 2026 […]

Hailing from Cuba, the GRAMMY-winning and Latin GRAMMY-nominated drummer, composer, and MacArthur Fellow Dafnis Prieto’s revolutionary drumming techniques and compositions have had a powerful impact on the music landscape – nationally and internationally. A gifted educator, Prieto has conducted numerous master classes, clinics, and workshops around the world. He was on the jazz studies faculty […]

Hailing from Cuba, the GRAMMY-winning and Latin GRAMMY-nominated drummer, composer, and MacArthur Fellow Dafnis Prieto’s revolutionary drumming techniques and compositions have had a powerful impact on the music landscape – nationally and internationally. As a composer, Prieto has created music for dance, film, chamber ensembles, and most notably for his own bands; ranging from duets […]

Join us to celebrate International Jazz Day with the Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band! Featuring Adler William Blackmun, Reuben Cave, Raymond Cavlan, Ryu Cirillo, Kyle McMillan, Max Sanderson & Xander Shulman, the ‘25/’26 Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band showcases some of the most talented high-school student musicians from Santa Cruz County and the Central Coast region. These […]

Scottish Fish present a fresh take on traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music. After growing up steeped in the Boston Celtic music scene, these five young women began touring at an early age, quickly enchanting domestic and international audiences with their youthful enthusiasm, creative arrangements, and sensitive performances. Described as "both very traditional […]

Pulse Productions:  michael@pulseproductions.net