Jazz Interviews & More
Ahead of his SFJAZZ appearance, Monty Alexander reflects on growing up in Kingston, absorbing every sound around him, and shaping a musical language where jazz, blues, calypso, and Jamaican rhythm all belong to the same joyful conversation.
Snarky Puppy returns to the Bay Area for a one-night performance at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre, presented by SFJAZZ, showcasing the band’s expansive, groove-driven sound.
Brad Mehldau returns to the Bay Area on August 29 at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre with Ride Into the Sun, an orchestral song cycle built around the music of Elliott Smith.
At SFJAZZ’s Listening Party, Immanuel Wilkins gave audiences a first look inside his residency week: the questions behind Recitations, the mentors who shaped him, and the deeper purpose of bringing listeners into the work before the concerts began.
At SFJAZZ’s Miner Auditorium, Pasquale Grasso opened with elegance and finely controlled swing, but Lakecia Benjamin’s blazing second set supplied the night’s real dramatic center. The contrast made for an intriguing double bill, even if the programming never fully found its arc.