SFJAZZ Looks Forward While Honoring Jazz Giants
When SFJAZZ opens its 2026-27 season this September, audiences will encounter a program that balances reverence for jazz history with a clear focus on where the music is headed next.
Dianne Reeves. Photo courtesesy of SFJAZZ.
Branded "Forward Motion," the nine-month season features more than 350 concerts at the SFJAZZ Center and across the Bay Area, bringing together celebrated masters, rising artists, centennial tributes, global innovators, and hometown talent in one of the organization's most expansive lineups to date.
Under the leadership of CEO Gabrielle Armand and Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, the season reflects SFJAZZ's ongoing effort to present jazz as a living art form—one that honors its past while remaining open to new ideas, voices, and audiences.
Several major anniversaries provide a throughline for the season. The centennial celebrations of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Ray Brown inspire a series of performances revisiting some of jazz's most influential figures. Among the highlights are Christian McBride's Ray Brown Centennial Celebration, Marcus Miller's We Want Miles tribute, Charles Tolliver's presentation of Coltrane's Africa/Brass, and Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves exploring the music of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.
The season also brings an impressive roster of established artists to the Bay Area. Bass icons Stanley Clarke and Ron Carter share the stage in November, and appearances by Kenny Barron, Mavis Staples, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Lovano, Eliane Elias, Joshua Redman, Brian Blade, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Kurt Rosenwinkel ensure a steady presence of musicians who continue to shape the contemporary jazz landscape.
One of the most anticipated returns is the UpSwing Series, curated by Blanchard to spotlight emerging artists and next-generation innovators. This year's edition features a diverse lineup of performers, including Brandon Woody, Gabrielle Cavassa, Isaiah Collier, Tyreek McDole, Elena Pinderhughes, and Joel Ross—artists whose work points toward the future of music while remaining connected to its traditions.
The season's global perspective remains a defining feature of SFJAZZ programming. South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, Malian kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh, Mexican singer-songwriter Lila Downs, and vocalist Cyrille Aimée are among the artists bringing international perspectives to the stage. Latin jazz also holds a prominent place on the calendar, with appearances by Chucho Valdés, Poncho Sanchez, Lucía, Alfredo Rodríguez, and David Sánchez.
For Bay Area audiences, local artists remain central to the season's identity. Dayna Stephens, Sasha Berliner, Skylar Tang, Tracy Cruz, Holly Bowling, Martin Luther McCoy, and Jazz Mafia with Tiffany Austin exemplify the depth and diversity of the region's creative community.
Beyond the SFJAZZ Center, the organization continues to expand its Bay Area footprint. Ravi Coltrane will appear at Berkeley's UC Theatre; Snarky Puppy will head to Oakland's Paramount Theatre; Julian Lage will perform at Davies Symphony Hall; and Grace Cathedral will host a screening of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, accompanied by organist Dorothy Papadakos.
The season also reinforces SFJAZZ's educational mission. Alongside masterclasses, workshops, jam sessions, and community programs, the organization will launch the West Coast edition of WeBop, an acclaimed early childhood jazz education program developed by Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Taken together, the 2026-27 season presents a portrait of jazz as both inheritance and exploration. Centennial tributes honor the giants whose work continues to resonate, while younger artists and cross-cultural collaborations show how the music evolves. In a season appropriately titled Forward Motion, SFJAZZ offers audiences the chance to experience both sides of that equation in real time.
Ticket Info
Season tickets go on sale to SFJAZZ members on June 12, with public sales beginning on June 26 through SFJAZZ.
