5 Jazz Shows Not to Miss in March
From a world premiere exploring the Black Panther archives to a hip-hop-infused tribute to Miles Davis, the SFJAZZ Center’s March lineup emphasizes cultural resonance and rhythmic evolution.
The SFJAZZ Center calendar this March suggests a season of introspection and heavy rhythmic lifting. While the schedule honors Miles Davis's centennial, it avoids retrospective traps by leaning into the "wired-up" and the "genre-blurring." The following five performances offer the essential path through the month for those seeking music that treats the tradition as a launchpad rather than a destination. Tickets for all March performances are on sale now at www.sfjazz.org
Omar Sosa & Yilian Cañizares: Aguas Trio
March 6 | Miner Auditorium
Pianist Omar Sosa has a unique ability to make the piano sound like a percussive altar. In this collaboration with Cuban violinist and vocalist Yilian Cañizares, the music draws its breath from the Lucumí tradition of the Yoruba. The performance centers on their 2018 album, Aguas, a work dedicated to Oshun, the Goddess of Love and Mistress of Rivers. The soundscape is one in which Afro-Cuban rhythms and modern classical structures merge into a fluid whole. Joined by a percussionist, the duo creates a sonic environment that feels both ancient and immediate.
Kev Choice
March 7–8 | Joe Henderson Lab
The Joe Henderson Lab is home to Kev Choice, an Oakland-reared pianist and MC who bridges the conservatory and the concrete. On Saturday, Choice pays homage to the legacy of A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders, a hip-hop masterpiece that redefined the use of jazz samples. On Sunday, the focus shifts to Choice’s original compositions, where his background as a gifted improviser takes center stage. His music carries physical weight, blending the swing of the jazz tradition with the punch of contemporary soul.
Doo-Bop & Beyond
March 19 | Miner Auditorium
The Miles Davis Centennial celebration opens with the trumpeter’s final, provocative artistic statement. The 1992 album Doo-Bop found Davis collaborating with hip-hop producer Easy Mo Bee, a move that presaged the genre’s future. For this exclusive performance, Easy Mo Bee leads an ensemble of MCs and instrumentalists to honor that pioneering fusion. The night focuses on Davis’s final years, underscoring that his singular aesthetic remained sharp and restless until the end.
Recitations: Immanuel Wilkins Quartet
March 26 | Miner Auditorium
Immanuel Wilkins, a rising star on the alto saxophone, debuts an SFJAZZ-commissioned work that aims to dismantle the barrier between performer and listener. Entitled Recitations, the piece draws on Kirtan chants, hymns, and folk songs. The performance includes readings from the Black Panther Party archives, inviting the audience to participate in a communal act of creation. Wilkins’s quartet is joined by 2024 NEA Jazz Master Amina Claudine Myers and guitarist Marvin Sewell, ensuring a night of music that serves as both meditation and manifesto.
Lakecia Benjamin / Pasquale Grasso Trio
March 28 | Miner Auditorium
This double bill showcases two artists who have mastered their instruments through entirely different lineages. Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin has a tone steeped in the influence of John and Alice Coltrane, fused with a foundation in soul and hip-hop. Conversely, Italian-born guitarist Pasquale Grasso plays with a dexterity that recalls the limitlessness of Art Tatum. Described by Pat Metheny as one of the finest players in history, Grasso’s signature swing provides a fascinating contrast to Benjamin’s powerful, soul-drenched approach.
