6 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays (and Ring in 2026) at SFJAZZ
December is in full swing at the SFJAZZ Center, with a packed schedule featuring everything from salsa-infused carols to a New Orleans-style New Year’s Eve. If you want to finish 2025 with live music, here are six must-see highlights still happening this month. Ticket link below.
1. A Global Birthday Bash with Anat Cohen
When: Dec 11–12
The Vibe: Virtuosic and worldly. Clarinet superstar Anat Cohen celebrates her 50th birthday with a "multicultural wonder" of a program. She’s bringing her "musical family" along, ranging from intimate duos with Brazilian guitarist Marcello Gonçalves to the full energy of her Tentet. It’s the perfect choice for listeners who want a deeper musical connection to traditional holiday tunes.
2. A "Salsa Picante" Christmas
When: Dec 13–14 (Spanish Harlem Orchestra) & Dec 18–19 (Arturo Sandoval)
The Vibe: High-energy holiday heat. Why stick to silent nights when you can have a fiesta? First, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra brings a "blaze of clave" to Christmas classics, delivering that dance-inducing New York salsa dura sound. Later in the week, 10-time GRAMMY winner Arturo Sandoval presents a "Swinging Holiday," merging bebop and Afro-Cuban rhythms in a way only a trumpet legend can.
3. The Festival of Lights with The Klezmatics
When: Dec 15
The Vibe: Joyous and celebratory. For their 40th anniversary, the Jewish klezmer superstars return to celebrate Hanukkah. Expect music from their acclaimed holiday albums, such as Happy Joyous Hanukkah, featuring Woody Guthrie's lyrics set to their delightful original compositions.
4. The Ultimate Charlie Brown Christmas Experience
When: Dec 20 (Cyrus Chestnut) & Dec 21 (Adam Shulman)
The Vibe: Nostalgic and cozy. Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas is a Bay Area staple. This year, you have two distinct ways to hear it. On Saturday, Cyrus Chestnut, hailed as "the best pianist of his generation," brings his soulful touch to the Miner stage. On Sunday afternoon, local favorite Adam Shulman performs the classic soundtrack in its entirety, including "Linus and Lucy" and "Skating".
5. Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite
When: Dec 21
The Vibe: Orchestral cool. Forget the ballet—come for the swing. Bassist Marcus Shelby and his New Orchestra perform the brilliant 1960 jazz interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s score by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Featuring vocalist Tiffany Austin, this is a "singular cultural fusion" that breathes new life into the holiday standard.
6. New Year's Eve with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
When: Dec 31 (8:00 PM & 10:30 PM)
The Vibe: A massive party. Ring in 2026 with a New Orleans institution. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band has been revolutionizing the brass tradition for 50 years. You have two chances to celebrate: the 8:00 PM show for an early evening toast, or the 10:30 PM show, which includes a massive balloon drop at midnight to welcome the new year.
Tickets for all December performances are on sale now at sfjazz.org.
