Pianist Cyrus Chestnut brings Vince Guaraldi's iconic music from A Charlie Brown Christmas back to Miner Auditorium. Rooted in gospel, hard bop, and a deep sense of swing, Chestnut honors the lyricism of Guaraldi's score while adding his own harmonic twists and rhythmic nuances.

Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, a ten-time GRAMMY winner and a founding member of the groundbreaking Afro-Cuban band Irakere, returns to SFJAZZ with his Swinging Holiday program. Known for dizzying high notes, impeccable ballad playing, and deep roots in both bebop and Cuban music, Sandoval treats seasonal standards as springboards for improvisation.

The Klezmatics bring their singular blend of traditional klezmer, Yiddish song, and contemporary social commentary to Miner Auditorium for a special Hanukkah concert. Celebrating four decades as one of music's most adventurous standard bearers, the band draws on material from their Hanukkah releases Happy Joyous Hanukkah and Happier Joyous Hanukkah, which set Woody Guthrie's lyrics to new melodies.

Expect exuberant dance tunes, call-and-response choruses, and reflective songs that honor both the holiday and the broader Jewish experience. With clarinet, brass, accordion, and voices all in full cry, the evening doubles as a communal gathering and a high-energy concert.

Ticket Info

Performance dates, showtimes, and tickets: December 15, 2025, 7:30 p.m., Miner Auditorium, SFJAZZ Center – tickets at SFJAZZ.org: https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/klezmatics/

Violinist Mads Tolling brings a Nordic-tinged chamber jazz spin to holiday music with his Cool Yule program in the Joe Henderson Lab. A former member of the two-time GRAMMY-winning Turtle Island Quartet and a longtime collaborator with Stanley Clarke, Tolling blends bebop lines, folk color, and pop melodicism with ease.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra turns Miner Auditorium into a holiday dance floor with its Salsa Navidad program. Led by pianist, arranger, and bandleader Oscar Hernández, the GRAMMY-winning ensemble delivers classic New York salsa dura with blaring horns, tight vocal harmonies, and a percussion section built for nonstop motion.

Vocalist Sachal Vasandani brings his intimate, genre-fluid approach to the Joe Henderson Lab for a two-set evening. Praised for his supple phrasing and easy command of a room, he moves between straight-ahead standards, singer-songwriter material, and striking original songs.

Clarinetist and saxophonist Anat Cohen marks her 50th birthday at SFJAZZ with an ambitious multi-ensemble celebration that reflects the breadth of her musical life. Across the evening, she appears with her duo partner, seven-string guitarist Marcello Gonçalves; the intimate, groove-focused Quartetinho; and her larger, cinematic ensemble, the Anat Cohen Tentet, directed by longtime collaborator Oded Lev-Ari.

Realtime Collective gathers four in-demand Bay Area improvisers for a night that prioritizes listening, trust, and groove over fixed arrangements. Anchored by pianist and vocalist Tammy L. Hall, the group draws on shared histories in jazz, gospel, soul, and blues to build sets that evolve in the moment.

Songwriter, pianist, and bandleader Ben Folds brings his quartet to Miner Auditorium for two holiday-season shows built around his New West Records Christmas album Sleigher. Known for sharp, empathetic storytelling and a flair for turning everyday details into emotional punchlines, Folds revisits seasonal standards and new originals with his signature blend of humor and heart.

Pianist Jacky Terrasson returns to SFJAZZ with the trio format that first brought him international attention after his 1993 win at the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. His kinetic touch, quick shifts in dynamics, and subtle reharmonizations allow him to stretch standards and originals alike into fresh, narrative journeys.

Bay Area guitarist Mason Razavi brings his organ quartet to the Joe Henderson Lab to celebrate the release of his new album Even Keel. Known for a warm, singing guitar tone and crisp melodic lines, Razavi draws on the tradition of Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell while keeping the writing modern and harmonically rich.

Following her intimate Listening Party, vocal powerhouse Ms. Lisa Fischer will settle into the Miner Auditorium for a four-night residency beginning December 4. Accompanied by pianist Orrin Evans and his trio, this series celebrates the lush harmonies and deep grooves of Philadelphia soul, reshaping hits from the Philadelphia International era alongside unexpected deep cuts. By leaning into their shared roots in R&B, gospel, jazz, and rock, the group creates a sound built for both "pocket and exploration," ensuring a unique performance arc every night.

SFJAZZ opens December by inviting audiences into Miner Auditorium for an intimate Listening Party with Ms. Lisa Fischer and SFJAZZ CEO Gabrielle Armand. The two-time GRAMMY-winning vocalist will share favorite recordings, play unreleased material, and reflect on stories from her decades on the road with the Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross, and many others.

"The Latin music Renaissance man" (San Francisco Chronicle), percussionist and composer John Santos is turning 70, and he is celebrating the milestone with a magical, all-star evening of Latin jazz.

This powerful double bill, presented as part of Terence Blanchard’s UpSwing series, brings together a veteran master and a true rising star for one electrifying night of modern jazz evolution.

The legacy of pioneering Romani jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt is more vibrant than ever, thanks to the world’s leading purveyors of the style: the Django Festival Allstars. This very special night is dedicated to the ebullient, swinging sound of "jazz manouche," elevated by the inclusion of the sublime vocalist Veronica Swift.

Angelica Lopez, the visionary composer and producer known as Low Leaf, is not simply a musician—she is a sonic cartographer exploring the intersection of the spiritual and the digital. Hailing from the creative incubator of the Los Angeles beat scene, Low Leaf has cultivated a sound that is as unique as her journey: a seamless fusion of folk, electronica, jazz, and hip-hop.