Steven Roby 2/2/26 Steven Roby 2/2/26

Greg Osby Returns to SFJAZZ

Greg Osby returned to SFJAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab for a focused, one-hour set that balanced standards, originals, and lineage material with clarity and restraint.

Steven Roby 2/1/26 Steven Roby 2/1/26

Becca Stevens and The Secret Trio at Miner Auditorium

Becca Stevens and The Secret Trio brought an inward-focused, story-driven performance to Miner Auditorium on the third night of Michael League’s SFJAZZ residency, emphasizing restraint, deep listening, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Steven Roby 1/30/26 Steven Roby 1/30/26

Elipsis Opens Michael League’s SFJAZZ Residency

Elipsis opened Michael League’s SFJAZZ residency with a performance rooted in Afro-Cuban rhythm, collective authorship, and forward-moving tradition, setting the tone for the week ahead at Miner Auditorium.

Steven Roby 1/25/26 Steven Roby 1/25/26

Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead Bring Thunder to JHL

Jonathan Barber and Vision Ahead delivered a deeply unified, emotionally grounded performance at SFJAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab, blending long-standing ensemble chemistry with new music from In Motion, including the forthcoming single “Dove” and the reflective ballad “When Love Calls.”

Steven Roby 1/19/26 Steven Roby 1/19/26

Radical Remix: How Braxton Cook and SMARTBOMB Turned SFJAZZ into an Oakland Block Party

If you typically associate the SFJAZZ Center with polite applause and established traditions, the scene on Franklin Street this past Sunday offered a radical remix of those expectations. Read our review of the Braxton Cook and SMARTBOMB takeover.

Steven Roby 1/18/26 Steven Roby 1/18/26

Taylor Eigsti and Melissa Aldana at UpSwing, Filling the Space Differently

At SFJAZZ’s UpSwing series, Taylor Eigsti and Melissa Aldana approached Miner Auditorium from opposite directions, revealing how structure and restraint give contemporary jazz its shape in a large room.

Steven Roby 1/17/26 Steven Roby 1/17/26

Hamilton de Holanda Trio Debut Ignites Miner Auditorium

Hamilton de Holanda made a striking SFJAZZ debut at Miner Auditorium, reframing choro through modern jazz language with a virtuosic trio performance that bridged Brazilian, African, and post-bop traditions.

Steven Roby 1/6/26 Steven Roby 1/6/26

Botti Kicks Off 2026 SFJAZZ Residency with West Coast Warmth

Joined by jazz heavyweights Chris Potter and Mark Whitfield, the trumpeter’s annual residency bridges the gap between atmospheric pop and hard-bop virtuosity, solidifying Miner Auditorium as his West Coast home.

Steven Roby 1/1/26 Steven Roby 1/1/26

Dirty Dozen Brass Band Ushers In 2026

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band turned the pristine Miner Auditorium into a New Orleans Second Line, proving that their 50-year-old "codified revolution" still has the power to move bodies and minds as they rang in the New Year.

Steven Roby 12/29/25 Steven Roby 12/29/25

The Architect of Swinging Joy: Benny Green’s Living History at Miner Auditorium

In the steep, intimate amphitheater of the Robert N. Miner Auditorium, pianist Benny Green operated as a "Curator-Virtuoso." His Sunday evening solo recital was a pedagogical and emotional exhibition, synthesizing the distinct dialects of mentors Art Blakey, Ray Brown, and Oscar Peterson into a singular, exuberant voice.

Steven Roby 12/28/25 Steven Roby 12/28/25

The Ghost in the Machine: Mayo and Berliner Re-Embody Jazz at Miner

At SFJAZZ, Michael Mayo and Sasha Berliner didn’t just play the standards—they refracted them through a new, post-digital architecture. Read our review of the UpSwing series finale, where vocal loops and percussive vibes reshaped the jazz tradition.

Steven Roby 12/22/25 Steven Roby 12/22/25

Marcus Shelby’s Orchestral Memory: Blues, Structure, and Community at SFJAZZ

On December 21, 2025, the Marcus Shelby New Orchestra brought Duke Ellington’s The Nutcracker Suite to Miner Auditorium, blending big band rigor with a deep meditation on Bay Area history and global resilience.

Steven Roby 12/19/25 Steven Roby 12/19/25

Arturo Sandoval at SFJAZZ: Bebop Lessons, Cuban Fire, and the Joy of Staying Alive

At 76, Arturo Sandoval transformed SFJAZZ’s Miner Auditorium into a masterclass of Afro-Cuban rhythm and bebop history. Far from a standard holiday recital, his "Swinging Holiday" show blended virtuosity with intimate storytelling—from his black sequined sneakers to a moving tribute to Charlie Chaplin. Read the full review of a night defined by "Cuban fire" and the joy of staying alive.

Steven Roby 12/16/25 Steven Roby 12/16/25

The Klezmatics at SFJAZZ: Improvisation, Memory, and the Politics of Joy

Approaching their 40th anniversary, Grammy-winning sextet The Klezmatics delivered a powerful sonic argument at SFJAZZ that joy, in the face of modern darkness, is a radical act of resistance. Read the full review of their "Happier Joyous Hanukkah" show.

Steven Roby 10/12/25 Steven Roby 10/12/25

Funk as a Commons: Dumpstaphunk’s Collective Groove

What if the beat were a social contract? That question lingered over a sold-out Saturday at Miner Auditorium, where Dumpstaphunk approached funk not as escapism but as a shared practice—an agreement to move, listen, and shape tension and release as a community. This thesis emerged in the music, in the crowd, and in the way bandleader Ivan Neville framed the evening: a collective body choosing the groove.

Steven Roby 9/13/23 Steven Roby 9/13/23

Herbie Hancock Turns Improvisation Into Communion at Chautauqua

At 83, Herbie Hancock fused funk, philosophy and fearless spontaneity in a sold-out Chautauqua Auditorium performance that felt both cosmic and deeply human.