SFJAZZ

May 2026 concerts and events at SFJAZZ are live! Makaya McCraven makes his SFJAZZ Center debut as a leader, Meshell Ndegeocello closes out their SFJAZZ residency, John Coltrane & Miles Davis centennials continue, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder is back in SF, SFJAZZ Digital Labs classes return, and so much more. Full Schedule: 5|1–5|2 • Meshell Ndegeocello • MINER Resident Artistic Director The People’s Playlist: Poetry + Music 5|1 • Connie Han • JHL 5|2 • Daniel Ho Trio • JHL 5|7 • SFJAZZ Gala 2026 • MINER + SF City Hall Milestones: Celebrating Miles & Trane at 100 Honoring George Benson with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award 5|8 • Hiromi’s Sonicwonder • Golden Gate Theatre 5|9 • Stacey Kent • MINER 5|9–10 • Benny Benack III 'The Magic of Manhattan ' • JHL 5|10 • Marcus Shelby New Orchestra • MINER Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool Revisited 5|11 • George Benson • Davies 5|15–16 • Lizz Wright • MINER 5|15–16 • Jacqui Naylor • JHL 5|16 • Marcus Shelby New Orchestra • MINER • 11am Family Matinee 5|16 • Creating Music with Handheld Devices • JHL • 11am 5|17 • SFJAZZ High School All-Stars • JHL Spring Concert w/ special guest Lizz Wright 5|17 • David Weiss Sextet • JHL 5|18 • SFJAM: Free Community Jam Session • JHL Miles Electric w/ Henry Hung 5|21–22 • Rudresh Mahanthappa Hero Trio • JHL 5|21–24 • Makaya McCraven • MINER Resident Artistic Director In These Times Revisited & Reworked w/ strings & special guests 5|23–24 • Gunhild Carling • JHL 5|28–31 • Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane • MINER Miles Davis & John Coltrane Centennial Open Soundcheck: 5|28 @ 4pm _____ Tickets + More Information > SFJAZZ.org

SFJAZZ Summer Sessions 2026 Announced! As the late great Roy Ayers stated, “everybody loves the sunshine,” and this June through August SFJAZZ presents a number of exciting concerts to bring some warm joyful vibes to your summer, including live performances by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, rising London collective KOKOROKO, Colombian superstars Monsieur Periné, psychedelic funk band Lettuce, the remarkable gospel vocal group Take 6 and more! ON SALE DATES Leaders Circle Members: Thu, Feb 17 · 12PM Members: Fr, Feb 27 · 12PM At Home Members: Fri, Mar 6 · 12PM Public: Fri, Mar 6 · 12PM Tickets at SFJAZZ.org

Kokoroko makes their SFJAZZ Center debut June 16–17 in our Miner Auditorium bringing two nights of vibrant, groove-driven sound as part of SFJAZZ Summer Sessions 2026! The London-based septet blends Afrobeat, highlife, and modern funk, performing music from their latest release ‘Tuff Times Never Last’—a powerful, feel-good mix of global influences led by warm horn harmonies and deep rhythmic grooves, all rooted in community, resilience, and connection. Tickets + More Information > SFJAZZ.org

Dianne Reeves and Chucho Valdés — onstage together, only at @sfjazz . Watch these two supreme NEA Jazz Masters perform classics like “Afro Blue,” “Besame Mucho,” “My Foolish Heart” and many more by watching the full concert streaming now on SFJAZZ At Home – now available with Free Trials! link in bio @diannereeves @chuchovaldesmusic #sfjazz #jazzcorner #diannereeves #chuchovaldes #jazz

@chuchovaldesmusic brings his Royal Quartet to SFJAZZ (June 11th-14th) celebrating 60 years of musical innovation. Widely regarded as the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz, the GRAMMY-winning pianist leads a masterful ensemble of Cuban virtuosos in a program of original compositions alongside inventive interpretations of works by Chick Corea and Pedro Junco—all rooted in the dynamic spirit of his GRAMMY-nominated album Cuba & Beyond. Date: June 11th-14th Venue: Miner Auditorium Tickets > SFJAZZ.org

Premiered at the SFJAZZ Gala 2026, this short documentary explores the musical legacy of George Benson–one of the greatest jazz guitarists in history. Benson was honored at the SFJAZZ Gala 2026: “Milestones: Celebrating Miles & Trane at 100”—a celebratory evening honoring the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane — two visionaries who changed the course of music forever. The Gala concert featured live performances by Gala honoree George Benson and SFJAZZ Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard along with our own SFJAZZ Collective and special guests including bass greats Christian McBride, Richard Bona, and Marcus Miller, saxophonists Lakecia Benjamin and Tia Fuller, pianist Randy Waldman, trumpeter Keyon Harrold, guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, and more.

THIS MONTH– Makaya McCraven makes his SFJAZZ debut as a 2025–26 Resident Artistic Director, bringing his expansive ‘In These Times’ ensemble to Miner Auditorium for a four-night run of genre-defying music. Blending jazz improvisation with hip-hop rhythms and electronic production, McCraven records his performances live and transforms them into new works—making each set a one-of-a-kind creative snapshot, featuring a dynamic lineup of core collaborators, strings, and special guests where no two nights are the same. Date: May 21st-24th Venue: Miner Auditorium, SFJAZZ Center Tickets > SFJAZZ.org

Meshell Ndegeocello reimagines Curtis Mayfield’s iconic “(Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below, We’re All Going to Go” in her ‘The People’s Playlist’ program, premiering at SFJAZZ as part of her artistic residency. Described by Meshell as “a love letter to the Bay Area”, the full concert also features four new songs with vocalist Josh Lane of Thee Sacred Souls. Watch the complete performance exclusively on SFJAZZ At Home, now offering free trials: SFJAZZ.org/AtHome

Last week’s gala was a celebration of everything that makes SFJAZZ such an essential part of the Bay Area arts landscape: world-class artistry, community, education, and the power of live performance to bring people together. From unforgettable performances to conversations that carried far beyond the stage, the evening reflected the spirit of an organization that continues to shape the cultural heartbeat of San Francisco and the world of jazz. #SFJAZZ #jazz #redcurtainaddict #sfarts

SFJAZZ Collective’s vibraphonist Warren Wolf and drummer Kendrick Scott dig into mastery and communication with the right of passage jazz standard “All The Things You Are” composed by Jerome Kern. Our Alone Together series is a celebration of spontaneous creation, presenting exclusive and unrehearsed duo performances captured live in the intimacy of the SFJAZZ Center. Whether they’re longtime collaborators or meeting on stage for the first time, these world class artists are improvisors of the highest level, creating powerful musical dialogues in the moment.

We are nearing the end to the SFJAZZ 2025-26 Concert Season, but not without a full week of shows here in San Francisco featuring pioneering jazz guitar, powerhouse vocalist, straight-ahead jazz, SFJAZZ Digital Labs, and our very own SFJAZZ High School All-Stars. Full Schedule: 5|11 • George Benson • Davies 5|15–16 • Lizz Wright • MINER 5|15–16 • Jacqui Naylor • JHL 5|16 • Marcus Shelby New Orchestra • MINER • 11am Family Matinee 5|16 • Creating Music with Handheld Devices • JHL • 11am 5|17 • SFJAZZ High School All-Stars • JHL Spring Concert w/ special guest Lizz Wright 5|17 • David Weiss Sextet • JHL Full schedule > SFJAZZ.org

Backstage at the SFJAZZ Gala 2026: Milestones! In between a packed house and a full night of music—behind the bandstand, artists reunite, check in, catch up, and find focus. Alongside CEO Gabrielle Armand and Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, Mayor Daniel Lurie, SFJAZZ board members, and Gala Co-Chairs connect with the artists and the mission to invite you into the world of jazz. Photo Credit: Natalie Pearl