JASON HAINSWORTH

Jason Hainsworth is in demand both as a saxophonist and as a composer/arranger. As a performer, Jason has led his own quartet throughout the world to critical acclaim, most recently headlining the Suriname Jazz Festival. He is a current touring member of Ed Calle’s Mamblue (2016 Latin Grammy Winner), Tito Puente Jr’s Latin Jazz All Stars, and Melton Mustafa Jazz Orchestra. He has performed extensively throughout the United States and South America. He also serves as Associate Dean, and Executive Director Roots, Jazz, and American Music program, at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

As a composer/arranger, Jason’s works have been commissioned and performed by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Michigan State University, San Francisco Symphony Chamber Players, and many others.

A native of Houston, Texas, Jason studied music at the University of New Orleans with legendary jazz educator Ellis Marsalis and saxophonist Victor Goines, earned a bachelor’s from William Paterson University while touring the east coast, and a master’s from Florida State University.

Jason’s debut album, Kaleidoscope, features original compositions and arrangements for big bands, and his latest album, Third Ward Stories, features jazz heavyweights Michael Dease, Josh Evans, Johnathan Blake to name a few.

Tickets: $47.81

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TITO PUENTE JR.

The son of “The King of the Timbales,” Tito Puente Jr. continues to carry forward one of the most celebrated legacies in Latin music. Following in the footsteps of his legendary father, the iconic American salsa and Latin jazz pioneer Tito Puente, he has emerged as one of today’s most exciting and dynamic Latin musicians on tour.

With recent performances wowing audiences across the country, Tito Puente Jr. brings his father’s spirit to life in every note. Tito Puente Jr. and His Orchestra deliver exhilarating Latin rhythms, vibrant salsa, and electrifying Latin jazz that will have audiences on their feet and dancing. This is an unforgettable celebration of rhythm, heritage, and timeless music.

Tickets: $53.10 ~ $88.50

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STEVE HIGGINS

Moonlight, Memories and Music is an exquisite evening of romance, nostalgia, and world-class artistry, brought to life by the captivating talents of Steve Higgins, Dahlia Wynter, and April Marr.

Set against an atmosphere of elegance and charm, this enchanting concert promises to transport audiences through a rich tapestry of musical genres—from the smooth allure of jazz and the grandeur of Broadway and musical theatre, to the timeless sophistication of Sinatra-style ballads, the passion of Italian classics, and the vibrant rhythms of Jamaican favorites in the spirit of Belafonte.

With seamless vocal brilliance, engaging storytelling, and moments of lighthearted humor, these exceptional performers create more than just a concert—they craft an experience. Moonlight, Memories and Music invites you to relax, reminisce, and revel in an interactive evening where every note stirs the heart and every moment lingers long after the final applause.

Tickets: $59.00 ~ $76.70

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NEW WORLD SCHOOL OF THE ARTS JAZZ COMBO

Based out of the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami, the NWSA Jazz Combo is a student performing group that trains young musicians in small-ensemble jazz, improvisation, articulation, and rhythm. They perform at a minimum of twice a semester and are directed and guided by renowned artist-faculty like Jim Gasior.

Tickets: Free

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RAVI COLTRANE

Just days before John Coltrane would have turned 100 his oldest surviving son, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, presents a blazing young band to mark the milestone.

While Ravi spent the first quarter century of his career focusing on acquiring a diverse array of experience as a sideman and then honing his own lustrous, harmonically ambiguous compositions, he’s taken up the family mantle in recent years. With a variety of ensembles, projects and initiatives on and off the bandstand, he’s championed the legacy of his parents (including with his 2025 stint as an SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director).

For this celebration he performs with trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, a longtime collaborator who graduated from Berkeley High and spent years touring and recording with alto sax great and MBASE conceptualist Steve Coleman. A teenage prodigy, Israeli pianist/keyboardist Gadi Lehavi made his Village Vanguard debut with Ravi at 15. Now 30, he’s more than lived up to his enormous potential, playing with consummate technique and capacious imagination. Powering the quartet is Bay Area-reared drum sensation Elé Howell, 28, a supremely musical accompanist who gained national attention when Coltrane started hiring him in 2021 for various projects, including Cosmic Music: Revisiting the Music of John and Alice Coltrane. Though John Coltrane ascended in 1967 at the age of 40, his presence continues to illuminate new directors for exploration.

Tickets: $60.00 ~ $95.00

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