
ARTURO SANDOVAL
The 10-time Grammy Award winner and Emmy Award recipient, Arturo Sandoval is also a 6-time Billboard Award winner and the recipient of the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom.
protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, he was born in Artemisa, a small town in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on November 6, 1949, just two years after Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American Jazz. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn’t take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world. He has since evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer.
He is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and has been seen by millions at the Oscars, at the Grammy Awards, and the Billboard Awards. Musicians and fans alike rightly marvel at his technical ability on the horn – the effortless high notes and the dizzying speed and execution of his improvised runs.
The Band:
Arturo Sandoval, trumpet
Keith Fiala, trumpet
Michael Tucker, saxophone
Larry Bustamante, baritone saxophone
Will Brahm, guitar
Lisandro Pidre, piano
Maximilian Gerl, bass
Daniel Feldman, drums
Samuel Torres, percussion
Tickets: $65.00 ~ $75/00 +fees
Streaming: $15.00 +fees | 6:00pm Show
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MELTON MUSTAFA JAZZ FESTIVAL
The 29th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival Weekend returns to Florida Memorial University for an unforgettable music alumni homecoming honoring Dr. Dawn Batson.
Artists:
Jesse Jones Jr. ~ Saxophone
Mark Strowbridge ~ Guitar
James Cotman ~ Drums
Leon “Foster” Thomas ~ Steel Pan
Doug Carter ~ Piano
Nicole Yarling ~ Violin, Vocal
The FMU Funk Jazz AllStars:
Wildmayer Marcelin ~ Saxophone
Mark McClary ~ Drums
Raignor Rollocks ~ Piano
Jaquan Hunter ~ Bass
Joel Chinnery
Day 2 – February 27, 2026
Cigars & Jazz | Dress to Impress!
Gardens Cigar Lounge
19801 NW 27th Avenue
Miami Gardens, FL 33056
8:00 – 10:00PM
Festival Tickets: $20.00 ~ $230.00
See full schedule for details.
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TERENCE BLANCHARD
Malcolm X Jazz Suite Featuring Terence Blanchard, The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet
In celebration of the centennial of human rights and civil rights icon Malcolm X, NEA Jazz Master Terence Blanchard will perform his iconic Malcolm X Jazz Suite with his band, The E-Collective, and Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet. Blanchard created the project following the release of Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic Malcolm X, for which Blanchard wrote the score and performed most of the trumpet cues. A reworking of the score for quintet, the Jazz Suite has been updated and expanded and has rippled through Blanchard’s work for the past three decades.
Tickets: $52.65 – $152.10 (includes fees)
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KARLA HARRIS WITH JOE GRANSDEN BIG BAND
Atlanta-based jazz vocalist Karla Harris and celebrated big band leader Joe Gransden return with their beloved Valentine’s Day show—a swinging, soulful celebration for couples, families, and music lovers alike.
From romantic standards to heartwarming ballads, this performance is packed with charm, laughter, and unforgettable music. Karla captivates with vocals that can move seamlessly from tender to powerful, while Joe brings his signature trumpet style and smooth vocals—often compared to Chet Baker and Frank Sinatra. Together, they create a dynamic energy that makes this concert one of the season’s most anticipated traditions.
Tickets: $30.00 ~ $65.00
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ETIENNE CHARLES
Trinidad born Etienne Charles is a performer, composer and storyteller, who is constantly searching for untold tales and sounds with which to tell them. His lush trumpet sound, varied compositional textures and pulsating percussive grooves enable him to invoke trance, soothing and exciting listeners while referencing touchy and sometimes controversial subjects in his music. Highlighting marginalized communities and engaging with them has been his mission, evident with projects such as his Guggenheim Fellowship Project, Carnival: The Sound of a People Vol. 1, San Jose Suite, Creole Soul, Gullah Roots, Folklore and his latest commission, San Juan Hill – A New York Story.
His concerts engage, enlighten, educate and enrich audiences with energized multidisciplinary performance utilizing original composition, thematic improvisation, dance, short films and spoken word to create a holistic experience. A firm believer in music and performance as a tool for provoking thought and dialogue, Charles’s themes speak to the status quo while drawing parallels to history. His work is actively connecting the African diaspora and drawing lines to the regions at the roots of migrations, evident in his latest release, NAACP Image Award nominated Creole Orchestra which was named #1 Jazz album on Jazzweek’s top 100 of 2024 after spending seven weeks at #1 on the chart in the summer.
His dedication to music as a tool for social uplift has seen him named as a Laureate of the Arts and Letters, Anthony N. Sabga Awards, Caribbean Excellence (2025). He was conferred the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture (2024) and was awarded a Congressional Citation from the United States (2012).
As a sideman he has performed with and/or arranged for Roberta Flack, Chucho Valdes, Marcus Roberts, Marcus Miller, Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority Big Band, Monty Alexander, Gregory Porter, Terri Lyne Carrington, René Marie, David Rudder, Machel Montano and many others. He has been commissioned as a composer and arranger by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (2025), Lincoln Center for the New York Philharmonic (2021), Savannah Music Festival (2017), Chamber Music America (2015 & 2021), the Charleston Jazz Orchestra (2012), the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (2011) and the Danish Radio Big Band (2025).
He currently serves as Professor of Studio Music and Jazz at University of Miami Frost School of Music
The Band:
Etienne Charles ~ Trumpet
Mikailo Kasha ~ Bass
Miles Turk ~ Drums
Tickets: $20.00, $30.00, $40.00, $50.00 +$5.50 processing and ticketing fee.
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