*Los Angeles, CA, the 31st Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival is one for the record books. People were feeling both festive and sad. Everyone was happy to attend this year’s iteration of the jazz festival. People were equally sad knowing that this is the final festival under Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., of The New Ninth District.
The festival was held along Central Avenue between Vernon Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, with live performances on multiple stages and at the Historic Dunbar Hotel, a rich buffet of culinary experiences, and a family of pavilions—Youth, Health & Wellness, Public Resources, and the Arts Pavilion curated by La Mancha Gallery.
A little backstory. Back in the day, Central Avenue was once the West Coast mecca for jazz music. Fortunately, the rich history of jazz and Black culture is still preserved. Every third Saturday in September, the Central Avenue Jazz Festival has been celebrated for three decades plus.
Imagine, if you will, the atmosphere from back in the day. The jazz scene on Central Avenue was vibrant and thriving for roughly 35 years, from the 1920s to 1955. The historic Dunbar Hotel was the heart. Due to the climate at the time, Black musicians stayed at this venue. The artists hung out between their sets and after their gigs. There were many clubs on Central Avenue. Club Alabam was next door to the Dunbar Hotel, The Last Word was across the street, and the Downbeat was down the block. Other jazz spots were the Lincoln Center (the Apollo of the West), Jack’s Basket Room (33rd & Central- legendary after-hours jams featuring Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, and Miles Davis). Dolphin’s of Hollywood was down the street. Legendary Jelly Roll Morton played to standing room crowds between 1917 and 1922 right here at the Cadillac Coffee on Central Avenue.
One can travel throughout the world, and the one consistent finding/observation is that music is a universal language. America’s number one art form is a unifier. You can find jazz festivals and a global jazz community everywhere you travel.
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Central Avenue Jazz Festival serves as a reunion of different sorts. Some members of local high schools hang out at the festival, several families meet up at the festival, and members of the jazz community get together each year on “The Avenue.” The large, diverse, multicultural crowd of jazz connoisseurs is proof positive of jazz serving as a unifier.
Keeping the Jazz Torch Lit
The global jazz community should be proud of the “City of Angels” and the work that is being done to preserve the legacy of jazz into the future. This is due to the many jazz institutes in Los Angeles teaching jazz or have a jazz studies department. The commitment and dedication of the students were showcased at this year’s Central Avenue Jazz Festival.
Jazz America is one of several bands performing at the Festival. Jazz America was co-founded by Buddy Collette, Valerie Fields and Michael O’Daniel in 1994. The band has been tasked with opening the festival since…forever. The band is under the direction of bassist, comedian, and educator Richard Simon. Jazz America played their arrangements of jazz standards before a captivated crowd. They opened their set with a nod to New Orleans with “Secondline.” They continued with “Society Red,” by Dexter Gordon, “Bernie’s Tune” by Gerry Mulligan with a nod to Plas Johnson, “Doodlin’ by Horace Silver, and Tin Tin Deo” by Dizzy Gillespie, to name a few.
The Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Jazz Band is another well-known institution in Leimert Park Village, the heart of the African American community in Los Angeles. The talented youth from this program are more proof of the jazz train moving forward. Their thrilling performance consisted of “Jazz Crimes,” “Red Clay,” “Thriller,” and “You Rock My World.” All four selections featured a breakout performance by Ché Tafari on piano, and the last two tracks featured Kennedy Staunton, an incredible singer and dancer.
Los South Central Players, led by Maestro Eloy Adame, is credited with educating and training generations of talented youth in the intricacies of jazz, R&B, soul, cumbia, and pop. They were great during their time in the spotlight at the Dunbar Hotel. They performed “Oye Como Va,” by Santana, “I Would Rather Go Blind,” by Etta James, “Como La Flor,” by Selena, “Sin Antes te Hubiera Conocido,” by Karol G, and concluded with “Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock. Shout-out to Gianna for her standout vocals along with the tight band.
USC Jazz Ensemble, aka Dunbar Ensemble, performed in the lobby of the historic Dunbar Hotel, under the watchful eyes of Billy Holiday and Ellington posters hanging on the wall. The group consists of Hannah Norman, a versatile jazz, neo-soul, and folk singer. Hannah is the Leimert Park Jazz Festival College Scholarship Winner 2025, in the vocalist category. Hannah was accompanied by Quinn Sums-bass, Phia Papouchado-drums, Julian Najah-piano, and Sylvester Onyejiaka-saxophone. Their set list featured “Time After Time,” “Midnight Sun,” “Autumn Serenade,” and “Blue Rose,” to name a few.
Emerging Artist Fanning the Flames of Jazz
The 31st Annual Central Avenue Festival featured an array of emerging jazz artists, jazz lions, making a lot of waves and noise in the global jazz community.
Fresha, bass and vocals, were awesome, accompanied by Brian Hargrove on synths and Joe Tavarez on drums for an unforgettable, crowd-pleasing performance.
The crowd and I were grooving along with trumpeter Tatiana Tate as she was wailing on stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Isaiah Collier (sax) Plays Coltrane. What more needs to be said? The 2026 global jazz community is celebrating Coltrane at 100. Isaiah Collier did justice while celebrating the musical legacy of John Coltrane. The crowd would agree with me that this set was LIT!
The Billy Mohler Quartet was smokin’ when I stepped in to hear them as they were performing the last song of their set, “Evolution.” Prior to that, their fantastic set consisted of the tracks “Deconstructions,” “Adaption,” “Roundtrip,” and “Even Tide.” The Billy Mohler Band: Billy on bass, Julien Knowles-trumpet, Devin Daniels-alto sax, and Myles Martin-drums.
Endea Owens, bass and bandleader, was another tremendously talented artist who left a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of all in attendance.
New Orleans Culture in Los Angeles
The Top Shelf Brass Band left an indelible mark on the crowd with the contagious and welcome vibes of New Orleans… meaning let’s party as they roamed up and down “The Avenue.”
Internationally Known Established Artists
The Central Avenue Jazz Festival booked a stellar lineup of artists to entertain on “The Avenue.” The World Stage Big Band featuring Almita Delone and Dwight Trible.
Alfredo Rodriguez Band featuring Pedrito Martinez brought on the heat. This tight band thrilled the crowd with a set of Afro-Cuban music, to the delight of the salsa dancers on the dance floor.
The Marsalis Family of New Orleans is synonymous with jazz on an international level. It was a great treat to have royalty on the lineup. Jason Marsalis Quartet featuring Vanisha Gould combined sleek improvisation with soulful vocals for an exciting afternoon of great music. A couple of highlights from their set consisted of “That’s Not Even a Tune,” followed by “Orchid Blue,” by Ellis Marsalis. The next two selections featured Vanisha on vocals for “Cute Boy” and “That Lady’s in Love With You” from the movie soundtrack Some Like It Hot.
Sheila E. is a legendary multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader from a legendary family of musicians. Mr. Pete Escovedo is her dad. Sheila E. got her high-octane set underway with an “Intro” while rocking the drums. The band continued their dazzling and sensational performance with “Come Together,” by the Beatles, followed by “Holly Park,” “E-Train,” and “Every Day People,” by Sly & The Family Stone. Our musical journey continued with “Yellow Submarine,” by The Beatles, “A Love Bizarre,” “Happy Feelings,” and “What The World is Love.” Hopefully, you have picked up the theme /thread about UNITY throughout the set. Sheila E. closed out her highly entertaining set with “Glam Medley.” Just like that! Sheila E. closed out the 31st Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival with the fiery energy of a funkified, intensified old skool house party to the delight of the grown folks, aka, party people.
I’m wondering if you can’t get enuff of that funky stuff, and if you want to have a funky good time. I have it on good authority that Sheila E. is headlining another music festival in a couple of weeks in the thriving and beautiful city known as “The Jewel of the South Bay!”
Ricky Richardson is a Southern California based writer, music reviewer and photographer.
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