COASTAL COOL,
GLOBAL GROOVE

A new festival turns Santa Monica
into L.A.’s jazz epicenter

L.A. jazz lovers are already buzzing about the inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival, a nine-day, citywide event running May 1–9 that aims to turn the beachside enclave into a bona fide jazz destination. Anchored by major headliners, centennial tributes, and a mix of free and ticketed events, the festival arrives with both ambition and impeccable timing. See the schedule here.

Presented by BroadStage, SM Festivals, and the City of Santa Monica, and curated by legendary bassist Stanley Clarke, the multi-venue event will spread across the city—from the Third Street Promenade to BroadStage to Tongva Park, where the festival culminates in a major outdoor finale. It’s the first large-scale, multi-stage music festival Santa Monica has hosted in nearly a decade—and the first such full-scale concert event at Tongva Park—marking a notable shift in the city’s cultural footprint.

Stanley Clarke (photo by Matt Lorentzen)

The timing is no accident. The festival launches on the heels of International Jazz Day (April 30) and during Jazz Appreciation Month, tying a global celebration of the art form to a distinctly local rollout. It also coincides with the centennial of both Miles Davis and John Coltrane—two giants whose influence will echo throughout the programming.

Headlining the closing night on May 9 is saxophonist Kamasi Washington, fresh off double Grammy wins, bringing his expansive, genre-blurring sound to Tongva Park. He’ll be joined by Stanley Clarke & Friends, featuring iconic drummer Stewart Copeland, in a one-night-only collaboration paying tribute to Davis and Coltrane—along with a few unexpected detours into Police territory.

Elsewhere, the lineup balances legacy and momentum. The Miles Electric Band (M.E.B.), led by Davis’s nephew Vince Wilburn, Jr., revisits the electric era, while L.A.’s own KNOWER delivers a high-energy, groove-heavy set. On May 8 at BroadStage, saxophonists Lakecia Benjamin and Isaiah Collier headline a Coltrane tribute alongside an all-star ensemble dubbed Tenor Madness.

The festival officially kicks off May 1 with Hiromi’s Sonicwonder at the Orpheum Theatre—a subtle nod to the original western terminus of Route 66 in downtown Los Angeles. Then, on May 3, the Third Street Promenade hosts a free, daylong event spotlighting emerging L.A. talent, ensuring the next generation of jazz voices shares the stage.

There’s also a sense of place woven throughout. With Route 66 celebrating its centennial—stretching from Chicago (this year’s International Jazz Day host city) to Santa Monica—the festival connects jazz’s migratory history with one of America’s most mythic roadways. The result is a program that feels both rooted and expansive, local and international.

With options ranging from free performances on the Third Street Promenade to premium VIP packages featuring post-show jam sessions and artist access, the festival is designed to meet audiences wherever they are—casual listener or die-hard fan. If it delivers on its promise, the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival won’t just be a debut—it’ll be the start of something annual, and essential.

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Santa Monica International Jazz Festival
Tongva Park, BroadStage, and Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
May 1–9, 2026
tickets and VIP packages available at SM Jazz Fest
select events free (Third Street Promenade on May 3)
click here for schedule

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