Kamasi Washington Headlining Inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival

Los Angeles is going to have a new music festival celebrating jazz this May, and Kamasi Washington will be headlining the inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival.

BroadStage, SM Festivals and the City of Santa Monica unveiled the initial list of artists performing at the multiday festival, which is curated by artistic director Stanley Clarke, a four-time Grammy winner and Jazz Master Honoree by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The festival takes place May 1-9 at multiple venues throughout Santa Monica, with artists like Elija Fox, Genevieve Artadi, Duffy X Ulhmann, Isaiah Collier, Lakecia Benjamin, Clarke, Miles Electric Band and more scheduled to perform. Additional artists and special events will be announced soon.

Tickets go on sale today at noon PT via ticketmaster.com.

“I’ve performed at the finest jazz festivals around the world, and I can’t think of a locale to stage an annual international jazz festival comparable to Santa Monica, California, with all of the wonderful assets it has to offer as a coastal destination,” Clarke said in a statement. “I’m excited about the extraordinary lineup of major global jazz artists we have set to perform as well as some new young jazz musicians.”

Washington is an award-winning saxophonist who recently took home Grammys for her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar. She will be performing A Day In The Park on May 9 at Tongva Park in Santa Monica, and other artists on the bill that day include Clarke with Kiefer and Keyon Harrold, Miles Electric Band and Knower.

“Los Angeles! I’m excited to join one of my musical heroes and incredible artist Stanley Clarke for his inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival this May,” Washington said. “Come hear incredible music at the beautiful festival site in Tongva Park!” 

There will be a pre-festival event at The Orpheum Theatre in Downtown L.A. featuring Hiromi’s Sonic Wonder on May 1, and tickets for those are sold separately from festival passes.

On May 3, there will be a Sunday On The Promenade event, which is free and open to the public, on Third Street Promenade. Elija Fox, Genevieve Artadi, Duffy X Ulhmann, Billy Mohler, Instant Alter, Varad Sahasrabudhe, Aidan Farrell and Samohi Jazz Combo are on the bill for that show.

Isaiah Collier, Lakecia Benjamin and Tenor Madness will be play a tribute to John Coltrane at BroadStage on May 8.

“This has been the opportunity of a lifetime working alongside BroadStage Artist in Residence Stanley Clarke over the last three years developing this incredible new festival from the ground up,” Rob Bailis, executive and artistic director of BroadStage, said. “It not only celebrates Stanley’s signature artistic vision, blending generations and styles in a totally inspired, future-facing fashion, it also lifts up the world-class appeal of Santa Monica, the ideal setting for our destination festival.

L.A. is experiencing a jazz renaissance with Blue Note opening a club last year and working with the Hollywood Bowl on the Blue Note Jazz Festival. The Santa Monica International Jazz Festival is the city’s first multistage, multivenue music festival in nearly a decade.

“From the beginning, this has been built with the profound support of the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, Downtown Santa Monica, and so many other local leaders,” Bailis added. “Deepening that community connection, we are so excited that students and faculty from both Santa Monica College and Santa Monica High School will perform.”

For more information about the festival, visit SMJazzFest.com.