SFJAZZ is trying something new.
And so far, so good.
The organization’s longstanding San Francisco Jazz Festival — which some Bay Area music lovers probably didn’t even known was still a thing — has adopted a more traditional single-weekend festival format for 2025.
This is a big change from its old format, where shows were held over the course of nearly two weeks. (For instance, the 2024 festival featured 40 concerts stretched out across 12 days.)
That previous model was intriguing before the SFJAZZ Center opened in 2013, since it utilized a wide variety of venues in San Francisco and, sometimes, beyond. In the years that followed, however, it’s just felt like a really busy period of programming for the building — rather than a traditional festival.
That all changed this weekend, as the acclaimed arts presenter unveiled the new concept featuring some three dozen performances across three different stages in and around the SFJAZZ Center.
“This is something we’ve been dreaming about doing,” SFJAZZ Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard said.
The three-day shindig opened in triumphant fashion on Friday with a bill highlighted by legendary saxophonist Charles Lloyd and the multi-talented Don Was.
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It was set to continue on Saturday with a lineup that included the pairing of bassist-extraordinaire Stanley Clarke and Cuban jazz piano maestro Gonzalo Rubalcaba as well as Grammy-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer with New York City fusion act Grand Baton.
On Sunday – third and final day of the 2025 run — brings acclaimed keyboardist Patrice Rushen, the pairing of bass master Dave Holland and guitar wiz Lionel Loueke, Afro-Cuban act Cimafunk and others to the SFJAZZ stages. For San Francisco Jazz Festival tickets and other information, visit sfjazz.org.
Gates opened at 2 p.m. on Friday and the music ran right up to until 9 p.m. (Sat-Sun hours were 1-10 p.m.)
People queued up outside the main SFJAZZ Center entrance to pick up their tickets (i.e. wristbands) at a box office area assembled specifically for the festival. From there, they were able to catch live music at the venue’s two regular spots — the intimate downstairs Joe Henderson Lab and the all-world performance space known as Miner Auditorium.
So far, so normal, right? The biggest change was the temporary performance space erected specifically for the festival in a tent located kitty-corner (and down Franklin Street a bit) from the SFJAZZ Center entrance.
Not surprisingly, that was the least inviting of the three options, with everything about it shouting “makeshift” and the sound cranked up way too loud. (If you are going to the festival, make sure to bring earplugs — especially if you plan to spend time at the festival tent.)
There are some food trucks parked near that stage, which makes makes for a nice way to get some nourishment between jazz courses. In general, however, you’ll want to spend most of your time at SFJAZZ Center’s two regular performance spaces — and, in all likelihood, focus mainly on Miner Auditorium — and just grab a bite at one of the many good Hayes Valley restaurants located within easy walking distance.
The two Miner Auditorium sets I caught on Friday were both excellent.
First up was Don Was, the six-time Grammy-winning musician/producer/composer who many still best remember from the ’80s dance-pop/funk act Was (Not Was).
On this afternoon, the talented bassist — who is also the president of prestigious jazz label Blue Note Records — was leading his Pan Detroit Ensemble in a preview of the band’s forthcoming debut album (due out sometime this summer).
The group is built from musicians hailing from Was’ hometown of Detroit, including Blue Note recording artist Dave McMurray on saxophone and Eminem collaborator Luis Resto on keyboards.
The barefoot Was — who seemingly owns no shoes — was a masterful presence on bass as he led the funky fantastic troupe through a 75-minute set that included a groovy cover “Shakedown Street” by the Bay Area’s own Grateful Dead.
Was, who had been honored the night prior with the lifetime achievement award at the SFJAZZ Gala, also took the time to give a shout out to SFJAZZ’s executive artistic director.
“Terence Blanchard has been like an angel in my life,” Was told the audience. “Every time I’ve needed him over the last 30 years, he’s been there.”
Following Was’ set, Blanchard took the Miner Auditorium stage to introduce the Day 1 headliner.
“We are doing everything we can to bring you the best entertainment on the planet,” he said. “We’ve saved the best for last.”
And Lloyd would most definitely prove Blanchard right, as he took the stage right around 7:30 p.m. with his glorious Sky Quartet — featuring pianist Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Eric Harland — and settled into a breathtaking version of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” in honor of the recently departed Brian Wilson.
The 87-year-old saxophonist/flutist sounded otherworldly as he went on to lead this troupe of A-plus players in an absolute jazz master class.
The musicians’ talents coalesced around the music and spirit of the 2024 double-album “The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow,” a towering achievement that brought four of the genre’s finest voices together for the first time.
Moran, who has collaborated with Lloyd for years, was nothing short of a genius on the piano, bringing a smile to the bandleader’s face as he exhibited his mastery over the keys. Grenadier, a Bay Area native and Stanford graduate, showed once again that he’s among the most complementary musicians in the game. Longtime Lloyd contributor Harland wasn’t featured on the album (which found the great Brian Blade on the drum throne) but he brought such vibrant joy to the music in the live setting.
Collectively, we’re talking about what may well be the finest quartet in all of jazz today. And there’s no saxophonist in the world who I’d rather hear play than Charles Lloyd.
Bay Area music lovers can see and hear what I mean when the Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet performs two shows, at 7 and 9 p.m., at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz on Sunday (June 15), kuumbwajazz.org.