WATCH: Jason Moran & Live Skateboarding at SFJAZZ

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Here is a great new video by Jonathon Rezonable and Jarod Taber of Thrasher Magazine that highlights some of the best moments from Jason Moran's presentation of live skateboarding and jazz inside the SFJAZZ Center. A truly incredible groundbreaking performance that has everyone talking!

WATCH: Zakir Hussain's Rhythm Summit

Season 1 at the SFJAZZ Center has seen many once-in-a-lifetime collaborations and some daring performances that push the envelope, as witnessed during last week's Jason Moran residency. As we begin to approach the last remaining weeks of our inaugural season here at the SFJAZZ Center, it's always enjoyable to look back at some of the season's most memorable moments.

Arguably one of the most incredible week's we had this season, took place during Zakir Hussain's residency, which featured four very unique and brilliantly original performances. The video above is a short excerpt taken during the opening night of his residency back in March when the table virtuoso shared the stage with three other great percussionists in Giovanni Hidalgo, Eric Harland and Steve Smith. A truly impressive performance!

‪WATCH: Jason Moran & Live Skateboarding at SFJAZZ

This past weekend, Resident Artistic Director Jason Moran presented live skateboarding and jazz inside SFJAZZ Center's Robert N. Miner Auditorium. Ten skaters on both Saturday and Sunday night skated on a massive half-pipe that was installed inside the auditorium, while Moran and his Bandwagon combo simultaneously provided the evening's soundtrack to the sold-out crowds. The performance helped show the fascinating link between jazz and skateboarding, which is the improvisational nature of both art forms, as well as showcase the incredible unlimited flexibility of the auditorium.

The video above is just a short excerpt of the exciting groundbreaking performances that took place over the weekend. Enjoy!

SFJAZZ High School All-Stars on International Jazz Day 2013

Yesterday was the 2nd Annual International Jazz Day. This day, which was originally established by the international community at the 2011 UNESCO General Conference, featured the 2nd Annual International Jazz Day Concert in Istanbul, Turkey led by jazz great and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. The concert featured many collaborative performances by some of jazz music's biggest names including Wayne Shorter, Zakir Hussain, Esperanza Spalding, Dianne Reeves, Robert Glasper, Branford Marsalis, Hugh Masekela and many others.

During yesterday's SFJAZZ High School All-Stars' rehearsal, members of the award-winning orchestra and combo took some time out to share their feelings about jazz and what it means to them. Definitely some fascinating testimonials from jazz music's future stars.

See the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars perform live at the SFJAZZ Center on Saturday, May 18th. For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE.

Happy Birthday Joe Henderson!

Today would have been Joe Henderson's 76th Birthday. Many critics and jazz enthusiasts alike arguably declare that Henderson was one of the greatest tenor saxophonists in jazz history, contributing on over 200 recording dates for labels like Blue Note, Milestone, and Verve. The iconic musician also played an important part in SFJAZZ's rich history, performing almost yearly at the San Francisco Jazz Festival during the eighties and nineties. To honor the jazz legend and his importance to SFJAZZ, the smaller rehearsal/performance space in the SFJAZZ Center was named the "Joe Henderson Lab". The performance space is host to many smaller and more intimate concerts, as well as the monthly Hotplate series and numerous education workshops and classes. While attending one of these events or workshops it's easy to find yourself fully engaged with the incredible music that is constantly taking place in that space, however it's always worth noticing the beautiful painting of Joe Henderson by award-winning artist Mark Ulriksen that hangs up high and reminds us of all the wonderful music Mr. Henderson left us with to appreciate and enjoy.

With that, Happy Birthday Joe!

Here is some of the exciting events that will soon take place in the Joe Henderson Lab:

May 9: Hotplate: Mads Tolling plays Stéphane Grappelli
May 11: Family Matinee Workshop
May 18-19: Paula West
June 6-9: SFJAZZ Poetry Festival
June 8: Family Matinee Workshop
June 13-16: Harold López-Nussa Duo Residency
June 17-19: Giulia Valle Group Residency
June 20-23: Wil Blades Residency

Award-winning illustrator/artist Mark Ulriksen and Randall Kline pose in front of Ulriksen's painting of Joe Henderson, which will forever be located in the Lab.

Jason Moran & live Skateboarding at SFJAZZ Center

On May 4th and 5th, Jason Moran & the Bandwagon combo perform along side Bay Area skating luminaries Alex Wolslagel (shown in video), Ben Gore (shown in video), Adrian Williams, Dave Abair, Jake Johnson, Justin Gastelum, Billy Roper and Brian Downey, who will take flight on a specially constructed skating half-pipe installed in front of the SFJAZZ Center stage. Don't miss this thrilling blend of visual and aural magic!

To learn more and/or buy tickets, visit the SFJAZZ website:
Saturday, May 4 show
Sunday, May 5 show

Béla Fleck talks about his SFJAZZ Center Residency

Béla Fleck discusses his upcoming May 16-19 SFJAZZ Center residency. In the video, the banjo maestro talks about his excitement in returning to the SFJAZZ Center and how these four shows will be his first time performing solo.

To buy tickets and to learn more about Béla Fleck's upcoming SFJAZZ Center residency, visit the SFJAZZ website.

1st Annual SFJAZZ Poetry Festival

SFJAZZ Poet Laureate Ishmael Reed brings a diverse group of poets center stage, many riffing with improvising instrumentalists. Following each night’s final performance, young poets will have a chance to get onstage during an open-mic session and perform their work beginning around 10:30PM.

The first annual SFJAZZ Poetry Festival features a diverse cast of poets – among them the state’s current poet laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera, the celebrated feminist poet Lorna Dee Cervantes, the elegant Beat writer Michael McClure and Reed himself – many performing with improvising instrumentalists. Those musicians include such gifted Bay Area players as woodwind master Melecio Magdaluyo, jamming with poet and performance artist Genny Lim on June 7. The following night, Reed mixes it up with pianist Mary Watkins, on a bill with the commanding Al Young, performing his poetry with bassist Dan Robbins.

“For SFJAZZ’s first annual Jazz Poetry Festival, we have assembled some of the most prominent Bay Area poets, some of whom will be accompanied by some of the finest local musicians,” says Reed, a prolific writer of poems, essays, novels and plays who taught for decades at UC Berkeley. “This may be the most exciting and diverse poetry festival held in San Francisco in recent years.”

SFJAZZ Poetry Festival
June 6 - 9 · Joe Henderson Lab
Two Sets Per Night: 7:30PM & 9PM
Open Mic Each Night at 10:30PM
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06/06 - Juan Felipe Herrera & Alejandro Murguía
06/07 - Lorna Dee Cervantes, Genny Lim, Indira Allegra, Boadiba, Tennessee Reed & Neli Moody
06/08 - Al Young, Ishmael Reed & Michael McClure
06/09 - Lucha Corpi, Jack & Adelle Foley, Floyd Salas, & Claire Ortalda

To learn more about the festival and/or purchase tickets, visit the SFJAZZ website.