Article Contributed by Champagne House Media
Published on 2026-04-05
Kamasi Washington Headlines a Citywide Celebration with Additional Performances Honoring the 100th Anniversaries of John Coltrane and Miles Davis across Santa Monica Venues and Tongva Park
The inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival will debut across multiple venues in Santa Monica from May 1–9, 2026, realizing four-time GRAMMY Award-winning bassist Stanley Clarke’s long-held vision for a world-class, citywide jazz festival in Los Angeles. Headlined by double 2026 GRAMMY-winner Kamasi Washington, the weeklong celebration will bring together internationally renowned artists, emerging talent, and special tributes honoring the centennials of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, culminating at Tongva Park at the western end of the historic Route 66.
For Clarke, the festival represents the realization of a vision shaped by decades of performing at major international jazz festivals around the world.
“When I was very young, I started playing jazz festivals across Europe and beyond, and I realized something early on,” Clarke says. “America is the birthplace of jazz, but we didn’t have many festivals that felt like those great international gatherings such as the Montreal International Jazz Festival in Canada or the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Those weren’t just concerts—the entire city transformed. There was art everywhere, music in the streets, people traveling in from all over. I always felt Santa Monica deserved that kind of experience.”
Over time, that idea took root locally through Clarke’s ongoing relationship with Santa Monica College and The Broad Stage, where he has performed and mentored young musicians. With the support of the college and the City of Santa Monica, the concept evolved into a full-scale, multi-venue festival designed to extend beyond traditional concert settings and into the cultural fabric of the city.
“This was never just about putting on shows,” Clarke continues. “It’s about creating something that brings people together—something that reflects the spirit of the city.”
The inaugural year carries additional weight, coinciding with the 100th anniversaries of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, two of the most influential figures in jazz history.
“This year is particularly special,” Clarke says. “Coltrane and Miles were born in 1926. Two artists who changed the course of music and deeply influenced me and so many others. We wanted to launch this festival by honoring their legacy in a meaningful way.”
A centerpiece of the festival’s programming will take place on May 8, with a dedicated John Coltrane tribute bringing together a multigenerational lineup including saxophonists Isaiah Collier (cited as “the next sax giant” in his 2025 DownBeat cover story) and 6x GRAMMY-nominated Lakecia Benjamin, alongside Tenor Madness featuring Hubert Laws, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Eric Reed, Aaron Shaw, Emilio Modeste, and Stanley Clarke. The performance connects a new generation of artists with Coltrane’s music, showing how his influence continues to shape the sound of today’s jazz.
The festival will also spotlight the legacy of Miles Davis through performances by the Miles Electric Band, an all-star collective of Miles Davis alumni and next-generation innovators led by Davis’ nephew, drummer Vince Wilburn, Jr. The ensemble revisits and reimagines music from Davis’ groundbreaking electric period, bringing together a rotating lineup of musicians connected directly to his orbit while continuing to expand the boundaries of modern jazz.
Clarke’s commitment to mentorship and the next generation of musicians is also embedded throughout the festival. For decades, he has brought young players into his bands, mentored emerging artists, and developed programs that emphasize not only technical mastery, but artistic identity and longevity.
“For me, jazz has always been something that’s passed down,” he says. “It was passed to me, and it’s my responsibility to pass it forward.”
Through his work with Santa Monica College, Clarke has built a multi-year residency program focused on preparing students for real careers in music. Many of those emerging artists will be featured throughout the festival alongside established performers, reflecting a continuum between generations rather than a divide.
Set across venues throughout Santa Monica, the festival is designed as a citywide experience, culminating in outdoor programming at Tongva Park, located at the endpoint of Route 66, which is also marking its centennial this year. In addition to performances, the festival will incorporate elements of food, culture, and community that reflect the diversity of Los Angeles.
Following a period of recovery across Southern California, including the devastating 2025 fires and the challenges facing Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Topanga, Altadena, and Los Angeles as a whole, Clarke saw this moment as an opportunity to create something connective and forward-looking. “After everything the region has been through, it felt like the right time,” he says. “We wanted to bring something uplifting to the community. Music changes everything.”
The festival is made possible through the support of the Santa Monica City Council, the City of Santa Monica, BroadStage, Santa Monica College, SM Festivals, LLC, and a wide network of partners and collaborators who have contributed to bringing the inaugural event to life.
“So many people have helped make this happen,” Clarke says. “I’m grateful to the City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica College, The Broad Stage, and everyone who believed in this vision and supported it.”
He also extends special thanks to Dr. Michael Lizarraga and the TELACU Foundation for their role in supporting youth programming and helping bring the festival to fruition.
As the inaugural year sets the foundation, Clarke sees the festival as the beginning of something much larger—building community, legacy, and passing jazz forward right here at home.
“This is just the beginning,” he concludes.
FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING
MAY 1 (Pre-Festival Event)
HIROMI'S SONICWONDER
8:00 PM
The Orpheum Theatre, Downtown L.A.
MAY 3 (Free and Open to the Public)
SUNDAY ON THE PROMENADE
Elijah Fox
Genevieve Artadi
Duffy X Uhlmann
Billy Mohler
Instant Alter
Varad Sahasrabudhe
Aidan Farrell
Samohi Jazz Combo
1:00 PM
Third Street Promenade
MAY 8
TRIBUTE TO JOHN COLTRANE
Isaiah Collier
Lakecia Benjamin
Tenor Madness
with Hubert Laws, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Eric Reed,
Aaron Shaw, Emilio Modeste, and Stanley Clarke
7:00 PM
BroadStage, Santa Monica
MAY 9
A DAY IN THE PARK
Kamasi Washington
Stanley Clarke & Friends
feat. Stewart Copeland, Kiefer, and Keyon Harrold
Miles Electric Band
KNOWER (full band show)
Sam Smylie
1:00 PM
Tongva Park
For tickets, more information, and additional events to be announced, please visit: smjazzfest.com.
