JAS (Jazz Aspen Snowmass) today announced the official opening schedule for their first permanent home, The Paul JAS Center in downtown Aspen, with 10 nights of performances starting Friday December 19, 2025 and continuing through the New Year. Tickets will be available for purchase on Friday, Aug. 22 at 10am mst at jazzaspensnowmass.org.
For the opening night, JAS is thrilled to present one of the great success stories of the last few decades in jazz and New Orleans music, the multi-talented trombonist, entertainer & bandleader, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. The band will perform a special private concert on Friday, December 19 for all of the individuals whose support thus far has ensured the launch of the JAS Center project. On Saturday, December 20 the band will perform a public concert. Trombone Shorty first played JAS in the summer of 2001 at the JASummer Nights Gala, when he was just 15 years old, and already a hometown NOLA music legend. He returned to play the JAS Labor Day Experience in 2012 and the JAS June Experience in 2014.
In association with Trombone Shorty's Dec. 19 & 20 performances, JAS is pleased to welcome the Trombone Shorty Foundation Alumni Band for workshops in Roaring Fork Valley Schools. The Trombone Shorty Foundation Alumni Band has been mentored by legendary New Orleans groups including Rebirth Brass Band, the Soul Rebels and the New Breed Brass Band. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire the next generation of talented opportunity youth through music education, instruction, mentorship, and performance. By honoring the New Orleans tradition of “playing it forward”, the foundation seeks to preserve and perpetuate the musical heritage of a city where music is everything.
Performances following Trombone Shory include a diverse collection of great artists whom JAS has presented to enthusiastic receptions over the last (15) years since the launch of the intimate JAS Café series, including The Motet (Dec. 27), The New Mastersounds (Dec. 28) and DeeDee Bridgewater (Dec. 29-30). Additional performers include the two (2) pillars of JAS’ flagship all-scholarship music education program, the JAS Academy in Collaboration with the Frost School of Music, multi-Grammy winning Bassist Christian McBride (Dec. 21-22), and Pianist Shelly Berg (Jan. 2-4).
“These shows will be a great window into the range of musical genres that JAS will present at the future Paul JAS Center, from jazz and blues to soul, R&B and Funk, and featuring both instrumentalists and vocalists. There will be many new Artists who cross the Paul JAS Center stage in the months and years to come ..but for our opening two weeks of extended celebration, we’ve invited some of our closest musical friends to help us inaugurate a new musical dawn at JAS,” said Jim Horowitz, JAS’ Founder, President & CEO.
JAS intends to experiment with new layouts beyond the small “café-table” seated format which has defined the JAS Café series since its launch in 2011 at the Nell. This will include a new “Café-Dance” format, allowing for more room to move and dance, with a less expensive standing room only ticket, in addition to JAS Café reserved table seating.
JAS is also happy to announce a new partnership with Epicure, who will be the culinary partner with the Paul JAS Center. Owned and operated by Julia and Allen Domingos, Epicure will provide an eclectic bar menu at JAS Center performances, as well as catering for future supper-club performances, brunches and other special events at the venue. Julia and Allen will be bringing their extensive experience, creativity, and community commitment to the JAS Center and look forward to being an integral part of this iconic Aspen institution.
In addition to year-round performances, the Paul JAS Center will also serve as a hub for JAS’ many local and national music education programs; include a state-of-the-art recording studio, and, offer local organizations, including not-for-profit, corporate and social groups, a unique and intimate venue for business, thought, leadership or special occasion gatherings.
The Paul JAS Center Campaign has now reached over $34 Million in secure pledges, enough to cover the full capital purchase of the real estate (primarily the second floor above the historic Red Onion), an exciting milestone for JAS. They are now entering Phase III of the multi-year Campaign, establishing a meaningful Endowment to secure the future of JAS and the Paul JAS Center for generations to come.
For more details on the Paul JAS Center, the grand opening schedule and how you can get involved, please visit jazzaspensnowmass.org.
PAUL JAS CENTER GRAND OPENING SCHEDULE
Friday, Dec. 19 – Private Paul JAS Center Founder’s Party feat. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Sat. Dec. 20 – Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - 9pm
Trombone Shorty got his start (and nickname) earlier than most: at four, he made his first appearance at Jazz Fest performing with Bo Diddley; at six, he was leading his own brass band; and by his teenage years, he was hired by Lenny Kravitz to join the band he assembled for his Electric Church World Tour. Shorty’s proven he’s more than just a horn player, though. Catch a gig, open the pages of the New York Times or Vanity Fair, flip on any late-night or morning TV show and you’ll see an undeniable star with utterly magnetic charisma, a natural born showman who can command an audience with the best of them.
Sunday, Dec. 21 & Mon. Dec. 22 - Christian & Benny Green plus Niki Haris w/ & The James Horowitz Trio & Special Guest Jimmer Bolden – 6:30pm
(Double Bill) Longtime JAS Academy Artistic Director and 9-time Grammy Winning Bassist, Bandleader and Composer, Christian McBride, teams with his longtime collaborator, virtuoso pianist Benny Green. The first half of this double bill (one ticket/two bands/one Intermission) will feature Niki Haris, a veteran jazz and blues vocalist who is always a favorite of JAS audiences performing with JAS President and CEO Jim Horowitz on piano.
Saturday, Dec. 27 – The Motet – 7:15 & 9:30pm
JAS debuts a new Café format combining more SRO capacity plus regular JAS Café Table seating, for a more groove-and dance-friendly format. After 26 years, 9 albums and thousands of live shows, the Colorado-born Motet’s blistering and genre-breaking blend of music and rhythm hits a new high, with the addition of lead vocalist Sarah Clarke. Since their formation the Motet has performed at JAS on multiple occasions.
Sunday, Dec. 28 – The New Mastersounds – 7:15 & 9:30pm
This legendary British-born (Leeds, England in 1999) and based band has had an illustrious career, with their irresistible funky, soul-jazz, touring world-wide and building an international fan-base. After 25 years, they are preparing to go on hiatus to pursue other musical directions. This will be one of their last ever public shows!
Monday, Dec. 29 & Tuesday, Dec. 30 – DeeDee Bridgewater “Memphis Soulphony” - 6:30 pm & 8:45 pm
The (3) time Grammy and Tony award winning singer and actress is a crowd-pleasing veteran jazz, soul and blues inspired vocalist. She brings her sizzling Big Band (11 on-stage) back to JAS for her spectacular celebration of Memphis Soul music, delivered with heaping helpings of blues, R&B, a full horn section and back-up singers.
Friday, Jan. 2 - Shelly Berg & Tierney Sutton “By Request” – 6:30 & 8:45pm
Frost School of Music Dean Shelly Berg, JAS’ collaborating partner for the all-scholarship JAS Academy Summer Sessions, returns to Aspen in a unique and always popular format with long-time musical partner, vocalist Tierney Sutton. Audience members pick songs from brandy snifters on each table and the Artists produce spontaneous versions of song after song.
Saturday Jan. 3 – 8pm & Sunday Jan. 4 – 6:30 & 8:45pm - “Celebrating the Music of Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye,” featuring Billy Valentine, Shelly Berg & Special Guest Kirk Whalum
The smooth veteran R&B and Jazz vocalist Billy Valentine is a contemporary of the immortal Stevie Wonder and has been deeply influenced by their musical relationship. In this performance Valentine brings his inimitable stylings to the Café stage in tandem with longtime collaborator Shelly Berg, and one of the most in demand horn players in the business today, Kirk Whalum on saxophone. Valentine’s renditions of Marvin Gaye classics have won him fans world-wide for decades. His renditions of Steve Wonder’s greatest hits are spectacular, and very personal. There will be different program of songs each night!
