Warmed up after an acclaimed four-night winter run at the SFJAZZ Center, piano great Jason Moran rejoins forces with the Marcus Shelby Orchestra for a deep dive into Ellingtonia, the supremely sophisticated, wittily sardonic, and unspeakably beautiful body of music created by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

The evening starts with a 30-minute solo performance by Jason Moran, a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center, and among the most celebrated pianists of his generation. Afterwards, he’ll be joined by Shelby’s talent-packed orchestra featuring rising vocal star Darynn Dean, a strikingly gifted chanteuse who hails from an illustrious Los Angeles jazz clan. Her February performances with Moran and Shelby announced the arrival of a major new talent, just as the SFJAZZ residency revealed the deep conceptual and sonic affinities between Moran, described by Rolling Stone as “the most provocative thinker in current jazz,” and Shelby, whose deeply informed works revel in the soulful sinew connecting Harlem stride piano, Ellington, Monk and Andrew Hill.

The fourth annual Black Music Month Festival will feature the premiere of the commissioned work Black Artists of The Bay: Icons & Unsung, a musical celebration of Black music in the Bay Area and the artists who created it, including departed icons, unsung heroes, and living legends. Faye Carol & the featured festival artists will share an afternoon of unique and original renditions of both hit songs and deep cuts alike by Bay Area artists, icons and unsung, such as The Pointer Sisters, Sylvester, Freddie Hughes, Sly & the Family Stone, Walter Hawkins, Sugar Pie DeSanto, and many more. The evening will also include an oral history of Black music in the Bay Area and a roll call tribute to departed artists from our community. Join us for a powerful, soulful celebration of our music, history, legacy, and culture. Geoffrey's offers a full bar and delectable soul food plates.

"Faye Carol & her dedicated accompanist, pianist Joe Warner, have presented ambitious programs that rival any of the leading jazz festivals." - Andrew Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News

Supported by California Arts Council, East Bay Community Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and InterMusic SF

Youth 18 & Under Attend Free!!

June is Black Music Month! Recognized nationally by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates Black music in all its beautiful colors and flavors.