Kamasi Washington will headline the inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival, a nine-day event running May 1–9, 2026, presented by BroadStage, SM Festivals and the City of Santa Monica.
The festival, curated by artistic director and jazz icon Stanley Clarke, will feature performances across multiple Santa Monica venues, including Tongva Park, BroadStage and the Third Street Promenade. It will also celebrate the centennials of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Route 66.
Washington, a saxophonist, bandleader and composer, recently won "Record of the Year" and "Best Rap Song" Grammys alongside Kendrick Lamar. His headline set is scheduled for May 9 at Tongva Park, which sits at the western terminus of Route 66 and offers views of Santa Monica Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
"I'm excited to join one of my musical heroes and incredible artist Stanley Clarke for his inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival this May," Washington said.
Clarke, a four-time Grammy winner and Jazz Master Honoree by the National Endowment for the Arts, said Santa Monica is unmatched as a setting for an annual international jazz festival.
The lineup also includes saxophonists Lakecia Benjamin and Isaiah Collier, who will each pay tribute to John Coltrane on May 8 at BroadStage, marking the centennial of the legendary saxophonist's birth. Miles Electric Band, led by Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn Jr., will honor the Miles Davis centennial during the May 9 Tongva Park event. KNOWER will perform a full band set, and Clarke will lead an all-star group featuring pianist Kiefer and trumpeter Keyon Harrold.
On May 3, the festival kicks off with a free, all-day event on the Third Street Promenade featuring Elijah Fox, Genevieve Artadi, Duffy x Uhlmann, Billy Mohler and Instant Alter, among others. Students from Santa Monica College and Santa Monica High School will also perform.
Hiromi's Sonicwonder opens the festival May 1 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
Presale tickets are available beginning Wednesday, Feb. 18 at noon at Ticketmaster.com, with public on-sale starting Friday, Feb. 20 at noon. A limited number of early bird discount tickets for the Tongva Park event will be offered. VIP packages are also available.
For more information, visit smjazzfest.com.
Edited by SMDP Staff