July 6, 2026, Berkeley, California — The Jazzschool Community Music School in Berkeley, CA announces a full calendar of concerts, workshops, and free public programs in July and August. Two July concerts showcase Jazzschool alumni and current faculty mentors  in performances that explore the diversity of Bay Area jazz, encompassing global and diasporic influences, innovative original composition and dazzling improvisation: the Raffi Garabedian Quartet (July 11) and the Marcos Silva Quartet (July 18). In August, Oakland-based saxophonist Howard Wiley curates a Saturday concert series infused with the flavors of Oakland, melding jazz grooves with R&B, hip-hop, and gospel music: artists include the Sundra Manning Organ Trio featuring Rhonda Sauce (Aug. 1); jazz/R&B vocalist Silk-E (Aug. 8); Jaimeo Brown’s Transcendence project featuring Howard Wiley (Aug. 15); and the LJ Holoman Trio (Aug. 22). 

The free Brown Bag Jazz Hangs series continues every Wednesday at 12:30pm, inviting Downtown Berkeley neighbors, colleagues, students, and employees for free casual Brown Bag presentations and listening sessions by local jazz luminaries. The  summer series is presented in collaboration with The Freight. July presenters are Jessica Jones (July 1); Lewis Jordan (July 8); Terrence Brewer (July 15); Beth Schenck (July 22); and Derk Richardson (July 29). August presenters are Sameer Gupta (Aug. 5), Mara Fox (Aug. 12), and Marcus Stephens (Aug. 19).

The Jazzschool also hosts a new late-night summer program, the free After-Hours Vinyl Lounge, on Fridays from 9:30-11pm. The series invites patrons of Downtown Berkeley’s Arts District to an intimate post-show listening lounge,where guests can settle in with tea, sweets, and conversation as Jazzschool faculty and staff spin favorite jazz records from our library.

In July, the Jazzschool presents a free workshop in partnership with JaZzLine INSTITUTE: an Ensemble Masterclass with the Faye Carol Trio. Open to instrumentalists and vocalists of all levels, participants will receive supportive, collaborative coaching in improvisation, repertoire, ensemble interaction, and performance skills (Sat. July 11, 2pm). 

The weekly Jupiter Jam Session continues through the summer on Wednesdays from 7-10pm in the outdoor courtyard at Jupiter, 2181 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley. Co-hosted by faculty members Erik Jekabson and Remee Ashley with a professional house band, the session is open to all players, and admission is free. In addition, a monthly Vocal Open Mic hosted at the school by Angharad Jones invites vocalists to sing with a professional rhythm section, on the last Sunday of every month (Sun July 26, 4-7pm; tickets $20; no August open mic). 

Additional concerts and events include monthly performances by the Jazzschool’s composers big band-in-residence, the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, led by Erik Jekabson (Sun. July 12 & Sun. Aug 9, 5:30pm; tickets $25); and a series of summer student performances, including an off-site performance by the High School Jazz Intensive, presented at the Back Room in Berkeley (Fri. Aug 7, 7:30pm; tickets $10); and the free end-of-summer Adult Ensemble Performance Series (Sun. Aug 16 – Thurs. Aug 22). 

Free Programs and Community Events

Brown Bag Jazz Hangs – Wednesdays in July and August at 12:30pm

The Brown Bag Jazz Hangs series at lunchtime on Wednesdays invites Downtown Berkeley neighbors, colleagues, students, and employees for free casual presentations and listening sessions by local jazz luminaries. Patrons are invited to bring their own lunch or order ahead from the JazzCaffè across the street at 2040 Addison Street. The summer series is presented in collaboration with The Freight. 

July events in the series:

July 1 @ The Freight: Jessica Jones on Sonny Rollins
July 8: Lewis Jordan on Archie Shepp
July 15: Terrence Brewer on Miles and Coltrane at 100
July 22: Beth Schenck on Lee Konitz
July 29 @ The Freight: Derk Richardson on Charlie Haden

August events in the series:

August 5 @ The Freight: Sameer Gupta on Jazz & Raga
August 12: Mara Fox on J.J. Johnson
August 19: Marcus Stephens on Electr(on)ic Jazz
August 26: Lisa Mezzacappa on the Art Ensemble of Chicago

After-Hours Vinyl Lounge – Fridays in July and August at 9:30pm

The performance may be over, but the evening doesn’t have to end. Located in the heart of Downtown Berkeley’s Arts District, the Jazzschool invites theatergoers, concert attendees, arts patrons, creatives, and curious night owls to gather at the After-Hours Vinyl Lounge—a new late-night community hang inspired by the energy that follows a great live arts experience. Stop by and settle in with tea, sweets, and conversation. Jazzschool faculty and staff spin favorite jazz records from our vinyl collection in a cozy, intimate setting, providing the perfect soundtrack for reflection, connection, and discovery. Free and open to the community.

July and August events in the series:
July 10, 17, 24, 31 (no July 3)
August 7, 14, 21, 28 (no Aug 28)

Ensemble Masterclass with the Faye Carol Trio
co-presented with JaZzline INSTITUTE

Saturday, July 11, 2pm

Faye Carol, voice
Joe Warner, piano
David Ewell, bass
Dante Roberson, drums

The JaZzLine INSTITUTE, in partnership with the Jazzschool, presents a free ensemble masterclass featuring vocalist, bandleader, and educator Faye Carol and her trio. Open to instrumentalists and vocalists of all levels, participants will receive coaching in improvisation, repertoire, ensemble interaction, and performance skills in a supportive, collaborative setting. Join us for a rare opportunity to learn from four musical heavyweights in an inspiring, hands-on ensemble setting open to performers of all backgrounds and styles.

July Concerts

Raffi Garabedian Quartet
Saturday, July 11, 8pm / pre-concert talk at 7:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

Raffi Garabedian, tenor saxophone
Dahveed Behroozi, piano
Noah Garabedian, bass
Michael Mitchell, drums

Berkeley-born, Oakland-based saxophonist and composer Raffi Garabedian uses spontaneous composition as a foundation to explore new rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic ideas in his expansive music. His music is by turns introspective and freespirited, and his warm tenor tone carries any ensemble he plays with. Garabedian brings his virtuosic quartet of improvisers to the Jazzschool for an evening of original jazz compositions that center group interplay, melodic invention, and forward momentum – with a focus on sound and feel. 

Electric Squeezebox Orchestra with Marcus Stephens
Sunday, July 12, 5:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

Resident Poet: Avotcja; Saxophones: Kasey Knudsen, Beth Schenck, Sheldon Brown, Marcus Stephens, Charlie Gurke; Trombones: Will Shannon, Patrick Malabuyo, Remee Ashley, Rich Lee; Trumpets: Marvin McFadden, Max Erhardt, Chris Clarke, Edward Evans; Piano: Anne Sajdera; Guitar: Max Brody; Bass: Lisa Mezzacappa; Drums: Eric Garland

The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra is the Bay Area’s own 17-piece big band, with saxophonist Marcus Stephens leading the band for this special July 12 performance. The composers and arrangers, some of the very best in the Bay, draw from a wide variety of influences but always come up with powerful music with groove, beauty and subtlety. The band plays every second Sunday at the Jazzschool, and has collaborated with a number of special guest artists, including John Santos, Kenny Washington, Alan Ferber, Dayna Stephens, Mads Tolling, Sandy Cressman, Kellye Gray, Avotcja, and Ben Goldberg. 

Marcos Silva Quartet
Saturday July 18, 8pm / pre-concert talk at 7:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

Zach Pitt-Smith, saxophones and flute
Richard Lindsey, bass
Marcos Silva, keyboard
Dillon Vado, drums

Longtime Jazzschool instructor, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer Marcos Silva brings his breathtaking quartet to the Jazzschool for an evening of dazzling Brazilian jazz. Silva features compositions and arrangements from his most recent release, Brasil From Head to Toe, traversing energetic samba, bouncy baiano, funky grooves, and moody ballads while reflecting his experiences as a musician living in Brazil and the United States and traveling the world.

August Concerts

Sundra Manning Organ Trio featuring Rhonda Sauce*
Saturday, August 1, 8pm / pre-concert talk at 7:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

Oakland-born, Grammy-nominated organist Sundra Manning has been an in-demand bandleader and sideperson for more than three decades, working with music luminaries including Larry Graham, Raphael Saadiq, H.E.R., Meshell Ndegeocello, Martin Luther McCoy, Pete Escovedo, and many others. Manning brings her signature funky and fresh approach to classic and modern repertoire to the Jazzschool, blending soulful mastery with joyful energy as she blazes across the Hammond B3 organ, piano and keyboards. Manning is joined by special guest, rising star Oakland jazz vocalist Rhonda Sauce. 

*August concert series programmed by Oakland saxophonist/composer Howard Wiley.

Jazz meets Oakland Hip-hop: The Vocal Stylings of Silk-E
Saturday, August 8, 8pm / pre-concert talk at 7:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

Crowned “The People’s Champ,” Bay Area soul singer, songwriter, and emcee Erica Reynolds (aka Silk-E) is a force in Bay Area hip-hop who blends raw, honest vocals with dynamic stage presence. She has shared the stage with stars like Rage Against the Machine, Erykah Badu, the Roots, Common, and Mos Def, and is a core member of the acclaimed Oakland-based hiphop band The Coup. She brings her signature blend of soul, grit, and artistry to the Jazzschool, backed by a stellar local band.

The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra
Sunday, August 9, 5:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra is the Bay Area’s own 17-piece big band, led by trumpeter Erik Jekabson, playing music composed and arranged by its members. The composers and arrangers, some of the very best in the Bay, draw from a wide variety of influences but always come up with powerful music with groove, beauty and subtlety. The band plays every second Sunday at the Jazzschool, and has collaborated with a number of special guest artists, including John Santos, Kenny Washington, Alan Ferber, Dayna Stephens, Mads Tolling, Sandy Cressman, Kellye Gray, Avotcja, and Ben Goldberg. 

Jaimeo Brown Transcendence featuring Howard Wiley*
Saturday, August 15, 8pm / pre-concert talk at 7:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

Jaimeo Brown, drums & electronics
Howard Wiley, saxophone
fashion design by Frumiesha Brown

“Brown creates a music that sounds like the past, present and future all at once..” —Downbeat Magazine

In-demand Bay Area drummer and bandleader Jaimeo Brown brings a new duo version of his innovative multi-year project Transcendence to the Jazzschool, an immersive multimedia performance inspired by the remarkable quilts and culture of Gee’s Bend. Gee’s Bend is an African American hamlet in Alabama with a rich and virtuosic quilting (and singing) tradition that dates to the 19th century. The project reimagines African American spirituals and work songs for percussion, electronics, and saxophone, interwoven with archival field recordings culled from Smithsonian recordings.

Brown is an educator, activist, and artist who has performed and collaborated with Liberty Ellman, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Q-Tip, Bobby Hutcherson, Greg Osby, Joe Locke, and David Murray, among others. Inspired equally by the hip-hop beats and samples of J Dilla, Dr. Dre, and DJ Premier, and the searching jazz compositions of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey, in his Transcendence project Brown weaves together elements of both genres to craft a tapestry of sound where jazz history meets its digital future.

*August concert series programmed by Oakland saxophonist/composer Howard Wiley.

LJ Holoman Trio*
Saturday, August 22, 8pm / pre-concert talk at 7:30pm
Tickets $25 General / $15 Youth

LJ Holoman, Hammond B3 Organ
Elijah Green III, bass
Qyu Jackson, drums

Multiple Grammy-winning organist LJ Holoman draws from his deep roots in Oakland’s gospel tradition and his experiences in soul and R&B to craft an eclectic sound that is both grooving and lush. Holoman has performed and/or recorded with Tony Toni Tone, Fantastic Negrito,  Dr Dre, and many others. He brings his masterful trio to the Jazzschool for an evening of electrifying jazz, soul, funk, and blues.

*August concert series programmed by Oakland saxophonist/composer Howard Wiley.

About the Jazzschool

The Jazzschool, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in Berkeley in 1997 and provides music education and performance opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Consisting of the Adult Music Program and the Young Musicians Program, the Jazzschool operates year-round on a quarterly basis, offering an array of courses, ensembles, performance opportunities, and workshops to build all aspects of musicianship. Students are frequently featured in concert performances, free to the public. With a formidable faculty of renowned musicians and educators, the Jazzschool is a cornerstone of the Bay Area’s thriving jazz community.

TICKETS

Tickets are available at jazzschool.org and at the door for concerts. Online advance registration is suggested but not required for free events. 

INFORMATION

The Jazzschool is located at 2087 Addison St. in Downtown Berkeley. Street metered parking is available. Additional parking is available at the Center Street Parking Garage, located at 2025 Center Street, Berkeley. The Jazzschool’s facility is fully ADA-compliant and accessible to people with physical disabilities. Visit jazzschool.org or call 510-845-5373 for more information.