May 1 – 9, 2026, culminates the vision of four-time Grammy Award-winning jazz legend Stanley Clarke in establishing an international jazz festival in Santa Monica, CA. Double 2026 Grammy winner, Kamasi Washington will headline the festival. The festival will feature an expansive lineup of world-renowned artists, star-studded tributes to music legends, and emerging talent.
SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- May 1 – 9, 2026, culminates the vision of four-time Grammy Award-winning jazz legend Stanley Clarke in establishing an international jazz festival in Santa Monica, CA. Double 2026 Grammy winner, Kamasi Washington will headline the festival. Clarke is drawing inspiration from the rich legacy of major festival gatherings from Montreux to Monterey. The festival will feature an expansive lineup of world-renowned artists, star-studded tributes to music legends, and emerging talent. Set at multiple venues, the festival will culminate at Santa Monica's Tongva Park, situated at the west end of the legendary Mother Road - Route 66 – currently celebrating its 100th anniversary.
This year's festival also honors the centennial of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, both born in 1926. Two extraordinary artists who deeply inspired so many. Clarke wants to celebrate their 100th anniversary and honor their legacy.
Clarke speaks about his vision for the festival, "When I was very young, 17 or 18-years-old, I started playing jazz festivals all over the world. Very early on I realized that America, the birthplace of jazz, did not really have many festivals that felt like the great international festivals, such as the Montreal International Jazz Festival in Canada or the Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland.
"Those festivals were not just concerts. The whole city transformed. There was art everywhere, music in the streets, and people coming from all over the world. The restaurants, the stores, the beaches, everything lit up with joy and celebration. The entire town came alive with culture and happiness.
"For years, I envisioned bringing that same spirit to Santa Monica. I always felt the city deserved a world class jazz festival that could light up the city as other international jazz festivals have for their locales," Clarke continues. "Over time, Santa Monica College and Santa Monica's BroadStage welcomed me. They were incredibly supportive of my vision and essentially said, 'What do you need? Let's make it happen.'"
Clarke did not want to wait another year after everything Southern California has been through, including the fires and the challenges facing Santa Monica, Palisades, Malibu, Topanga, Altadena and Los Angeles as a whole. Los Angeles is a magical place because it is made up of cultures from all over the world, just like the musicians Clarke has mentored. Just like jazz itself. Music changes everything.
Clarke has always believed that jazz is passed down from generation to generation. Santa Monica College invited Clarke to expand his work mentoring young musicians. He is currently completing a three-year residency designed not just to train students to play, but to help them understand the future of jazz and prepare them for real professional life and artistic leadership. The talent coming out of these programs is amazing and there is a place for these emerging musicians at the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival. A new generation of young musicians with incredible bands are ready to step up.
The response has been overwhelming. Young musicians, agents, managers, and the City of Santa Monica have all come on board. There is real energy around it. This will be more than a music festival. A cultural celebration is being built that will include food from all over the world,
This is the first year of the festival. Looking forward, there is much more to build in the years to come, but the festival is certainly on its way. So many people have contributed. Clarke wants to thank the Santa Monica City Council, the City of Santa Monica, BroadStage, Santa Monica College, SM Festivals, LLC, and everyone who has participated in one way or another to help make the festival happen.
"I especially want to thank a dear friend who has been key to this incredible venture, Dr. Michael Lizarraga. His foundation, TELACU, has been instrumental in supporting young people and helping us bring this vision to life," says Clarke
The Santa Monica International Jazz Festival is about more than concerts. It's about community. It is about legacy. It is about passing jazz forward right here at home.
"This is just the beginning," Clarke concludes.
Additional festival information and ticket sales can be found at SMjazzfest.com.
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SOURCE Stanley Clarke
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