Lesher Center Unveils SFJAZZ PRESENTS @ THE LESHER CENTER Lineup
The lineup includes Nicholas Payton, Gretchen Parlato and more.
The SFJAZZ Presents @ The Lesher Center lineup has been revealed for the 2026/27 season. Curated by SFJAZZ, this series will feature a lineup of internationally recognized jazz artists at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts. Tickets for all concerts are available now. Eight-show and five-show subscription packages are available, with discounted pricing for each performance.
The 2026/27 Season SFJAZZ Presents @ The Lesher Center lineup includes:
NICHOLAS PAYTON
OCTOBER 8, 2026, 7:30PM
Nicholas Payton is among the most acclaimed and wide-ranging virtuosos of his generation. Rooted in New Orleans and always expanding beyond expectations, he brings a fiercely individual voice to every performance.
Gretchen Parlato
NOVEMBER 19, 2026, 7:30PM
Gretchen Parlato is a Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist and songwriter celebrated for her intimate sound, inventive phrasing, and collaborative artistry. A former member of the SFJAZZ Collective, she won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition in 2004 and has earned three GRAMMY nominations and widespread critical acclaim for her recordings.
SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE: WAYNE SHORTER'S NATIVE DANCER & NEW COMPOSITIONS
JANUARY 14, 2027, 7:30PM
SFJAZZ’s all-star resident ensemble features saxophonist and band director Chris Potter, saxophonist David Sánchez, trumpeter Mike Rodriguez, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, pianist Edward Simon, bassist Matt Brewer, and drummer Kendrick Scott. For this performance, The group performs music from Wayne Shorter’s 1975 album Native Dancer — the late great saxophonist and composer’s hugely influential collaboration with Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento — along with a fresh batch of original compositions by the band inspired by Shorter’s mid-decade masterpiece whose influence continues to resonate.
JOBIM & GETZ CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WITH TRIO DA PAZ, Harry Allen & Maucha Adnet
JANUARY 24, 2027, 7:30PM
Trio da Paz celebrates the centennials of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz with a program steeped in the graceful melodies, bossa nova rhythms, and cool jazz lyricism that defined their music. Joined by saxophonist Harry Allen and Brazilian vocalist Maucha Adnet, the ensemble honors Jobim’s sophisticated songcraft and Getz’s velvet-toned phrasing with classic selections and favorites from each of their songbooks, including the widely acclaimed album Getz/Gilberto featuring the massive global hit, "The Girl from Ipanema."
PAMELA ROSE: WILD WOMEN OF THE '60S
FEBRUARY 4, 2027, 7:30PM
“An ebullient, charismatic performer who effortlessly holds the spotlight” (San Francisco Chronicle), Bay Area treasure Pamela Rose is equally known as a superlative jazz singer and blues belter. For this performance, Rose shines a light on the women songwriters who gave us an unforgettable generational soundtrack. Weaving fascinating biographical detail into performance, audiences get to revisit (and sing along to) the 1960s through tunes like “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Both Sides Now,” “Think” – while celebrating the work of songwriters such as Carole King, Laura Nyro, Valerie Simpson, Cynthia Weil, and Aretha Franklin.
THE HOT SARDINES
APRIL 10, 2027. 7:30PM
The New York-based jazz ensemble brings vintage swing, hot jazz, and early blues into the present with charm and high energy. Led by vocalist Elizabeth Bougerol and pianist Evan Palazzo, the group mixes sharp musicianship, playful theatrics, and a celebratory spirit that makes the jazz sounds of the 1920s, '30s, and '40s feel fresh.
Michael Mayo
MAY 20, 2027, 7:30PM
The Los Angeles vocalist and composer has quickly become one of contemporary jazz’s most exciting voices. His GRAMMY-nominated sophomore album, FLY, highlights his effortless and evocative voice across an ever-changing blend of jazz, neo-soul, and R&B. He moves seamlessly from silky tenor lines to percussive scat, layered harmonies, and instrument-like textures.
Fred Hersch
MAY 27, 2027, 7:30PM
An acclaimed jazz pianist and composer known for his lyrical touch, elegant improvisation, and deeply personal approach to modern jazz, the 17-time GRAMMY nominee has also received the Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, the Doris Duke Artist Award, and top honors from the Jazz Journalists Association. Over the course of his career, he has collaborated with Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, Esperanza Spalding, Kurt Elling, Renée Fleming, Enrico Rava, Joe Lovano, and Charlie Haden, while also appearing in acclaimed trio, duo, and sideman settings with jazz greats such as Stan Getz, Art Farmer, and Joe Henderson.
The Lesher Center is a program of the City of Walnut Creek's Arts + Recreation Department. Located in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek, the Lesher Center for the Arts has become one of Northern California's premier destinations for world-class performing arts, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors annually through performances, exhibitions, and community programming.
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