Home/ Santa Cruz/ Venues/ Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Kuumbwa Jazz Center

41 upcoming shows
Downtown Santa Cruz

Founded in 1975 by Tim Jackson, Sheba Burney, and Rich Wills, Kuumbwa Jazz Center settled into its home at 320-2 Cedar Street in downtown Santa Cruz in 1977. The name comes from a Swahili word meaning "act of spontaneous creativity." A 1987 expansion funded by the Packard Foundation brought the room to its current 200-seat capacity, creating an intimate listening environment recognized by DownBeat Magazine as one of the great jazz venues in the world. Kuumbwa presents over 130 concerts per year and serves more than 1,000 students annually through its education programs. The nonprofit celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, a testament to Santa Cruz's enduring appetite for world-class jazz in a small-room setting.

Jazz (28)Folk (4)Country (2)World (1)R&B/Soul (1)Alternative (1)

Upcoming Shows

Jazz
Le Boeuf Brothers

Le Boeuf Brothers YouTube

Sat, Jun 6 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Nicole Zuraitis

Nicole Zuraitis YouTube

Thu, Jun 11 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
DragPerformance
Sin Sisters Burlesque & Drag

Sin Sisters Burlesque & Drag YouTube

Sat, Jun 13 ·8:30 PM ·$33.85 - $44.52
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Jason Marsalis

Jason Marsalis YouTube

Mon, Jun 15 ·7:00 PM ·$46.62 (Advance), $42.00 (Member), $47.25 (Door), $23.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
FolkSinger-Songwriter
Barbara Higbie

Barbara Higbie YouTube · Teresa Trull

Wed, Jun 17 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
FolkSinger-Songwriter
Mary Gauthier

Mary Gauthier YouTube · Jaimee Harris

Thu, Jun 18 ·7:00 PM ·$36.50 - $52.25 (Advance), $46.50 - $62.25 (Door)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Pamela Rose

Pamela Rose YouTube

Thu, Jun 25 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Billy Childs

Billy Childs YouTube

Sun, Jun 28 ·7:00 PM ·$46.62 (Advance), $42.00 (Member), $47.25 (Door), $23.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
JazzBossa Nova
Luciana Souza

Luciana Souza YouTube · Marcel Camargo

Mon, Jun 29 ·7:00 PM ·$46.62 (Advance), $42.00 (Member), $47.25 (Door), $23.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
SoulR&B
TAE & the Neighborly

TAE & the Neighborly YouTube

Wed, Jul 8 ·7:00 PM ·$29.14 (Advance), $26.25 (Member), $31.50 (Door), $15.75 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Mads Tolling

Mads Tolling YouTube · Bruce Forman · Dan Feiszli

Thu, Jul 9 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
FolkSinger-Songwriter
Alice Howe

Alice Howe YouTube · Freebo · Glenn MacPherson

Fri, Jul 10 ·7:00 PM ·$32 - $47 (Advance), $42 - $57 (Door)
🎟 Tickets
Flamenco
Maruja Limón

Maruja Limón YouTube

Mon, Jul 13 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Tony Lindsay

Tony Lindsay YouTube · Tom Politzer · John R. Burr · Gary Brown · Deszon Claiborne

Thu, Jul 16 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
BluegrassPunk
Water Tower

Water Tower YouTube

Sat, Jul 18 ·7:00 PM ·$32 - $47 (Advance), $42 - $57 (Door)
🎟 Tickets
HindustaniWorld Music
Keshav Batish

Keshav Batish YouTube

Mon, Jul 20 ·7:00 PM ·$29.14 (Advance), $26.25 (Member), $31.50 (Door), $15.75 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Michael Wolff

Michael Wolff YouTube

Thu, Jul 23 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Latin Jazz
Ray Obiedo

Ray Obiedo YouTube · Pete Escovedo

Mon, Jul 27 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Yilian Cañizares

Yilian Cañizares YouTube

Tue, Jul 28 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Singer-Songwriter
Peter Asher

Peter Asher YouTube · Jeremy Clyde

Thu, Jul 30 ·7:00 PM ·$65.87 - $161.90
🎟 Tickets
JazzBlues
Maria Muldaur

Maria Muldaur YouTube

Fri, Jul 31 ·7:00 PM ·$46.62 (Advance), $42.00 (Member), $52.50 (Door), $26.25 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
AmericanaCountry
Eilen Jewell

Eilen Jewell YouTube

Sat, Aug 1 ·7:00 PM ·$60 (Advance), $70 (Door)
🎟 Tickets
JazzBlues
Kim Nalley

Kim Nalley YouTube

Mon, Aug 3 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Sylvia Cuenca

Sylvia Cuenca YouTube · Wallace Roney Jr. · Rico Jones · David Kikoski · Essiet Okon Essiet

Thu, Aug 6 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Bria Skonberg

Bria Skonberg YouTube

Fri, Aug 7 ·7:00 PM ·$46.62 (Advance), $42.00 (Member), $52.50 (Door), $26.25 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Marina Crouse

Marina Crouse YouTube

Thu, Aug 13 ·7:00 PM ·$29.14 (Advance), $26.25 (Member), $31.50 (Door), $15.75 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Death & Saxes

Death & Saxes YouTube · Full Court Press

Fri, Aug 14 ·7:00 PM ·$10.00
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Jazz Mafia

Jazz Mafia YouTube

Mon, Aug 17 ·7:00 PM ·$34.97 (Advance), $31.50 (Member), $36.75 (Door), $18.50 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Bill O'Connell

Bill O'Connell YouTube · Lincoln Goines · Jon Krosnick

Wed, Aug 19 ·7:00 PM ·$29.14 (Advance), $26.25 (Member), $31.50 (Door), $15.75 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Jon Dryden

Jon Dryden YouTube · Sami Stevens

Thu, Aug 20 ·7:00 PM ·$29.14 (Advance), $26.25 (Member), $31.50 (Door), $15.75 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Keyon Harrold

Keyon Harrold YouTube

Mon, Aug 24 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
JazzRock
Simon Phillips

Simon Phillips YouTube · Protocol 6

Thu, Aug 27 ·7:00 PM ·$46.62 (Advance), $42.00 (Member), $52.50 (Door), $26.25 (Student)
🎟 Tickets
Rock
Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe

Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe YouTube

Fri, Aug 28 ·8:00 PM ·$33.50 - $48.50
🎟 Tickets
Jazz
Nduduzo Makhathini

Nduduzo Makhathini YouTube

Thu, Sep 10 ·7:00 PM ·$40.79 (Advance), $36.75 (Member), $42.00 (Door), $21.00 (Student)
🎟 Tickets

Recent Shows

Shows from the last 90 days

Thu, Jun 4 Jazz
Emi Makabe + Vitor Gonçalves + Thomas Morgan + Kenny Wollesen
7:00 PM
Wed, Jun 3 Benefit Concert
Voices for Vista
6:00 PM
Mon, Jun 1 Jazz
Bennett Roth Trio
7:00 PM
Sun, May 31 Folk
Jaeger & Reid + Aileen Vance + Emma's Revolution
3:00 PM
Sat, May 30 Son Jarocho
Olas Perdidas
7:00 PM
Fri, May 29 Jazz
Frankie Moreno Trio
7:00 PM
Thu, May 21 Jazz
Peter Erskine Trio
7:00 PM
Wed, May 20 Jazz
Veronica Swift
7:00 PM
Mon, May 18 Jazz
Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio
7:00 PM
Sun, May 17 Jazz
Bobby McFerrin
3:00 PM
Sat, May 16 Folk
Bob Dylan's Love Songs (Various Artists)
7:00 PM
Thu, May 14 Jazz
Caroline Davis – Portals Quartet
7:00 PM
Wed, May 13 World
Ablaye Cissoko + Cyrille Brotto
7:00 PM
Fri, May 8 Jazz
Benny Benack III
7:00 PM
Thu, May 7 Jazz
Hiromi's Sonicwonder
9:00 PM
Wed, May 6 Jazz
Lucía
7:00 PM
Tue, May 5 Educational
Gregorio Uribe
7:00 PM
Mon, May 4 Latin Jazz
Gregorio Uribe
7:00 PM
Sun, May 3 Classical
Edith Pageaud
7:00 PM
Sun, May 3 Jazz
Pat Metheny
7:30 PM
Sat, May 2 Funk
Martha High's Funky Divas + Fred Wesley & The New JBs
9:00 PM
Fri, May 1 Celtic
Scottish Fish
7:30 PM
Thu, Apr 30 Jazz
Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band
7:00 PM
Wed, Apr 29 Jazz
Dafnis Prieto
7:00 PM
Tue, Apr 28 Jazz
Dafnis Prieto
7:00 PM
Mon, Apr 27 Jazz
Sullivan Fortner Trio
7:00 PM
Sat, Apr 25 Indie Folk
Poi Rogers + Grey DeLisle + Eddie Clendening + The Blue Ribbon Boys
7:00 PM
Fri, Apr 24 Contemporary Music
Palaver Strings + Nicholas Phan
7:00 PM
Thu, Apr 23 Jazz
Jane Monheit
7:00 PM
Mon, Apr 20 Jazz
Gary Bartz
7:00 PM

More Venues in Downtown Santa Cruz

The Catalyst 14 shows Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 6 shows