MAIN STAGE
11:00am Nathan Tokunaga Quartet
Nathan Tokunaga is a New York City–based woodwind player from the San Francisco Bay Area whose music blends classic jazz traditions with a fresh voice. The 2026 YoungArts® winner in jazz clarinet, he has performed widely at venues and festivals including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Smalls Jazz Club, Lindy Focus, and the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. His playing aims to bring the joy and spirit of swing to a new generation of listeners. Through performance, academic and private study, and recording projects, Nathan continues to refine his own artistic direction while remaining rooted in the jazz tradition.
12:00pm Tuck and Patti
For over 45 years, this unique, genre-crossing vocal/guitar duo has cast its passionate musical spell worldwide, capturing the hearts of lovers, the respect of jazz buffs and the jaw-dropping awe of guitarists and singers. Their recording career took off with 1988's groundbreaking Tears of Joy. Now, 13 albums later, they have toured the world incessantly as a duo, appearing at times alongside Miles Davis, Count Basie, George Benson, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and many others. They have long been regarded by musicians and critics as the standard for an improvising musical duo. Their music spans Duke Ellington, the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix--rock, pop, jazz, gospel, blues, folk, world and classical--classics and originals, but inevitably finally just sounds like Tuck & Patti. Transcending categorization, Tuck & Patti are known for individual virtuosity in service of the greater goal of expressing love, hope and gratitude through their musical collaboration.
1:30pm Roger Glenn Latin Jazz Ensemble with special guest Ray Obiedo
Roger Glenn, a second-generation jazz master on vibraphone, flute, and saxophone, brings his dynamic Latin Jazz Ensemble to KCSM Jazz on the Hill on June 6, 2026. Over a remarkable career spanning decades, Glenn has performed and recorded with jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, Herbie Mann, and Donald Byrd. Blending vibrant Afro-Caribbean rhythms with modern jazz improvisation, the ensemble performs selections from Glenn’s acclaimed 2025 release My Latin Heart. The group features Marcos Silva (piano), Robb Fisher (bass), Kelly Fasman (drums), and Michaelle Goerlitz (percussion), with special guest guitarist Ray Obiedo (guitar).
3:00pm Miles Smiles, A Celebration featuring: Essiet Essiet, David Sanchez, Edward Simon, Eddie Henderson and Akira Tana
4:30pm Vanessa Collier
Vanessa Collier is a captivating and multitalented blues vocalist, saxophonist, and songwriter, hailing from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music. She demonstrates her skills as a master musician and songwriter, blending her blues background with elements of funk, rock, and soul. Her recently released album, Do It My Own Way, was sonically inspired by the classic Memphis soul sound. And just like the title says, she did it her own way – crowdfunding, writing, producing, arranging, playing multiple instruments and layering lead and background vocals. Vanessa’s powerful vocals, gritty saxophone solos, and incredible high-energy performance create a powerful show not to be missed!
YOUTH STAGE
11:30am Oaktown Jazz Workshop
Founded in 1994, Oaktown Jazz Workshops is a non-profit, community based, cultural education organization dedicated to passing on the tradition of jazz music to young people through music instruction, educational presentations and live concerts in the community.
1:00pm Stanford Jazz Combo
1:00pm SF JAZZ High School All Stars
A pre-professional training program for current Bay Area high school age jazz musicians, the All-Stars rehearse and perform throughout the school year at the SFJAZZ Center, receive mentorship and clinics with leading jazz professionals, record a professional studio album, compose and arrange original music in addition to studying a wide range of repertoire, and appear at prestigious music festivals and competitions.
Although it may be a cliché to boast that the future of jazz is in good hands, the skilled young musicians in our All-Stars program continue to earn accolades wherever they appear, including numerous Downbeat Awards, first place in The Portland Jazz Forward and Charles Mingus festivals, and so many more.
2:30pm SJZ High School All Stars
San Jose Jazz was founded in 1986 and the High School All Stars was founded in 1997 and is a regional, audition-based, advanced music education program for students who want to engage in the study and performance of jazz. The program includes a large ensemble and a combo. It’s designed to help students achieve a mastery of performance and improvisation techniques while advancing their knowledge of music theory, arranging, composition, performance, and jazz history. The program is under the direction of Dr. Aaron Lington, professor of music and coordinator of the Jazz Studies Program at San José State University.