The Angel City Jazz Festival consistently features the most innovative and original musicians working today, balancing established artists with emerging talent and focusing on West Coast creative jazz—past, present, and future.
Steve Lehman & Garden of Klōns
Garden of Klōns is a new Los Angeles-based trio featuring three world-renowned improvisers and composers: Steve Lehman on alto saxophone and effects pedals, Cory Smythe on augmented piano, and Jonathan Pinson on drum set and sensory percussion. As an ensemble, their work explores the intersection of otherworldly harmonies and propulsive, meticulously crafted rhythms.
Kris Davis Trio’s Run the Gauntlet
Run the Gauntlet emerges as the latest album from Kris Davis, accompanied by the extraordinary talents of bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Johnathan Blake. In this project, Davis pays homage to six trailblazing women pianists whose resilience carved new pathways in the male-dominated field of jazz. The music of Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Sylvie Courvoisier, Marilyn Crispell, Renee Rosnes, and Angelica Sanchez left an indelible mark on Davis’ journey as a pianist and composer. Seamlessly melding composition with improvisation, this album stands as a testament to Davis’ singular voice within the jazz landscape.
"[Steve Lehman] is one of the transforming figures of early 21st-century jazz."
John Fordham, The Guardian
