Playlist: SFJAZZ Debuts We Can't Wait To Hear

I’m really looking forward to Clone Row, and this show is both a debut and a homecoming for drummer Ches Smith. He was a Bay Area resident in the 90s, and I remember seeing him with Good for Cows and Trevor Dunn back in the day before he made the move east, and he’s gone on to be one of the busiest and most inventive percussionists on the experimental/avant-garde scene. He brings a spiky punk-rock energy to his work with Marc Ribot, John Zorn, Tim Berne, David Torn, and others, and this band with guitarists Mary Halvorson and Liberty Ellman and bassist Nick Dunston is a powerhouse. This track is a great example of the electro-acoustic sound he does so well, and the band plays on 10/16 in the Joe Henderson Lab.   

– RUSTY ACEVES, SENIOR CONTENT EDITOR AND COPYWRITER

Michael Carvin is a living legend, and somehow not a household name. Hailing from Houston, where they seem to grow ridiculous drummers, Carvin is probably best known for his work with organist Lonnie Liston Smith’s Cosmic Echoes and classic records on the Black Jazz label. Beyond his huge discography that includes albums by Pharoah Sanders, Cecil McBee, and Jackie McLean, his greatest legacy is as an educator, and his students include Ralph Peterson Jr., Nasheet Waits. Tyshawn Sorey, and Jaz Sawyer. His appearances in the Bay Area as a leader are rare, and I was lucky to be in the audience at San Francisco’s Black Cat for this live recording of Thelonious Monk’s “Rhythm-a-Ning" with bassist Mike Gurrulo and pianist Peter Smith. Carvin’s trio plays at SFJAZZ on 4/9. 

– RUSTY ACEVES, SENIOR CONTENT EDITOR AND COPYWRITER

Championed by Branford and Wynton Marsalis, rising star pianist and GRAMMY nominee Sean Mason makes his debut in SFJAZZ Center's Joe Henderson Lab, performing three must-see programs over three nights — Oct 10th he celebrates Thelonious Monk's Birthday with classic selections from the jazz legend. The next night, on Oct 11th he leads his masterful young quartet that will surely have everyone in the audience groovin'. Finally, on Oct 12th the pianist will team up with acclaimed trumpeter Anthony Hervey, who has rapidly emerged as a leading voice in contemporary jazz and recently recognized by Grammy.com as one of the “10 Emerging Artists to Know”. 

– TJ GORTON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

One of the vanguard players in Los Angeles’ ambient jazz scene, bassist Sam Wilkes has a gift for making the abstract feel intimate. On “Hug,” he distills his style into something tender and tactile — a warm, ambient embrace that pulses with quiet emotion. Known for his collaborations with Sam Gendel, who provides the fiery melody here, and Louis Cole, Wilkes brings a deep sense of curiosity and care to everything he touches. This track somehow feels like a '90s hip-hop tune played at every summer BBQ, reimagined through a cloudy haze of spiritual jazz and warm electronics. You can catch Wilkes in the Joe Henderson Lab on October 26, a performance co-presented with Bay Area DIY jazz and oyster shucking collective Lo-fi Oyster Co. 

– DIEGO MUNGUIA, DIGITAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

With strong influences of Chick Corea and pioneering Brazilian legends like  Capiba, Moacir Santos, Hermeto Pascoal and Egberto Gismonti, the Recife-based pianist and composer is at the forefront of the next wave of great Brazilian artists. Redefining jazz with a fresh, “decolonized” approach, Amaro weaves ancestral musical traditions and ceremonial spiritual rhythms of Northern Brazil into mesmerizing compositions that expand the boundaries of the genre. He makes his highly anticipated SFJAZZ debut October 24-25, 2025 in the Joe Henderson Lab. 

– TJ GORTON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Perhaps the most talented and adventurous brass quartet working today, melding jazz and improvisational music with chamber and classical music for a truly singular sound. They last played SFJAZZ backing Dave Douglas. They frequent the Bay Area as the horn section for folk-rock band Fleet Foxes. And now they debut at SFJAZZ with a brand new album. You can catch them in the Joe Henderson lab on Saturday, March 24. 

– ROSS EUSTIS, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL

You can’t watch Endea play the bass and not smile. Many of you may recognize her from Jon Batiste’s band, both on the Colbert Late Show and in jazz clubs and recordings. Endea has been leading her own group called The Cookout for the past couple of years and we’re thrilled she’s finally making her SFJAZZ debut on April 25, 2026.

– TJ GORTON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Labrats are a genre-bending blend of jazz, funk, and experimental hip-hop—like if Sun Ra had a sampler. Their track “Loading Screen” unfolds like a digital dreamscape, layering lush textures, warped synths, and hypnotic grooves into a sound that’s both futuristic and deeply rooted in the improvisational spirit. With roots in DIY beat culture and a love for sonic exploration, Labrats craft soundscapes perfect for both head-nodding and existential pondering. On September 12, 2025, Labrats kick off SFJAZZ’s Hotplate series with a tribute to Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking 1971 album Mwandishi, reimagining its cosmic textures and rhythmic complexity through their own electro-acoustic lens. Expect deep grooves, spaced-out vibes, and at least one moment where you ask yourself, “Wait… was that a bass clarinet or a spaceship?” 

– DIEGO MUNGUIA, DIGITAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

ELEW, aka Eric Lewis, is one of the leading pianists of his generation, and deserves his flowers! He spent years touring with Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Elvin Jones, Jon Hendricks, and Roy Hargrove. He was briefly a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. More recently, he’s carved out a new lane covering rock tunes on piano under the name ELEW and tagline “Rockjazz” such as his supercharged cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” When he debuts at SFJAZZ on 9/13-14, he’ll be taking on the music of Sting, who he opened for on tour throughout 2024.

– ROSS EUSTIS, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL