KJazz 88.1 | Community Events Calendar

Time:

8:00pm - 10:00pm

Event Info:

Ken Okada Group ft. Yoyoka Wednesday, April 2 @ 8:00 pm | $25.00 San Jose, CA-based bassist Ken Okada began arranging big band charts during his college years in the ’90s in Japan and has been composing music ever since. His work is heavily influenced by Japanese/American jazz fusion, video game music, and modern/contemporary big band sounds.

In 2022, Ken met and jammed with then-13-year-old drumming prodigy Yoyoka. He was instantly captivated by her mature, solid groove and playful style. Without hesitation, he brought in Grammy Award-winning tenor saxophonist Ben Torres and DownBeat Magazine’s Rising Star guitarist Hristo Vitchev for a studio recording session. That single-day session resulted in the band’s debut album Square One, which paved the way for several live gigs, including sold-out performances at San Jose Jazz Break Room in November 2023 and Alvas Showroom in August 2024. The band’s second album Young and Brave, also featuring four-times Grammy Award-nominated pianist Murray Low, has just been released.

With a dynamic lineup and a shared passion for pushing musical boundaries, the band continues to captivate audiences and carve out their unique space in the jazz fusion world.

Genres: Jazz Fusion

Performer Names/Instruments: Noriyuki Ken Okada – bass, composer & leader YOYOKA – drums Ben Torres – tenor sax Hristo Vitchev – guitar

Time:

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Event Info:

Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II - Annual Spring Residency--

In the spirit of the 2024 live recording sessions that birthed their forthcoming album Expanding To One, Phi-Psonics return for their annual spring residency at Healing Force of the Universe with 'Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II.' Join us Wednesdays in April as the band creates new musical explorations that will form the foundation of their next record. This is not an album release event, but a continuation of our yearly tradition of live experimentation and spontaneous composition. Experience firsthand the creative process that will eventually evolve into their next album.

With Seth Ford-Young, Sylvain Carton, Randal Fisher, Mitchell Yoshida, Zach Tenorio, Josh Collazo, Mathias Künzli, Andrew Macguire, Max Jaffe, Minta Spencer, Dylan Day and more guests TBA

Healing Force of the Universe

April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Doors at 8 PM

Time:

9:00am - 4:00pm

Event Info:

Experience two action-packed days including keynotes, master classes and panels from experts and thought leaders with cutting-edge strategies and numerous networking opportunities. Also check out the next generation of technology & innovation; Internet, Mobile, AdTech, MarTech & SaaS Technology. Attend in-person or online to access the next wave of digital innovation, including insights in AI and ChatGPT, marketing automation, content creation, growth hacking, social media marketing, SEO, and more.

Highlights: • Top Industry Keynotes: Hear from visionary speakers who push the boundaries of digital marketing. • Networking Opportunities: Connect with thought leaders, reunite with your peers, and expand your professional network. • Emerging Trends: Discover strategies and latest technologies to move your business to the next level. • Hands-On Learning: Master classes, case studies, and strategy sessions to equip you with practical solutions for immediate impact.

Time:

11:00am - 5:00pm

Event Info:

Spring is in the air and art is in bloom! The Sawdust Art Festival will host the new Spring Fling Art Show April 4-6, officially marking the start of the festival’s 59th season. The three-day immersive experience will bring together 130+ artists exhibiting their original art, along with a slate of new immersive and collaborative experiences for visitors to enjoy. A diverse array of art forms, including glassblowing, ceramics, painting, textiles, and jewelry, will be on display and available for purchase. Visitors also can enjoy live entertainment across three stages, watch live demos, take free art classes, and enjoy a variety of specialty food and drink offerings.

Time:

8:30pm - 9:30pm

Event Info:

The World Stage presents

Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra / Horace Tapscott Birthday Celebration

Friday, April 4, 2025 Doors 8pm, Show 8:30pm

The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra is a Black music ensemble founded in Los Angeles, in 1961, by pianist Horace Tapscott. Since the beginning the Ark has been dedicated to community, social consciousness, arts and Afrikan culture. The mission of the Ark is to preserve and present music from Black composers, dead or alive. To this date over 300 musicians have passed through the Ark, and that number continues to grow. Some notable members include: Michael Session, Kamasi Washington, Kamau Daaood, Dwight Trible, Phil Ranelin, Arthur Blythe, Adele Sebastian, Jesse Sharps, Nate Morgan and many more.

The World Stage, 4321 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 Parking and entrance located at the rear of the building. $20 Admission at the door

More Information: www.theworldstage.org

Time:

8:00pm - 10:00pm

Event Info:

Joshua Christian Childress Quartet Saturday, April 5 @ 8:00 pm | $25.00 The Joshua Christian Childress quartet features original compositions that fuses both the r&b elements from black music with modern jazz. Along with original arrangements from compositions of Cedar Walton, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.

Joshua is a graduate of Biola University and CSULB and has played with Ernie Watts, Wayne Bergeron, Will Brahm and more.

He has also worked with FINNEAS EILISH, Imagine Dragons, Kelly Rowland and many other pop icons as well.

Genres: Jazz

Performer Names/Instruments: Joshua Christian Childress – Saxophone Adam Hersh – Piano Cole Sainburg – Bass Angelo Alfonso Velasquez – Drums

Time:

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Event Info:

--Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II - Annual Spring Residency--

In the spirit of the 2024 live recording sessions that birthed their forthcoming album Expanding To One, Phi-Psonics return for their annual spring residency at Healing Force of the Universe with 'Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II.' Join us Wednesdays in April as the band creates new musical explorations that will form the foundation of their next record. This is not an album release event, but a continuation of our yearly tradition of live experimentation and spontaneous composition. Experience firsthand the creative process that will eventually evolve into their next album.

With Seth Ford-Young, Sylvain Carton, Randal Fisher, Mitchell Yoshida, Zach Tenorio, Josh Collazo, Mathias Künzli, Andrew Macguire, Max Jaffe, Minta Spencer, Dylan Day and more guests TBA

Healing Force of the Universe

April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Doors at 8 PM

Time:

6:30pm - 9:00pm

Event Info:

Back by popular demand after a standing ovation last summer! The Casino welcomes back Mando Cordova and his energy-centric band delivering a lively mix of R&B, Funk, Latin and Reggae. ___________________

Dinner Catered by Cal Fresh, 04/10 Menu:

Beef & Cheese Enchiladas

Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Mexican rice, Cumin Beans & Fresh Pico

Strawberry Tres Leches Trifle

___________________

Tickets are $50 per person

6:30PM - 9PM

Time:

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Event Info:

Presented in partnership with BluePort Jazz “Blanchard’s body of work is one of the broadest and most imposing of any living jazz musician.” - New York Times

FEATURED ARTISTS:

Terence Blanchard, trumpet Charles Altura, guitar Fabian Almazan, piano, synthesizers Oscar Seaton, drums David “DJ” Ginyard, bass

NEA Jazz Master, two-time Emmy and Oscar nominee, and eight-time GRAMMY®-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard has established himself as the quintessential 21st-century Renaissance man. In celebration of his artistic achievements, Blanchard will reimagine the music from his critically acclaimed album FLOW for a 20th-anniversary tour in 2025.

Twenty years ago, Blanchard reached one of the many creative pinnacles of his career and entered the studio with the objective of creating music that answers one simple but immense question: What brings joy and purpose to people’s lives? Both this query and the subsequent title of the album were inspired by renowned psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, which explores creativity, peak performance, and genuine happiness.

Two decades and many milestones later, Blanchard’s artistic identity and perception of this important art form have continued to evolve. To celebrate this fan-favorite album and his own growth as an artist over the last twenty years, Blanchard has reworked these iconic tunes for his current ensemble de force, which received a GRAMMY® nomination for its most recent recording, Absence. This ensemble, which has performed hundreds of shows over the last four years, now includes The E-Collective, comprised of Charles Altura on guitar, Taylor Eigsti on piano and synthesizers, Oscar Seaton on drums, and David “DJ” Ginyard on bass.

Time:

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Event Info:

Bring your dance shoes! This band is swinging! Pianist Chris Dawson includes vocalist Janice Anderson, guitarist Jonathan Stout and bassist Brian Ward in his SWINGTET. A musician's jam will take place at 13:00 followed by three toe-tapping ensembles. Come for an afternoon of FUN!

Time:

8:00pm - 9:00pm

Event Info:

Gary Myrick replaced Steve Ray Vaughan when Stevie left The Krakerjaks to go solo Gary went solo and had a hit with "She Talks In Stereo" then staredt Havana 3am with Paul Simonon from The Clash. Gary now features the blues on his new EP "The Sum Of All My Sins" preceded by "Adventures in 12 String"

Time:

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Event Info:

--Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II - Annual Spring Residency--

In the spirit of the 2024 live recording sessions that birthed their forthcoming album Expanding To One, Phi-Psonics return for their annual spring residency at Healing Force of the Universe with 'Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II.' Join us Wednesdays in April as the band creates new musical explorations that will form the foundation of their next record. This is not an album release event, but a continuation of our yearly tradition of live experimentation and spontaneous composition. Experience firsthand the creative process that will eventually evolve into their next album.

With Seth Ford-Young, Sylvain Carton, Randal Fisher, Mitchell Yoshida, Zach Tenorio, Josh Collazo, Mathias Künzli, Andrew Macguire, Max Jaffe, Minta Spencer, Dylan Day and more guests TBA

Healing Force of the Universe

April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Doors at 8 PM

Time:

2:30pm - 10:00pm

Event Info:

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosts its April Monthly Film Festival and annual InFocus: Asian Cinema & Immigration program, which features its annual InFocus: Asian Cinema program and InFocus: Immigration programs. The day also includes the Los Angeles premiere of Laramie Dennis’s narrative feature Where In the Hell.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both our general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates diversity, inclusion and region by spotlighting communities of filmmakers within our filmmaking community as part of our monthly program.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.NFMLA.org/events.

Time:

8:00pm - 10:00pm

Event Info:

Incendio with special guest Ardeshir Farah Saturday, April 19 @ 8:00 pm | $25.00 The acclaimed Los-Angeles-based group INCENDIO performs original “world guitar” music: incredible guitar-playing across latin, middle-eastern, and celtic grooves. Formed in 1999, the group has 11 CD’s and 2 DVD’s available internationally, variously hitting the Billboard, CMJ, NAV, and Amazon.com charts. INCENDIO’s live performance is an explosive improvisatory journey, garnering tremendous audience response across the globe.

Their 11th international release, SUMMONING THE MUSE, came out in June 2019. They have reached over 110 million spins on streaming radio and have over 11,000 Facebook likes. Their music can be heard on Pandora, Spotify, and other streaming outlets. Incendio is JP Durand (guitar, guitar synth), Jim Stubblefield (guitar), Liza Carbe (bass, guitar) and Tim Curle (drums).

Ardeshir Farah

This evening, they are joined by legendary guitarist, Ardeshir Farah. Ardeshir has performed in over 1000 concerts across the USA, South and Central America, Europe, and Asia. Since 1980, he has collaborated with Jorge Strunz in a guitar duo known as Strunz & Farah, producing twenty-one albums.

The duo met in Los Angeles in 1979 and was nominated for a Grammy award for Best World Music Album of the Year in 1992, alongside The Gipsy Kings, Sérgio Mendes, and two other groups. Ardeshir, who was born in Iran, is known for his highly virtuosic, rhythmic, and improvisation-rich guitar playing style, which has inspired fans and guitarists worldwide.

Genres: Modern World Guitar

Performer Names/Instruments: Jim Stubblefield – Guitar JP Durand – Guitar, Guitar Synth Liza Carbe – Bass Tim Curle – Drums *Special Guest* Ardeshir Farah – Guitar

Time:

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Event Info:

--Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II - Annual Spring Residency--

In the spirit of the 2024 live recording sessions that birthed their forthcoming album Expanding To One, Phi-Psonics return for their annual spring residency at Healing Force of the Universe with 'Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II.' Join us Wednesdays in April as the band creates new musical explorations that will form the foundation of their next record. This is not an album release event, but a continuation of our yearly tradition of live experimentation and spontaneous composition. Experience firsthand the creative process that will eventually evolve into their next album.

With Seth Ford-Young, Sylvain Carton, Randal Fisher, Mitchell Yoshida, Zach Tenorio, Josh Collazo, Mathias Künzli, Andrew Macguire, Max Jaffe, Minta Spencer, Dylan Day and more guests TBA

Healing Force of the Universe

April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Doors at 8 PM

Time:

7:30pm - 9:30pm

Event Info:

Adam Hersh Trio Thursday, April 24 @ 7:30 pm | $20.00 Adam Hersh trio featuring Max Gerl and Gary Novak will perform original compositions from their upcoming record influenced by Chick Corea, Billy Childs, Wayne Shorter and Holdsworth among others.

Genres: Jazz, Post Bop, Fusion, Piano Trio, Modern Jazz

Performer Names/Instruments: Adam Hersh – Piano Max Gerl – Bass Gary Novak -Drums

Time:

8:00pm - 10:00pm

Event Info:

Taylor Roberts Friday, April 25 @ 8:00 pm | $20.00 Taylor Roberts is a genre-defying guitarist based out of Jacksonville, Florida. Having toured internationally and performed for major festivals and celebrities, his virtuosity, versatility, and magnetic personality have made him one of the most in-demand musicians in the area.

Genres: Solo 7-string guitar. Jazz to R&B to Rock and everything in between.

Performer Names/Instruments: Taylor Roberts 7-string guitat

Time:

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Event Info:

--Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II - Annual Spring Residency--

In the spirit of the 2024 live recording sessions that birthed their forthcoming album Expanding To One, Phi-Psonics return for their annual spring residency at Healing Force of the Universe with 'Phi-Psonics: Laboratory II.' Join us Wednesdays in April as the band creates new musical explorations that will form the foundation of their next record. This is not an album release event, but a continuation of our yearly tradition of live experimentation and spontaneous composition. Experience firsthand the creative process that will eventually evolve into their next album.

With Seth Ford-Young, Sylvain Carton, Randal Fisher, Mitchell Yoshida, Zach Tenorio, Josh Collazo, Mathias Künzli, Andrew Macguire, Max Jaffe, Minta Spencer, Dylan Day and more guests TBA

Healing Force of the Universe

April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Doors at 8 PM