Jazz Lineup

Jazz Festival Artists

Jazz Festival 2026
Live music is performed on the festival lawn 12:30pm to 9:00pm*.
*with intermissions

GEORGE CABLES

George Cables is an acclaimed jazz pianist and composer whose career spans more than five decades. Known for his lyrical touch, harmonic sophistication, and deep swing, Cables has performed and recorded with legends including Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, and Dexter Gordon. A respected bandleader and prolific composer, he continues to be celebrated as one of the most expressive voices in modern jazz.

Jeff Hamilton

Jeff Hamilton is an acclaimed jazz drummer born in Richmond, Indiana, whose career spans decades of performances and recordings with some of the greatest names in jazz. Influenced by legends like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, he rose to prominence with the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, and the L.A.4., later performing with Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra, Oscar Peterson, and Ray Brown. A four-time Modern Drummer Readers’ Poll winner, Hamilton has appeared on over 300 recordings and toured worldwide with the Jeff Hamilton Trio and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, earning honors including induction into The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame and recognition from the Monterey Jazz Festival.

ACID COLE TRIO

The Acid Cole Trio—featuring Bill Cunliffe on piano, Larry Koonse on guitar, and Darek Oles on bass—brings a vibrant and conversational approach to the classic piano-guitar-bass format. Inspired by the music of Nat King Cole, Ahmad Jamal, and Oscar Peterson, the trio blends beloved standards with original compositions that range from swinging and lyrical to deeply meditative. Their performances balance thoughtful arrangements with moments of spontaneous freedom, creating a dynamic and interactive experience. With an extensive repertoire tailored to each audience—whether highlighting music from the movies or the Cool Era—the Acid Cole Trio delivers sophisticated jazz with warmth, wit, and energy.

Scotty Bramer

Scotty Bramer is a jazz guitarist, composer/arranger, and educator from Los Angeles, California. Since graduating from USC’s Thornton School of Music in 2011, he has performed, recorded and toured with numerous artists in SoCal and around the country. He also leads and composes original music for his own trio and his exciting psychedelic jazz project “Bodhisattva.”
His original music carries a deep soulfulness, expressing an array of emotions and can be both fiery and adventurous as well as introspective and heartfelt. As an improviser, he loves to explore the unknown with an adventurous spirit and is often described as “melodic and tasteful.” Scotty strives to convey honesty and vulnerability in his music, openly sharing his heart and his life with the audience.

Jake Brown

Jake Brown is a high-intensity saxophone player and dynamic entertainer based in Southern California. Blending jazz, rock, and fusion with fearless creativity, Jake delivers electrifying performances that leave a lasting impression. Known for giving everything he's got every time he hits the stage, his genre-bending sound and raw energy make him a standout voice in the modern music scene.

Kaity B

Kaity B is a singer-songwriter, pianist, and aspiring producer based in Corona, California. She is a recent graduate of Concordia University Irvine, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music with an emphasis in Songwriting. During her time at Concordia, she was a member of the Concordia Choir and the Commercial Music Ensemble, and she currently serves as a worship leader at ministries throughout Southern California. Kaity B has performed at numerous public events, including the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering, which hosted over 20,000 attendees at Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as the Top Honors Recital held at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in July 2025. She frequently shares her original music at different venues throughout Orange County and Los Angeles, and she continues to inspire those around her by embodying positivity and striving to create music that truly resonates with her listeners. Follow Kaity B on Instagram @kaity.beee to catch behind‑the‑scenes moments, album updates, and the exciting rollout of her first releases coming in 2026!

mina choi ORCHESTRA

18-piece Jazz Big Band featuring, George Cables, piano.

Mina Choi is a Korean-born, Los Angeles-based jazz pianist, composer, and conductor whose music uniquely blends jazz, classical, and the rich traditions of her Korean heritage. With years of experience as both a performer and educator in California, Mina’s work reflects her personal journey, characterized by beautiful melodies, intricate rhythms, and colorful harmonies. Each composition tells a story, inviting listeners to experience a deep emotional connection to her music.
The Mina Choi Orchestra recently released a studio big band album, Stories, which reflects her journey as an immigrant—capturing themes of struggle, longing, and self-discovery. The album features jazz greats George Cables, Alex Acuña, and Bill Cunliffe.

MIMA JAzz troupe

Please join us for an unforgettable afternoon featuring the captivating sounds of a distinguished jazz troupe: Mina Choi on piano, Ivan Malespin on trombone, Mark Ferber on drums, Sezin Ahmet on bass, and Ana Carvalho on voice.

Josh Nelson

Josh Nelson is a pianist, composer, and recording artist with an active international career. He has performed and recorded with many of jazz’s most respected artists, including Natalie Cole, Ivan Lins, Michael Bublé, Benny Golson, John Clayton, Lewis Nash, Eddie Daniels, and Gaby Moreno. He toured worldwide for six years with Natalie Cole and continues to perform and arrange for leading vocalists and instrumentalists across genres.

Josh has released a series of critically acclaimed albums, beginning with Anticipation (2004) and Let It Go (2007), followed by concept-driven projects such as The Discovery Project, Exploring Mars, Dream in the Blue (with Sara Gazarek), and The Sky Remains, which was featured on NPR’s Jazz Night in America. His recent releases include several live recordings from Japan and Los Angeles.

A recipient of numerous honors including the Louis Armstrong and John Philip Sousa Awards, Josh was a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. Recent highlights include touring with Rufus Wainwright in 2023 and appearing on Ivan Lins’ album My Heart Speaks.

JACOB WENDT

Drummer, composer, and bandleader JACOB WENDT has a unique sound; balanced, supportive, and interactive, with a driving energy that serves the music while leaving space for others to speak — he is an authoritative yet never intrusive player. Originally from the Bay Area, his original ensembles have headlined major venues across Northern and Southern California including Blue Whale, Dizzy’s, Yoshi’s, The Fillmore Jazz Festival, Catalina’s Bar & Grille, Campus JAX, and The Grape. To date he has released one album as a leader (Jacob Wendt Quartet, 2011), another as co-leader (Carter-White-Wendt, 2013), and a collection of original compositions (Jacob Wendt Sextet: Live at the Blue Whale, 2020). His critically acclaimed album, Silver Street (Hayden Records, 2024) is a classic hardbop quintet project in the spirit of Blue Note Records during the 1950’s & 60’s. Already dubbed "an instant jazz classic," the album features all original compositions by Wendt, influenced by jazz greats such as Horace Silver, Sonny Clark, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Hank Mobley. Recent tours include San Diego, Florida, Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, and Sonoma County.

RODOLFO ZUNIGA

Rodolfo Zúñiga is a drummer and composer from San José, Costa Rica, now based in Los Angeles. He has performed with a wide range of acclaimed jazz artists, including Randy Brecker, Joe Locke, Lew Tabackin, Bill Cunliffe, Camila Meza, Jonathan Kreisberg, Troy Roberts, and many others.

Rodolfo is a tenured Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at Cal State Fullerton and an active international educator, having presented at the Jazz Education Network Conference and taught masterclasses across Europe, Latin America, and the United States. As a bandleader, his quartet Surfaces has released two albums and performs throughout the U.S., Central, and South America.

As a sideman, Rodolfo has toured extensively at major international jazz festivals and serves as the drummer for multi-Grammy Award–winning artist Julio Iglesias, performing at iconic venues worldwide including Royal Albert Hall, Dubai Opera House, and Rockefeller Center. He is a proud endorser of Zildjian Cymbals and Vic Firth.