Isaiah Sharkey, from left, Christian McBride and George Benson attend SFJazz’s 2026 Gala on Thursday, May 7, at SFJazz Cnenter in San Francisco.
Drew Altizer Photography/SFJazz
Want to revitalize San Francisco? Look to jazz.
The celebration of an interlinked triumvirate of jazz giants at the SFJazz Gala on Thursday, May 7, made a case for jazz’s role not as a preserver of history but as a force for driving the city’s future as a creative hub.
George Benson: 8 p.m. Monday, May 11. $74.50-$204.50; Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F. www.sfjazz.org
Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane: 7:30 p.m. May 28-30; 7 p.m. May 31. $44.50-$124.50. SFJazz Center’s Robert N. Miner Auditorium, 201 Franklin St., S.F. www.sfjazz.org
The message from the stage of the SFJazz Center’s Robert N. Miner Auditorium focused on the legacies of saxophonist John Coltrane and trumpeter Miles Davis as artists who “could hear the future,” in the words of saxophone great Gary Bartz, who played with Davis circa 1970. Working together and apart, the seminal artists, born 100 years ago, exponentially expanded the creative possibilities of music in the mid-20th century.
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With members of the SFJazz Collective serving as the house band, a glittering lineup of musicians, including bass star Christian McBride and alto saxophonist Tia Fuller, played distilled versions of tunes written or defined by Davis and Coltrane. Alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin’s brief, full-throttle rendition of “My Favorite Things” provided an early jolt of energy.
The performances were consistently strong, but there were few truly jaw-dropping moments until trumpeter Keyon Harrold’s muted horn traced the melody on a slyly funky version of “Hannibal” led by electric bassist Marcus Miller (who produced the valedictory 1989 Davis album “Amandla” that introduced the tune).
Terence Blanchard, left, and Gabrielle Armand address audiences at SFJazz’s gala on Thursday, May 7.
Ando Caulfield/SFJazz
The Gala itself was a sleek marvel of production, packing music, several thoughtful tributes and videos produced for the occasion into a seamless 100-minute show. In his third gala as SFJazz’s executive artistic director, Terence Blanchard spent more time playing trumpet than holding forth, leaving the key messaging to CEO Gabrielle Armand.
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It was her first gala, and she made it clear, without going into specifics, that she’s ready to put her stamp on the organization, predicting a “a new era for the organization, one defined by growth, expanded impact and even deeper commitment.”
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Coming from someone else it could sound like boilerplate, but Armand came from Jazz at Lincoln Center, the only organization in the nation with a larger jazz footprint, and she sounded like she’s getting SFJazz ready for a bigger pair of shoes. “As the city continues its resurgence, the arts are helping lead the way forward, and jazz remains one of its most powerful voices,” she said, a sentiment reflected in the night’s performances.
Other remarks were mostly concise and on point. Former SFJazz Collective saxophonist Joe Lovano, sounding like Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski’s smarter older brother, described growing up with Coltrane’s records after his father, a top tenor saxophonist in Cleveland, encountered the unknown Trane at an early 1950s jam session.
Over the years the event has upped its glamour game, and concertgoers looked conspicuously fashion conscious. More than one was overheard querying a seat neighbor about a gown, “Who’s your designer?”
George Benson accepted a lifetime achievement award at SFJazz’s gala on Thursday, May 7.
Ando Caulfield/SFJazz
The man of the hour was guitarist, vocalist and chart-topping pop star George Benson, who accepted a lifetime achievement award with some candid remarks about Davis’s famously prickly personality. He was introduced by gala co-chair Divesh Makan, who described using Benson’s hits “Give Me the Night” or “Turn Your Love Around” to close sales of stereo systems in his family’s electronics store in apartheid-era South Africa, a tactic equally effective across racial lines.
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At 83, Benson has been a professional musician for more than seven decades, emerging as a prodigy from Pittsburgh to add a fiery, virtuosic flair to the 1960s soul jazz movement. He went on to earn multiple Grammy Awards and sell millions of records, a legacy soulfully evoked by guitarist and vocalist Isaiah Sharkey’s version of Leon Thomas’s “This Masquerade,” which was a Top 10 hit for Benson in 1976.
Beaming at the band, Benson seemed eager to share the spotlight. “A lot of these young people up here tonight,” he said, pointing at the band, “I saw them when they were young, and now they’re the top musicians in the world.”
He took over the microphone to sing “Moody’s Mood For Love,” but it was the finale of “Give Me the Night” with Benson taking up the guitar and the Co-Llab Choir materializing in the row of seats behind the stage to provide backup vocals that suddenly elevated the Gala into a party.
Benson’s performance Monday, May 11, at Davies Symphony Hall is sold out, while SFJazz’s celebration of Davis and Coltrane continues over four shows May 28-31 co-led by Blanchard and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane.