FREE annual fan favorite event returns virtually Dec. 14-17 and includes performances from Barbara Morrison & The Bu Crew, 2021 2x GRAMMY nominee Robert Glasper and Terrace Martin

Councilmember Curren Price (Courtesy photo)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 25th anniversary of the celebrated Central Avenue Jazz Festival, which draws tens of thousands of revelers each year, is going virtual. Host Councilmember Curren Price is happy to announce that for the first time Angelenos can stream the event from the comfort of their homes Dec. 14-17 by visiting www.centralavejazzfest.com/. LA Cityview Channel 35, which is available on all cable providers within the CIty of Los Angeles, will also televise the musical celebration.

“We regret not being able to gather on Central Avenue as we typically do each summer, however, this is a necessary sacrifice to keep our community safe and healthy during this time,” said Councilmember Price. “We miss gathering with dozens of musicians, jazz fans, as well as hundreds of small business vendors, exhibitors and non-profit organizations that support this beloved festival year after year. However, we’ve developed special programming with great performances that we can all enjoy while staying safe at home.”

For more than two decades, the Central Avenue Jazz Festival, held along Central Avenue between King Boulevard and Vernon Avenue on the last weekend in July, has paid homage to the region’s rich cultural past while turning the spotlight on what was once considered the epicenter of West Coast jazz.

This year’s schedule is as follows :

• MONDAY, DEC. 14: We will kick off the four days of programming by taking it back to where it all began with a rebroadcast of the must-see documentary, Central Ave. LIVE!: 1^st Central Ave. Jazz Festival Documentary 1996; revisiting the music and the history, with interviews and performances from Central Avenue musicians Buddy Collette, Roy Porter, Clora Bryant, Marl Young, Melba Liston, Mickey Champion, The Clara Ward Singers, Jackie Kelso, Ernie Andrews and others. In addition to an “LA Currents” discussion about the upcoming, highly anticipated Central Avenue Angels Walk, a self-guided historic walking trail.

• TUESDAY, DEC. 15: Barbara Morrison and The Bu Crew

• WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16: 2021 2x GRAMMY nominee Robert Glasper and Terrace Martin
• THURSDAY, DEC. 17: The Jazz Classics featuring Patrice Rushen with Ernie Watts, Marvin “Smitty” Smith and Reggie Hamilton

For more information on the special event, click here.