📆 Friday, September 6th – Sunday, September 8th
🎟 Tickets start at $10
📍 Venues including Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, Wonder Bar, Cheeky Cafe, Pratt Fine Arts, and many more | See full schedule below
Jazz music has at least 40 sub-genres, including classic jazz, Latin jazz, jazz funk, and even acid jazz. When attempting to define the style, trumpeter Bubber Miley created a credo that became a song—a song that distilled the genre into a single phrase: “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).” According to the lyrics, whether the music is soft and mellow or upbeat and intense doesn’t matter as long as you give the rhythm your all. For 11 years, Seattle’s Jackson Street Jazz Walk has brought groove and swing to the Central District, focusing on music, community, and legacy.
The event pays homage to icons who got their start here, including Ernestine Anderson, Ray Charles, and Quincy Jones. It also spotlights locals, featuring 26 bands on 11 different community stages. Attendees can stroll as they catch groups like The Elnah Jordan Experience, Todo Es, and The King Dre Trio.
The festival starts Friday, September 6th, with a Latin-themed Jazz Caliente Con Corazón (“Hot Jazz with Heart”) concert, but visitors can find the full performance schedule online and below.
💌 Be Our Pen Pal! Find out what’s happening in Seattle by subscribing to our newsletter.