Introduce your children to the joys of music at the The SFJAZZ Center’s family-friendly monthly matinees in downtown San Francisco. SFJAZZ Family Matinees connects young audience members to world-renowned musicians in an engaging environment that is both fun and educational. Now is your chance to give your budding musician the opportunity to discover the enjoyment of a wide range of music genres.

SFJAZZ FAMILY MATINEE SEASON

**JACKELINE RAGO & RHYTHM TALKS**

**SEP 23, 2023 11am**
Multi-instrumentalist and bandleader/educator Jackeline Rago celebrates the rich tapestry of Venezuelan music. In this captivating and interactive show suitable for all ages, Rago’s Rhythm Talks ensemble presents styles including calypso, parranda, joropo, golpe de tambor, and the magical "quitiplas'' bamboo ensemble. Experience the vibrant sounds of South America with Jackeline Rago and Rhythm Talks Venezuela!

**DOUG GOODKIN & FRIENDS**

**OCT 14, 2023, 11am**
With a music education career spanning 4 decades, musician and Bay Area treasure Doug Goodkin celebrates the release of his new book—Stories Every American Should Know—by highlighting pieces of some of the 23 jazz musicians featured in the book. What a perfect way to introduce children to these American geniuses! All of the band members in this performance also happen to be music educators themselves, including soulful vocalist and special guest Rhonda Benin.

**TIFFANY AUSTIN**

**NOV 18, 2023, 11am**
Soulful songstress Tiffany Austin explores the art of storytelling, guiding us on an adventure to other places through song. For this family matinee, music becomes our very own time machine through which we can travel to the past, present and future, and on to other worlds. Austin and her musical co-pilots—pianist Tammy L. Hall, bassist Marcus Shelby and drummer Leon Joyce Jr—share the magical compositions of Mary Lou Williams, Eden Ahbez and others, and celebrate the indelible songs of our jazz lexicon.

**ADAM SHULMAN**

**DEC 16, 2023, 11am**
Quickly becoming an annual tradition at SFJAZZ for Bay Area jazz fans of all ages, pianist Adam Shulman reprises his tribute to Bay Area jazz legend Vince Guaraldi and his beloved soundtrack to Charles Schulz’s 1965 holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Join us for a joyful look and listen back as we get grooving and swinging to favorites including “Linus and Lucy” and “Christmas is Coming,” and celebrate the holidays with the entire family!

**OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR**

**FEB 17. 2024, 11am**
Under the direction of Founding Artistic Director Terrance Kelly, the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir presents a captivating musical revue in celebration of Black History Month. From heartfelt Negro spirituals performed with an authenticity not often found outside of the South, to energetic and upbeat contemporary gospel, the show also offers historical context for each piece throughout and is sure to uplift and inspire an audience of all ages.

**PAMELA ROSE**

**MAR 16, 2024, 11am**
Pamela Rose’s celebrated Blues Is a Woman blurs the boundaries between concert and theater, using storytelling and music to bring to life the colorful history of the bold and singular women who wrote and popularized the blues. Our ensemble of powerful artists will take you on a journey from the very earliest days of 'trouble' songs—which mothers sang to their children—through the decades in a celebration of blues and blueswomen!

**MARCUS SHELBY ORCHESTRA**

**APR 13, 2024, 11am**
In celebration of the beginning of the 2024 baseball season, the Marcus Shelby Orchestra will present excerpts from Shelby's Black Ball: The Negro Leagues and the Blues, a suite that honors the history of Black baseball. The music includes songs, text, and instrumental compositions about Satchel Paige, Rube Foster, Effa Manley , Jackie Robinson, Toni Stone, barnstorming territory bands, umpires, and much more. Concertgoers should expect surprises, including clowns, video, and physical comedy. Baseball fans are encouraged to wear your favorite baseball jersey!

**TAMMY L. HALL**

**MAY 18, 2024**
Please join us as we celebrate the music and adventurousness of Mary Lou Williams and Tania Maria. They were—and are—maestras of BOTH HANDS at the piano, the left hand being just as agile and strong as the right. For jazz icon Mary Lou Williams, blues and Spirituals were the foundation, and for Brazilian pianist Tania Maria, mixing samba with just about anything provided new and inspired grooves. We will explore these styles and more as we acknowledge two piano powerhouses in our final family matinee of the season!

In this digital age, kids need music more than ever and nothing can replace the experience of listening to music and seeing dance performed live. Each one-hour matinee features a professional performance and audience participation at an incredibly affordable price.

Know Before You Go

🎺 There is no assigned seating. The amphitheater seating gives everyone a great view of the performers no matter where you sit. There is limited seating on the bottom floor, which is flat, but you are close to the stage.

🎷 Following select performances are FREE workshops but you need to register in the lobby prior to the show. Space is limited to the first 65 people then they start a waitlist. These half hour workshops vary in content and are inspired by the show. Best to arrive about 20-30 minutes before the show. If you are on the waitlist, a lot of families drop out so it's worth hanging around if you didn’t register on time.

🎹 Kids will be kids. They will cry, comment, giggle, dance, scream run up and down the isles and plan to see the occasional shoe lights twinkle too.

🎤 Allow your kids to be kids. I heard a lot of hushing and parents leaving but don't worry if it's your kid that is making the noise.

🎵 SFJAZZ is located in the the trendy Hayes Valley neighborhood with it’s lovely boutique and specialty shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and more. There’s a small park called Patricia’s Green on Octavia Street between Hayes and Fell, with a playground and inventive sculptures, occasional food trucks, and famous Smitten Ice Cream, serving up made-to-order scoops with its liquid nitrogen technology.

🚗 Park at the Performing Arts Garage located on Grove between Franklin & Gough or the Civic Center Garage located on McAllister between Polk & Larkin. Or take Public Transportation BART: Civic Center Station; MUNI Metro: Van Ness Station; Muni Lines (Bus): 6, 16X, 21, 47, 49, 71, 71L, 90. SFJAZZ membership benefits include exclusive opportunity to pre-purchase parking.

🎶 SFJAZZ Center is conveniently located at the corner of Franklin and Fell streets in San Francisco.