In 2021, The Soraya made a major commitment to jazz, announcing its first festival and building upon an esteemed history of jazz performances at the venue. In the decade prior, The Soraya had hosted dozens of extraordinary artists, but a festival required so much more — setting aside a month on the calendar and “building” a Jazz Club, a stage-within-a-stage that replicates the time-honored tradition of combining food and drink in an intimate setting, the optimal experience for trios, quartets, and other small ensembles.
By the time Jazz at Naz was set to premiere, the COVID variant Omicron crashed onto the scene, rendering vaccines largely ineffective. We were faced with a difficult decision – cancel the festival or resume pandemic-era live-streaming. We chose the latter but offered audiences an option – come in person or view remotely. It worked. A packed opening night with Wynton Marsalis garnered double the audience – as many fans watched from home as attended in person while wearing masks. In the years since, worldwide audiences from Italy to the Philippines have joined our broadcasts, which have grown into a major operation with six cameras and extensive backstage material and interviews.
Among the other highlights was the debut of Samara Joy just weeks after winning her Grammy Award as 2023 Best New Artist We had paired her with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, to give the 23-year-young singer a boost, as the sold-out performance and wild ovation could not have been imagined when we initially engaged her a year earlier.
Why did The Soraya make such a major commitment to jazz? In part because jazz artists struggled more than many during the pandemic closures. While musicians in a symphony orchestra like the LA Phil, for example, received their salaries and benefits during the closures, few jazz artists enjoyed such a lifeline. We also saw the festival as a continuance of CSUN’s longstanding reputation for Jazz Studies, one of the most respected programs in the United States. The students from the program regularly participate in the festival in a variety of ways.
A couple weeks ago, we completed the 5th edition of the festival. In a short time, Jazz at Naz has featured 34 performances and 41 artists, gaining critical praise.
DownBeat magazine named The Soraya as one of the “World’s Great Jazz Venues,” and its annual Jazz at Naz festival is featured in the magazine’s yearly “not to miss” guide. In its brief five-year history, the festival has featured a who’s who of jazz greats and debut artists alike. To better make the point, we have created a video with highlights from the past five years.
One of the things I’ve grown to appreciate most about jazz is the way generations honor those who preceded them. The jazz community is extraordinary in this way among others. In Los Angeles, we recognize our forebears from Central Avenue; we acknowledge the many clubs that once thrived city-wide; and we celebrate modern luminaries at Leimert Park and the Jazz Bakery. We also look to the future. Last month the City of Los Angeles announced a new festival to launch this summer, 2026. At the press conference at City Hall, representatives positioned the festival the city’s “first ever” jazz festival. While untrue, I’m confident the jazz community forgives them for this oversight. That’s how we roll.
Gratefully,
Jazz at Naz festival was named by Downbeat magazine as one of the world’s top jazz venues
Jazz at Naz has featured 34 performances and 41 artists
The CSUN Jazz Studies program is widely recognized as one of the top collegiate jazz programs in the United States, noted for its award-winning bands and rigorous undergraduate training.
