Once a year, thanks to the Basin Street Regulars, San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara counties become a hotbed of jazz when Jazz Jubilee arrives in October. This marks the event’s 49th year, and it’s a whopper: more than 30 bands playing at 20 different venues with multiple shows daily through Sunday, Oct. 26.
“This is the second year for the highly successful, area-wide ‘à la carte’ festival format, which has allowed for easy expansion across 20 venues,” organizers announced. “Under this innovative model, participating venues handle the coordination and booking of their own jazz and swing bands. To ensure collaborative success, the Basin Street Regulars organize the festival’s overall marketing and provide participating venues with promotional help. This successful partnership spotlights a multitude of jazz bands from near and far and weaves music directly into the region’s cultural fabric.”
There are literally too many shows to list here, so your best bet to see what’s happening is to visit pismojazz.com/2025-schedule-jazzfest. Some shows are free, and tickets for most (but not all) of the paid shows are available at my805tix.com/e/jazz-jubilee-25.
As an example of what you can expect, let me tell you about two of the closing acts who’ll be sharing a bill the final two days of the festival. On Saturday, Oct. 25, The Black Market Trust headlines the Clark Center (7 p.m.; all ages; $30 to $50 at clarkcenter.org). Hailing from LA, they’re known for their unique blend of legendary American jazz crooners-style vocals with the fiery musicality of the Paris hot club jazz of guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Opening will be New Jersey’s The Midiri Brothers, twin brothers recognized for their stunning multi-instrumental virtuosity.
The following day, the last day of the festival, The Black Market Trust will open for the Midiri Brothers when they play the Pismo Beach Vets Hall (doors at 11 a.m., show from noon to 4 p.m.; all ages; $35 at my805tix.com).
Other headliner shows feature the The Idiomatiques (a modern Gypsy jazz quartet presented by the SLO County Jazz Federation in SLO’s Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church), popular local jazz trumpeter and pianist Jeff Elliott (at the Madonna Inn and leading a Jazz Jam at the Costa De Oro tasting room), and internationally renowned boogie-woogie pianist Carl Sonny Leyland with pre-bebop trumpeter Marc Caparone (presented by the Basin Street Regulars at Puffers in Pismo Beach). Visit pismojazz.com and find your shows.
Bay to the Beach
NPR has described the Bay Area hip-hop scene as “one of the deepest, most insular, and most inscrutable rap regions. It’s also one of the more influential ones.”
The region has been a hotbed of hip-hop for 50 years now, and to celebrate, Good Vibez and Otter Productions Inc. are teaming up to bring Bay to the Beach to the Avila Beach Golf Resort on Saturday, Oct. 25 (gates at 4, show starting at 5 p.m.; all ages; $67.51 general or $295.52 for Beach Balcony at tixr.com).
It’s being billed as the “ultimate West Coast party,” and the lineup is legendary: E-40, Too Short, Warren G, P-LO, LaRussell, Mistah F.A.B.,and local favorite Gehrig Kniffen.
Hosted by the Western Conference, organizers say to “get ready for a day packed with iconic anthems, smooth flows, and nothing but good vibez with the sand at your feet and the ocean as your backdrop. This is your chance to see hip-hop royalty and Bay Area favorites in an unforgettable seaside setting.”
A whole lotta bluegrass
Good Medicine, Numbskull, and KCBX present Big Richard on their Girl Dinner Tour at The Siren on Wednesday, Oct. 22 (7 p.m.; 21-and-older; $24.93 at goodmedicinepresents.com), with opener Miss Leo & The Handsome Fellers.
Based in Colorado, Big Richard came out of nowhere in 2021 to a gushing reception. The all-female quartet certainly knew how to make an entrance.
“Although they showed up to their first gig armed with homemade puff paint T-shirts, a load of crass jokes, and all dressed intentionally like Stevie Nicks, from the first few notes of their tight vocal harmonies, dazzling string virtuosity, and clever arrangements, no one had any choice but to take them seriously,” their bio explains.
Miss Leo (“Leo” Lauren Williams) is of course our favorite local “California Soulgrass Songstress” who writes amazing originals and knows how to pick just the right covers. Should be a terrific night for bluegrass and folk fans.
Also at The Siren
Sōleffect plays a free matinee show on Saturday, Oct. 18 (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older). This Central Coast septet boasts two female singers who intertwine their vocals on some great blues, rock, funk, and dance music.
Later that night, ’80s and ’90s cover band Ultra will take the stage (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $8.45 presale at tixr.com or $10 at the door). Hear songs by The Smiths, The Fix, and more.
From Zep to Jah
Good Vibez and the Fremont Theater have two cool shows this week starting with Mr. Jimmy on Friday, Oct. 17 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $40 to $55 add $21.63 for a VIP meet-and-greet at prekindle.com). Mr. Jimmy (aka Akio Sakurai) is guitarist for Jason Bonham and “has dedicated his life to honoring Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page,” according to his bio. “For 40-plus years, he recreated vintage and historical Zeppelin concerts note-for-note in small Tokyo clubs.”
Super chill Florida-based reggae act The Hip Abduction plays on Thursday, Oct. 23 (doors at 7, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $36.02 or $93.81 VIP at prekindle.com), with Mihail opening. The Hip Abduction’s music is really transportive. You’ll feel like you’re on vacation on a tropical island.
Traditional norteño sounds … plus
Nederlander Concerts closes it season at Vina Robles Amphitheatre with iconic Mexican group Bronco on their Dejando Huella (that translates to “Leaving a Mark”) Tour on Saturday, Oct. 25 (doors at 6:30, show at 8 p.m.; all ages; $60.10 to $344.62 at ticketmaster.com).
These hombres are true showmen, with their cowboy boots and spectacularly embroidered matching jumpsuits. They mix traditional norteño sounds with elements of pop played on modern instruments.
The group’s debut album, 1980’s Te Quiero Cada Día Más (I Love You More Every Day), introduced them as a new force in Mexican music, but they really took off in 1989 with A Todo Galope (At Full Gallop), which brought them international recognition. They’ve been touring the world ever since.
Late bloomer
Americana and alt-country singer-songwriter Pony Bradshaw was a latecomer to music, but judging from his background, he was born to perform. He was a military brat shuffled from base to base. His dad later became an Elvis impersonator. According to press materials, a young Pony helped stock scarves onstage for his dad’s admirers.
Pony (née James Bradshaw), it turned out, was a performer who didn’t know he could perform because he never really tried.
“It was a little open mic in Chattanooga,” Pony said of his first public performance. “I was scared to death. It was a competition—and I never liked competition, but for some reason, I wanted to go show my tunes. I played the first song I’d written at that open mic.”
He won the competition and so began, about five years ago, his music career. He was 38 when he released his debut album, Sudden Opera. He’s now touring in support of his third record, Thus Spoke the Fool, a homage to the sounds of Appalachia.
SLO Brew Live presents Pony Bradshaw at Rod & Hammer Rock on Tuesday, Oct. 21 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $32.36 at ticketweb.com).
Also this week at Rod & Hammer, witness the return of Steely Dan and Grateful Dead tribute act Steely Dead on Friday, Oct. 17 (doors at 7 p.m.; all ages; $30.30 at ticketweb.com).
Philly rockers Mo Lowda and the Humble, who just released their fifth album, Tailing the Ghost, play on Saturday, Oct. 18 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $27.21 at ticketweb.com), with French Cassettes opening.
And finally SLO Brew Live and (((folkYEAH!))) present alt-rocker Ty Segall with a full band on Sunday, Oct. 19 (doors at 7 p.m.; 18-and-older; $47.29 at ticketweb.com) with Pancho and the Wizards opening.
Founded in 1939!
The Blind Boys of Alabama have seen a lot of members come and go through the years. The group began as a school chorus at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Deaf and Blind.
They found mainstream success in 1983 after appearing in the Obie Award-winning musical The Gospel at Colonus, after which they went on to perform with acts like Prince, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper, and many others.
Cal Poly Arts is presenting six-time Grammy Award-winning gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama in the Performing Arts Center SLOon Friday, Oct. 24 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $47 to $72 at pacslo.org), with opener Cory Henry, a Grammy Award-winning pianist and singer, and former member of Snarky Puppy, who plays jazz, gospel, R&B, soul, and funk.
Cal Poly Arts says to “look for a special onstage collaboration between the artists as well at this must-see performance!”
More music …
This Friday, Oct. 17, marks the second installment of Irie Third Friday when Eric Cotton and One Love Bomb bring their upbeat reggae to Liquid Gravity (7 to 9 p.m.; all ages; $12.66 at my805tix.com).
You can enjoy a bunch of free live music this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18 and 19, when Pismo Beach hosts the 79th annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival. Head to the Pier Plaza on Saturday and hear indie rockers B and the Hive (11 a.m.), ’80s cover act DV8 (1 p.m.), and soulful pop singer Damon Castillo (3 p.m.). On Sunday, hear R&B, pop, and jazz singer Jineanne Coderre (noon) and dance band Steppin’ Out (2 p.m.). ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Oct 16-26, 2025.