Pauline Adamek
Get Ready, Los Angeles: The Blue Note Jazz Festival Returns to the Hollywood Bowl in 2025!
The iconic Blue Note Jazz Festival is coming back to the Hollywood Bowl in 2025—and it’s shaping up to be the must-see music event of the year. Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most legendary venues, this year’s lineup is a bold, genre-defying celebration of jazz, soul, hip-hop, and beyond—proving once again that the spirit of jazz is not only alive, it’s evolving.
From the legendary Isley Brothers to the boundary-pushing artistry of Grace Jones, the festival brings together a jaw-dropping lineup of icons and innovators. Expect electric performances from De La Soul, Stanley Clarke N•4EVER, WILLOW, Keyon Harrold, Lakecia Benjamin, D Smoke, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Julian Lage, and so many more. Special guest appearances by artists like Rapsody, Goapele, and Brandee Younger will keep the surprises coming all weekend long.
With jazz royalty, genre-bending virtuosos, and the next generation of boundary-breaking artists—including rising stars from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and the LAUSD All-City Jazz Big Band—this is more than simply a weekend-long concert event, it’s a cultural moment.
Hosted by the one and only Arsenio Hall, this two-day celebration promises unforgettable collaborations, soul-stirring solos, and the kind of musical magic only the Blue Note Jazz Festival can deliver.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this historic weekend at the Hollywood Bowl. Tickets are expected to sell fast—secure yours now and get ready to witness jazz history in the making. Purchase tickets here
Saturday June 14 & Sunday June 15, 2025.
SATURDAY LINEUP of ARTISTS:
The Isley Brothers
De La Soul
Derrick Hodge
D Smoke, special guest
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Bill Charlap
Keyon Harrold
Lakecia Benjamin
Pedrito Martinez
Brandon Woody
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA
Arsenio Hall, host
SUNDAY LINEUP of ARTISTS:
Grace Jones
WILLOW
Stanley Clarke N•4EVER
The Soul Rebels
Rapsody, special guest
Goapele, special guest
Brandee Younger, special guest
Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet
Julian Lage
Asante Santi Debriano
Will Calhoun
Weedie Braimah & The Hands of Time
Mohini Dey
DC6 Singers Collective
LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Big Band
Arsenio Hall, host
ABOUT BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB
The Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City has become one of the premiere venues in the world. While jazz is at its core, the Blue Note continues to broaden its offerings with a mission to spotlight contemporary artists across all musical styles, backgrounds and cultures. The club and its sister institutions worldwide continue to draw massive household names with frequent surprise appearances from superstars like Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock and more.
Blue Note Entertainment Group owns and operates New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, Sony Hall and Arthur’s Tavern; D.C.’s The Howard Theatre; and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide, which includes venues in Milan, Italy; Honolulu, HI; Beijing and Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan; Napa, CA; and Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil.
ABOUT BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVALS
The storied Blue Note Jazz Festival started in New York in 2011, each summer seeing a month-long celebration of jazz throughout June. The Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa kicked off in 2022 with curation by Robert Glasper, creating a multi-day jazz meets hip-hop and R&B festival taking place outdoors across multiple stages. Past headliners include NAS, Mary J Blige, Chance the Rapper, Maxwell and others. In 2024, the Napa festival was presented as a landmark spin-off with Black Radio Experience, in association with Glasper at the Meritage Hotel. Blue Note will continue to present Black Radio Experience in Napa in 2025.
The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival is a beloved annual celebration of jazz, held at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Known for its stellar lineups and electric atmosphere, the festival showcases a diverse range of artists, from legendary performers like Charles Lloyd and Raphael Saadiq to emerging talents such as Yebba, Aneesa Strings, Cimafunk and more, highlighting the rich and evolving traditions of jazz. This festival is a reimagining of the Playboy Jazz Festival that began at the Bowl in 1979 and inspired the full jazz series programming at the venue to date.
ABOUT THE LA PHIL: Under the leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil offers live performances, media initiatives and learning programs that inspire and strengthen communities in Los Angeles and beyond. The Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra is the foundation of the LA Phil’s offerings, which also include a multi-genre, multidisciplinary presenting program and such youth development programs as YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). Herbie Hancock serves as the Creative Chair for Jazz at the LA Phil, bringing his visionary artistry and leadership to the organization’s dynamic jazz programming. Performances are offered on four historic stages—Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, The Ford, and Beckmen YOLA Center—as well as through a variety of media platforms. In all its endeavors, the LA Phil seeks to enrich the lives of individuals and communities through musical, artistic and learning experiences that resonate in our world today.
Brian Sonia-Wallace
