Stewart St.
The Jazz on the Lawn summer concert series returns for its 12th season on Sunday, August 6. The community is invited to grab friends, family and dancing shoes for free concerts in the park. A sampling of genres curated through the jazz lens, free dance lessons, intermission performances (on select dates), and some of the area’s finest food trucks will be presented in the newly renamed Gandara Park, formerly known as Stewart Street Park.
Music Line-Up
- Sunday, August 6 – The Big Butter Jazz Band presents their upbeat, catchy, traditional New Orleans jazz that will get feet shuffling and fingers snapping. A free swing dance lesson at 4:30pm will be led by Marshall Watson, professional swing dancer and DJ, along with his dance partner Chelsea Beach.
- August 13 – Contemporary jazz quartet The Yuko Mabuchi Group showcases their variety of influences, from smooth and Latin jazz to international music. A first-ever intermission concert will be presented at 6pm by the SaMoHi Jazz Combo, comprised of advanced jazz students from the larger SaMoHi Jazz Band program.
- August 20 – Jessica Fichot, French chanteuse and accordionist, will take the audience on a twisting journey out of the French chanson tradition and into the lands of gypsy jazz, 1940s Chinese swing and international folk.
- August 27 – The Susie Hansen Latin Band brings their raucously fun and upbeat salsa and Latin jazz compositions that will bring the audience to their feet. A free salsa dance lesson will be offered at 4:30pm with Laura Canellias.
Food Trucks
- August 6 – The Lobos Truck, rated LA’s #1 Food Truck, offers fresh American comfort food with a twist, featuring their famous “Wacho” (a waffle fry and nacho combination), Tacos del Valle serves up some of the most authentic tacos and other Mexican entrees in Los Angeles, and Waffles de Liege dishes out Liege waffles (the Belgian waffle’s superior, but lesser-known sibling), served with creative ice creams and toppings ranging from Speculoos cookie butter to English toffee.
- August 13 – Dogtown Dogs serves a sophisticated variation on the traditional American hot dog, and is joined by Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race winner, The Middle Feast, bringing flavors of the Mediterranean to Southern California. Ridges Churro Bar rounds out the night with its creative churro/soft serve concoctions and after-dinner coffee.
- August 20 – Tacos del Valle returns alongside The Lobos Truck and Ridges Churro Bar.
- August 27 – Dogtown Dogs, The Middle Feast, and Waffles de Liege come together for an encore evening of fine, food truck dining.
Gandara Park amenities include a children’s playground, restrooms and accessible parking. Free bike valet will be offered starting at 4 p.m. in the Gandara Park lot. The 26th Street/Bergamot Expo Line Station is an eight-minute walk from Gandara Park and the Big Blue Bus Route 5 stops in both directions on Olympic Blvd. at Stewart St. Free parking is available after 3:30 p.m. in the nearby Agensys parking lot at 1800 Stewart St. Public transportation is also available.
The Jazz on the Lawn concert series is proudly presented by the City of Santa Monica. In-kind supported provided by Agensys, Inc.
Events take place at Gandara Park (1819 Stewart St.) from 5 – 7 p.m.
For more information in the series, visit smgov.net/jazz and facebook.com/Santa.Monica.Cultural.Affairs. See and share posts about the concerts by using #ArtSaMo.
- Submitted by Constance Farrell, Public Information Officer