Clay Jenkins’ career as a jazz artist has covered a wide range of musical experiences and responsibilities, bringing him to the forefront of the jazz performing and teaching arenas. His experience as a performer began at an early age playing with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Harry James, Buddy Rich, and the Count Basie Orchestra.
Eclectic, cutting-edge, and contemporary—The Muck’s Jazz Festival returns in Spring of 2026 with new energy.
Ann Hampton Callaway is one of America’s most gifted artists in pop and jazz. A leading champion of the great American Songbook, she’s made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer.
Guitarist/composer Grant Geissman is a popular Contemporary Jazz recording artist, with sixteen albums released under his own name.
Marvin "Smitty" Smith has recorded 200 albums with various artists, as well as two solo albums.
A triple threat talent, Katie Thiroux has garnered considerable attention for her bravura bass playing, assured singing and compelling compositions.
Vibraphonist/Marimbist and Composer Nick Mancini began his professional career as a drummer. Nick has performed and recorded with such diverse luminaries as Arturo Sandoval, Peter Erskine, Poncho Sanchez, Solange, Kenny Werner, Amos Lee, and Jennifer Holliday. Nick has appeared at some of New York’s most notable venues such as The World Famous Apollo Theater; Showtime at the Apollo, Birdland, and Joe’s Pub. In LA he performs at The Blue Whale, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Friday Night Jazz series, ACE Theater, Catalina Jazz Club, Vibrato, Zipper Hall, Vitello’s,and the Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center.
Glenn Cashman and friends celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Muck Jazz! From 2005-17, Glenn served as Founding Artistic Director of the Muckenthaler Jazz Festival and on May 15 he returns for a special celebratory concert.
Fullerton Jazz Orchestra with Ken Peplowski has recorded over 70 CDs as a soloist, and close to 400 as a sideman – some of the artists he’s performed/recorded with include Charlie Byrd, Mel Torme, Rosemary Clooney, Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops, Hank Jones, Peggy Lee, Bill Charlap, Woody Allen, Benny Goodman, and Madonna. He travels at least half of every year, playing clubs, concert halls, colleges, and pops concerts. He has headlined the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Birdland Jazz Club, the Blue Note, and Dizzy’s Club amongst many other venues.
Trumpeter Wayne Bergeron is a highly sought-after studio and concert musician with a wealth of recording credits to his name. Blessed with a preternaturally high range, clarion tone, and immense technical skill, Bergeron has dominated the commercial trumpet scene since the 1980s.
Los Angeles-based pianist and composer Paul Cornish strives to inspire freedom and collaboration in his music and community. Hailing from Houston where he was a student at the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Cornish was one of seven jazz prodigies worldwide selected to be awarded a full fellowship to attend the esteemed Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz at UCLA.
Mix swingin’ grooves, thrilling riffs, sweet and hot vocals, western sensibilities and tons of fun, and you have only begun to describe Cow Bop.
Quarteto Nuevo’s distinctive instrumentation richly colors their music that infuses Western classical, Eastern European folk, Latin and jazz with an organic contemporary feel.
Eva Scow is a mandolinist and violinist from California. Eva began studying music at a young age, starting on the piano and violin at age 4, and later adding the mandolin at age 8. She has recorded on numerous projects, ranging in styles from R&B, Country, Pop, and Jazz. .
Eclectic, cutting-edge, and contemporary—The Muck’s Jazz Festival returns in Spring of 2024 with new energy.
Join us for the opening night of JazzFest 2024 with an incredible evening led by Bill Cunliffe, Glenn Cashman, and Teryn Ré.
Bill Cunliffe leads an all star combo in a tribute to the legendary 15 time Grammy-winning Tony Bennett at our annual Jazz Festival Preview.
For more than three decades, conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straightahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms from a variety of Latin American and South American sources. Sanchez’s reimagining of the jazz canon, as well as his own spirited original compositions, affirms his place at the forefront of Latin Jazz’s trailblazers.
Over his 50-plus-year career, two-time Grammy winner Ernie Watts has recorded and/or toured with the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Elton John, Pat Metheny, and James Brown. A versatile player, Jazz has always been his focus. This performance will feature original pieces by Watts and and his band members along with Jazz classics.
Iconic bassist John B. Williams has performed and/or recorded with Horace Silver, Hugh Masekela, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Burrell, Jon Hendricks, Jimmy Smith, Sir Roland Hanna, Benny Carter, Louie Bellson, Freddie Hubbard, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, and many others. Williams was the house bassist for late night TV icons Johnny Carson and Arsenio Hall and was a member of the Nancy Wilson Trio for 25 years.
New West Guitars have developed a reputation as one of the premier jazz guitar ensembles in the world. Featuring guitarists Perry Smith, John Storie, and Will Brahm, they perform exciting originals, jazz standards and popular covers. Their signature sound comes from an innovative style that highlights rhythm, beauty, and virtuosity through combining acoustic and electric guitars.
Roy McCurdy is a living legend, having worked with some of the greatest artists in jazz including Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Art Farmer, and Benny Golson.
Eclectic, cutting-edge, and contemporary—The Muck’s Jazz Festival returns in Spring of 2023 with new energy.
Costa Rican jazz drummer Rodolfo Zuniga and featured vocalist Femi Knight are joined by the Fullerton Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Bill Cunliffe for an energetic program of contemporary, latin, and traditional jazz.
Once again our pep-rally/celebration/thank you to Jazz Fest season ticket holders is the best Valentine's week event in the County. Join us to hear Grammy-winning Jazz piano brilliance from Bill Cunliffe.
For Jazz Fest Season Ticket holders
Four-time Grammy Award Winner Oscar Hernández has long been considered one of the most gifted and prominent pianist/ arrangers on the contemporary Latin, Latin-jazz and salsa music scene.
Invite Only Event.
Performances by trio-KAIT with Kait Dunton. Featuring Jake Reed, Cooper Appelt, and Grammy-winning Jazz piano brilliance from Bill Cunliffe.
