Downtown Jazz Fiesta

A couple dances during the 2025 Downtown Jazz Fiesta, a free event held at Corbett's on North Sixth Avenue. This year's fiesta is on Jan. 19.

 C. Elliott Photography

Talk about a stacked deck: Tucson stages will be filled with world-class jazz musicians and classically-trained vocalists as the city's twin musical festivals kick off this weekend.

The 2026 HSL Properties Tucson Jazz Festival opens Friday, Jan. 16, with three events including sold-out shows with Grammy-nominated clarinetist/composer Anat Cohen and her Quartetinho (pronounced “quar-te-CHIN-yo,” aka little quartet) at The Century Room and Tucson bass player Thøger Lund's "Secrt J@zz" concerts of new works Jan. 16-17. The festival runs through Jan. 24.

Grammy-nominated clarinetist/composer Anat Cohen and her Quartetinho (pronounced “quar-te-CHIN-yo,” aka little quartet) will perform Jan. 16 at The Century Room. 

The Tucson Desert Song Festival also opens Friday. Grammy-nominated baritone Will Liverman, a New York Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago regular, will get things started when he joins True Concord Voices & Orchestra for three performances of the choir's "Music of the Pioneers" concert and a solo recital Jan. 20. The song festival runs through April 25. 

Grammy-nominated baritone Will Liverman joins True Concord Voices & Orchestra for three performances of the choir's "Music of the Pioneers" concert Jan. 16-18 and a solo recital Jan. 20.

The festivals intersect on Jan. 23 with Grammy- and Tony-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and Grammy-winning pianist Bill Charlap at Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., whose event is listed on both festivals.

Bridgewater and Charlap, who come here with a 2026 Grammy nomination for their 2025 album "Elemental," are doing a handful of shows early this year before embarking on several overseas dates in the spring.  

"This is a single project that they're doing so we are fortunate that we're able to present them here," Dodge said. "They're two unique individuals, and both of them uniquely sought each other out to do this project together. For them to be here, and for us to get them and to be part of the jazz festival, it's a unique experience."

Here's the 411 on both festivals. 

HSL Properties Tucson Jazz Festival

This is the 12th annual festival and one that organizers mapped out to shine the spotlight on Tucson, from the unique venues to the extraordinary local talent, including the popular genre-bending Latin big band leader Sergio Mendoza.

Mendoza is sharing the Rialto Theatre stage with some special friends on Jan. 16, including the Tucson Latin Jazz Orchestra featuring Justo Almario, conductor Luis Torres and vocalist Katherine Byrnes. On Jan 17, the Latin jazz and cumbia band Zona Libre performs an EP release show at the Hotel Congress Plaza stage. 

Jazz Festival Executive and Artistic Director Kris Dodge has several shows he's excited to see, including "Cuba Meets Brazil" at La Rosa, 800 N. Country Club Road, on Jan. 18, featuring Cuban pianist Chuchito Valdés and Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo.

"I'm so excited for that show. Diego was here with us two or three years ago with a saxophonist and ... he's just so captivating to watch and listen to as a guitarist," Dodge said. "And Valdez, he comes from a long family tradition of some of the greatest piano players of that style in the world. His father, Chucho Valdez, was with the original group with Arturo Sandoval and also Paquito D'Rivera. ... Chuchito is very similar to his dad. He's just an amazing artist. So to have two of them on the stage together in one of the coolest venues anywhere will be wonderful.

Dodge's must-see list also includes:

  • Kirk Whalum "Songs of Change," featuring vocalists Jazzmeia Horn and John Stoddart, Jan. 17, Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. The legendary saxophonist gained acclaim for his solo in Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You." "Songs of Change'" focuses on social justice and racial equality, and it's a show he only does around the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday — Jan. 19, the same day the festival holds its popular free Downtown Jazz Fiesta at Corbett's, 340 N. Sixth Ave. The concert will include civil rights-era songs from the late 1960s. 

  • Tucson bass player Thøger Lund's "Secret J@azz" series at the Temple of Music and Art Lounge, 330 S. Scott Ave., Jan. 16 and 17, will be in the round "so the artists are in the middle of the room and you surround them," Dodge said. "It's a really cool setting and that's what I like about Tucson. We have all these unique spaces and to be able to take music, whether it's at a large, beautiful place like the Fox Theatre or the new cooler space like La Rosa or here in the lounge at Arizona Theater Company or the Century Room, they're all like cool, unique spaces and just different ways to take in wonderful artistry."

The first performance will feature new works by Lund with Phoenix jazz saxophonist Clark Gibson. The second will spotlight original works by Gibson. In addition to Lund and Gibson, both concerts will feature Arthur Vint on drums.

  • Gerald Clayton Quartet, Jan. 18, Rialto. The seven-time Grammy nominee, including a nomination this year for his album "Ones & Twos", is a sought-after session pianist whom Dodge described as "just such a beautiful, sensitive player." His Rialto show will be "a nice, intimate experience," Dodge said.
  • "Emmet Cohen Presents: Miles and Coltrane at 100," Jan. 22, Rialto Theatre. "There's something that's only going to happen this year," Dodge said, noting the obvious: The 100th anniversary comes around only once.

The jazz festival schedule also includes:

  • Anat Cohen Quartetinho, Jan. 16 at The Century Room, 311 E. Congress St. The 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. shows are sold out; tickets available for the 4:30 p.m. show. 
  • The Black Market Trust, Jan. 17, La Rosa, 800 N. Country Club Road. The concert is co-presented by Rhythm and Roots. 
  • Sullivan Fortner Trio, Jan. 17, The Century Room.

  • TJF Jazz Brunch with Sullivan Fortner Trio, Jan. 18, The Grand Tucson, 33 S. Sixth Ave.

  • Pink Martini with Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Jan. 18, Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.

  • Jonathan Pinson’s Boom Clap, Jan. 18, The Century Room.

  • Terell Stafford, Jan. 20, The Century Room.

  • Braxton Cook Quartet, Jan. 21, The Century Room.

  • Hamilton de Holanda Trio, Jan. 21, Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media, 2685 S. Catalyst Drive.

  • Jenny Scheinman’s "All Species Parade," Jan. 22, The Century Room.

  • ELEW Plays Sting, Jan. 23, The Century Room.

  • Afterglow with Morani Sanders, Jan. 23, The Lounge at the Temple of Music and Art.

  • Jeremy Pelt with UA Studio Jazz Ensemble, Jan. 24, Hotel Congress Plaza.

  • Joe Farnsworth Big Room Quartet, featuring Sarah Hanahan, Luther Allison and Yasushi Nakamura, Jan. 24, The Century Room.

  • Cory Wong, Jan. 24, Fox Tucson Theatre.

Ticket prices vary by event and are available through tucsonjazzfestival.org, where you can find additional details.

Tucson Desert Song Festival 

Organizers are pulling out all the stops for the 14th annual festival, "America Sings," which will feature a roster of powerhouse vocalists performing music that defines the American spirit, including a pair of world premieres by prominent American composers.

A third world premiere will come from Ballet Tucson. The company will perform "Desert Dweller," created by the company's Artistic Director Margaret Mullin and composer/guitarist Misael Barraza-Diaz, three times between Feb. 27-March 1 at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave.

The piece is a cornerstone of the ballet's "Desert Voices" program with soprano Erika Burkhart and Duo Chinoiserie — guitarist Bin Hu and guzheng player Jing Xia. The program also includes the highly anticipated return of Ballet Tucson choreographer Chieko Imada's "Himiko."

The idea behind the "America Sings" theme is to celebrate America's jubilee year with "everything from American compositions to compositions about America," with a roster of mostly American artists, Juliana Osinchuk, the Song Festival co-director, said when the festival details were released last fall. 

True Concord Voices & Orchestra sets the tone for the theme on the opening weekend with "Music of the Pioneers," featuring baritone Will Liverman. Performances are at Green Valley's Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S. Camino del Sol, on Jan. 16; Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway, Jan. 17; and at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive, Jan. 18.

Liverman is doing double-duty with True Concord, performing a solo recital Jan. 20 at Holsclaw Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road at the University of Arizona School of Music.

He isn't the only one making twin appearances at the festival. Mezzo-soprano Angela Brower, making her return to the festival after she was here last in 2018, will join Tucson Symphony Orchestra for "Debussy’s La Mer & Berlioz’s Cléopâtre" Jan. 23 and 25 at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. She returns to the orchestra Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 for three performances of Mozart's Requiem at Catalina Foothills High.

That concert features soprano Zoe Allen, tenor Omar Najmi and baritone Edward Vogel.

Another highlight of the festival, which runs through April 25, will come from Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, which is bringing the Miró Quartet and soprano Karen Slack to Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave., Jan. 28 for the world premiere of Tamar-kali’s new song cycle. The piece is centered on the Harlem Renaissance movement and the African-American jazz and classical pianist and composer Margaret Bonds.

Arizona Friends co-commissioned the piece that sets texts from female poets of the Harlem Renaissance.

Meanwhile, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano joins her pianist husband and Tucson native Christopher Cano to perform the world premiere of a song cycle composed by Gregory Spears on commission from the song festival. The University of Arizona School of Music is sponsoring the April 7 concert at Holsclaw Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road on the UA campus.

This year's festival includes 30 guest artists performing with True Concord, TSO, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, the UA School of Music, Ballet Tucson, UA School of Dance, Arizona Theatre Company and Arizona Early Music. Tickets are available from the presenters. 

Other events on the lineup include:

  • Arizona Theatre Company is mounting the musical revue "Ain't Misbehavin' " Jan. 25-Feb. 14 at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave.
  • Mexican soprano Elena Rivera joins guitarist Joaquin Clerch for a recital Jan. 25 at Holsclaw Hall at the UA School of Music.
  • Soprano Karen Chia-Ling Ho brings her widely acclaimed portrayal of Cio-cio-san to Arizona Opera's production of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" Feb. 7 at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.
  • Bass-baritone Davóne Tines joins Ruckus, which San Francisco Classical Voice calls "the world's only period-instrument rock band," for "What Is Your Hand In This?" on Feb. 8. The concert is presented by Arizona Early Music and will be at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St.
  • Theater's triple threat D. Jerome, a dancer/singer/actor, will team up with his longtime mentor and UA School of Dance Director Duane Cyrus and the U of A Traveling Dance Ensemble for an evening of song, dance and storytelling Feb. 19-22 at the Stevie Eller Dance Theater, 1713 E. University Blvd. on the UA campus. This will be D. Jerome's second Tucson appearance this year; he starred as the Tin Man in "The Wiz," which Broadway in Tucson brought to Centennial Hall Jan. 6-11. 
  • Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton returns to the song festival with pianist Kathleen Kelly Mach 5 for a recital with Arizona Opera at Holsclaw Hall. 
  • The festival ends on April 25 with Arizona Opera's production of Rossini's "La Cenerentola," featuring the Song Festival debut of mezzo-soprano Katherine Beck at Music Hall. Beck, a former Marion Roose Pullin Studio artist, was last seen on a Tucson stage in Arizona Opera's world premiere of Gregg Kallor's "Frankenstein" in 2023.

Tickets for song festival events are available through the presenters: 

To learn more about the 2026 Tucson Desert Song Festival and the guest artists, visit tucsondesertsongfestival.org.

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Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Bluesky @Starburch