Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Watch weekly livestreams and on-demand concerts from the SFJAZZ Center: SFJAZZ.org/AtHome
SFJAZZ Executive Artistic Director and members of the SFJAZZ Collective perform “Wandering Wonder” from Blanchard’s 2005 Blue Note Records album ‘Flow.’ The song was recorded at the SFJAZZ Gala 2025 honoring legendary artist, producer and Blue Note Records president Don Was.
PERSONNEL
Terence Blanchard, Trumpet
David Sánchez, Sax
Edward Simon, Piano
Matt Brewer, Bass
Kendrick Scott, Drums
ABOUT THE SFJAZZ GALA
The SFJAZZ Gala is an annual benefit for SFJAZZ’s artistic and education programs with the goal of advancing the art form of jazz in the Bay Area and beyond. The SFJAZZ Gala 2025 took place on June 12, 2025 with Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard honoring legendary producer, musician, and Blue Note Records President Don Was with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award.
The All-Star Gala Concert features Terence Blanchard, honoree Don Was, jazz vocal great Kurt Elling, trumpet superstar Ambrose Akinmusire, vocalist Lisa Fischer, rising star saxophonist Melissa Aldana, guitar icon Bill Frisell, jazz legend Charles Lloyd and his Sky Quartet with pianist Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Eric Harland, the award-winning ensemble SFJAZZ Collective and more.
ABOUT TERENCE BLANCHARD
Blanchard is a renowned composer, band leader and trumpet player who has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements for over 40 years. From his stint with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, to writing scores for Spike Lee and other films, he is unique in the jazz world as an artist whose creative endeavors go far beyond the genre into film scoring, crafting television series soundscapes, and conceiving grand operas that have been recognized at the highest levels of art appreciation. A recipient of a 2018 USA Artist Fellowship and a 2023 Peabody Medal, Terence is also a passionate educational mentor, having held positions at the Berklee Institute of Music, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and as Chair of Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, amongst many others. As Executive Artistic Director, Blanchard is the artistic leader of the organization and will help formulate and implement programming across diverse disciplines and genres.
Learn more at SFJAZZ.org
Subscribe to SFJAZZ's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/sfjazz
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/SFJAZZ
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/SFJAZZ
***SFJAZZ is a non-profit organization that presents year round jazz concerts, festivals and educational programs at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, CA.
Watch weekly livestreams and on-demand concerts from the SFJAZZ Center: SFJAZZ.org/AtHome
SFJAZZ Executive Artistic Director and members of the SFJAZZ Collective perform “Wandering Wonder” from Blanchard’s 2005 Blue Note Records album ‘Flow.’ The song was recorded at the SFJAZZ Gala 2025 honoring legendary artist, producer and Blue Note Records president Don Was.
PERSONNEL
Terence Blanchard, Trumpet
David Sánchez, Sax
Edward Simon, Piano
Matt Brewer, Bass
Kendrick Scott, Drums
ABOUT THE SFJAZZ GALA
The SFJAZZ Gala is an annual benefit for SFJAZZ’s artistic and education programs with the goal of advancing the art form of jazz in the Bay Area and beyond. The SFJAZZ Gala 2025 took place on June 12, 2025 with Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard honoring legendary producer, musician, and Blue Note Records President Don Was with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award.
The All-Star Gala Concert features Terence Blanchard, honoree Don Was, jazz vocal great Kurt Elling, trumpet superstar Ambrose Akinmusire, vocalist Lisa Fischer, rising star saxophonist Melissa Aldana, guitar icon Bill Frisell, jazz legend Charles Lloyd and his Sky Quartet with pianist Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Eric Harland, the award-winning ensemble SFJAZZ Collective and more.
ABOUT TERENCE BLANCHARD
Blanchard is a renowned composer, band leader and trumpet player who has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements for over 40 years. From his stint with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, to writing scores for Spike Lee and other films, he is unique in the jazz world as an artist whose creative endeavors go far beyond the genre into film scoring, crafting television series soundscapes, and conceiving grand operas that have been recognized at the highest levels of art appreciation. A recipient of a 2018 USA Artist Fellowship and a 2023 Peabody Medal, Terence is also a passionate educational mentor, having held positions at the Berklee Institute of Music, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and as Chair of Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, amongst many others. As Executive Artistic Director, Blanchard is the artistic leader of the organization and will help formulate and implement programming across diverse disciplines and genres.
Learn more at SFJAZZ.org
Subscribe to SFJAZZ's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/sfjazz
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/SFJAZZ
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/SFJAZZ
***SFJAZZ is a non-profit organization that presents year round jazz concerts, festivals and educational programs at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, CA.
