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“Stellar jazz in La Jolla”
Athenaeum Jazz
Fall 2026 Series
HOME / EVENTS / JAZZ / ATHENAEUM JAZZ FALL 2026 SERIES
Farrell Family Athenaeum Jazz
Sean Jones/Billy Childs/Ben Williams
The Family Athenaeum Jazz 2026 series concludes on Friday, August 21, with a special collective of three of today’s most celebrated jazz artists: Sean Jones on trumpet, Billy Childs on piano, and Ben Williams on bass. Childs and Williams are known to Athenaeum audiences from many past performances; Jones makes his Athenaeum debut in this concert.
Sean Jones is equally adept as an ensemble member as he is a bandleader. Jones turned a six-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra into an offer from Wynton Marsalis for a position as lead trumpeter, a post he held from 2004 to 2010. In 2015 Jones was tapped to become a member of the SFJAZZ Collective. He has been prominently featured with artists including Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson, and Marcus Miller.
Thus far in his career, Billy Childs has garnered 17 Grammy nominations and six Grammy Awards, including two for Best Instrumental Jazz Album and two for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist. As a pianist Childs has performed with, among others, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Sting, Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chick Corea, the Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland.Since winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2009, Ben Williams has made his mark as a producer, bandleader, arranger, and avidly sought-after bassist for heavyweights in and beyond jazz, including Wynton Marsalis, Lauryn Hill, José James, and Pat Metheny (with whom he won a 2013 Grammy for the album Unity Band). DownBeat called him “one of his generation’s finest bassists.”
Athenaeum Jazz
Fall 2026 Series
The Athenaeum is pleased to announce this three-concert series featuring internationally acclaimed jazz artists. The series opens with two concerts commemorating the 30th year of Athenaeum Jazz at Scripps Research, in the acoustically-pristine Scripps auditorium, located at 10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive just north of the UCSD campus. Seating is limited—so, order soon! For tickets and information, click below or call (858) 454-5872.
WHEN:
Tuesday, November 3, 7:30 PM—Joshua Redman Quartet (Scripps Research)
Sunday, November 15, 7:30 PM—David Sánchez “Tambó” (Scripps Research)
Thursday, December 3, 7:30 PM—Gabrielle Cavassa (Athenaeum Music & Arts Library)
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Scripps Research Auditorium,
10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive
San Diego, CA 92130
JOAN & IRWIN JACOBS
MUSIC ROOM
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
1008 Wall Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
CONCERTS BEGIN AT 7:30 PM.
DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 PM.
SERIES OF 3 CONCERTS:
$185 member / $200 nonmember
INDIVIDUAL CONCERTS:
$65 member / $70 nonmember
Online ticket sales are subject to ticketing fees.
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The concerts will be in person at Scripps Research Auditorium (10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, CA 92130) and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037). There are no physical tickets for these events. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. Priority seating will be given to Donor level members and above.
These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.
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Payment must be received in order to reserve a spot at a concert.
Your reservation is not complete until you receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your tickets have not been reserved. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder or contact us at info@ljathenaeum.org or (858) 454-5872 to ensure your booking is finalized.
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All ticket sales for Athenaeum Music & Arts Library events are final. Cancellations made within 48 hours of the scheduled event start time are not eligible for a refund, regardless of the reason for cancellation.
Guests who are unable to attend may:
Transfer their ticket to another individual, or
Request that the ticket price be converted into a tax-deductible charitable contribution to the Athenaeum, provided no goods or services (e.g., meal, entertainment) were received.
For cancellations made more than 48 hours prior to an event, please contact Anira Abreu, Program and Administrative Associate, to discuss options: aabreu@ljathenaeum.org
We appreciate your understanding and support. Ticket proceeds help sustain the Athenaeum's cultural programming and enable us to present exceptional performances, lectures, and events throughout the year.
Banner image: Joshua Redman Quartet
“This thoughtful series presents jazz with the seriousness and dignity becoming the art form.”
“One of the west coast’s more discerning jazz concert series…”
“The intimate and acoustically pristine Athenaeum Library was packed with fans primed for the event.”
(Photo by Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
“What is even more impressive than the many stellar musicians who have appeared there is that the Jazz at the Athenaeum series has endured—and thrived—for three decades. Moreover, its jazz programming has been guided the entire time by a single curator, Daniel Atkinson, whose longevity equals that of the series.”