Los Angeles is poised to become a major jazz destination this summer with the launch of the inaugural LA Jazz Festival, a month-long event spearheaded by former city councilman Martin Ludlow. The festival, announced , aims to fill a long-standing void in the city’s cultural landscape – the absence of a large-scale, internationally recognized jazz festival comparable to those in Montreal, New Orleans, or Montreux.
Ludlow, speaking outside Los Angeles City Hall alongside Mayor Karen Bass and several City Council members, framed the festival as more than just a series of concerts. “This festival is intended to lift up our ancestors that came to this country in bondage, terrorized, brutalized,” he said. “It’s also about celebrating the end to those last bastions of Jim Crow racism…telling the narrative of that human rights struggle called Jazz.”
The ambitious event, projected to draw 250,000 attendees and generate an estimated $40 million in economic activity, will sprawl across all 15 city council districts. The plan includes free concerts in parks throughout the city, alongside 150 ticketed shows at clubs and restaurants. A Caribbean street fair celebrating the African and Latin roots of jazz is planned for El Segundo, and guided tours of historic Black coastal sites like Bruce’s Beach and Inkwell Beach will also be offered.
The festival culminates in a two-day concert on Dockweiler Beach, anticipated to draw 40,000 fans each night. While the lineup remains under development, the scale of Ludlow’s vision is considerable. Organizers have pledged to ban fossil fuels from the festival’s footprint, a commitment that has already earned a positive assessment from the California Coastal Commission.
For decades, the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival (formerly the Playboy Jazz Festival) has been the defining jazz event in Los Angeles. Ludlow’s festival, however, aims to significantly surpass it in scope and impact. Mayor Bass expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, “This is the Los Angeles that will welcome the world. One of the best things we have to offer is all of our culture.”
Ludlow’s journey to bring the LA Jazz Festival to fruition has been a long one. He acknowledged the “highs and lows” of the process, expressing gratitude for the support he’s received. His background is a unique blend of political experience and event promotion. He served as a city councilman and executive with the L.A. County Federation of Labor, but also faced legal challenges, pleading guilty to misappropriating funds in .
Since then, Ludlow has focused on community activism and event promotion through his firm, Bridge Street. The company has produced shows for a diverse roster of artists, including Stevie Wonder, The Revolution, Sheila E, and Snoop Dogg, as well as civic events like the renaming ceremony for Obama Boulevard in Los Angeles in .
The festival’s multi-district approach is intended to maximize economic impact, spreading revenue to businesses throughout the region. This decentralized model distinguishes it from more centralized festivals, aiming to inject “serious economic energy into all 15 city council districts,” according to Ludlow. The event is also positioned as a significant boost to the city’s tourism sector, particularly as Los Angeles prepares to host forthcoming mega-events like the World Cup and the Olympics.
The announcement of the LA Jazz Festival comes at a time of both growth and change for the Los Angeles jazz scene. New investments, such as the opening of a West Coast location of the Blue Note jazz club in August, are adding to the city’s jazz offerings. However, the closure of beloved venues like ETA has also highlighted the challenges facing the local music community. The LA Jazz Festival hopes to provide a significant platform for local musicians and contribute to the long-term vitality of the city’s jazz ecosystem.
The festival’s organizers are emphasizing its historical and cultural significance, aiming to tell the story of jazz as a uniquely American art form born from struggle. Ludlow’s vision extends beyond entertainment, positioning the festival as a celebration of civil rights and a tribute to the ancestors who endured hardship and discrimination. The event promises to be a landmark occasion for Los Angeles, potentially establishing a new flagship event for jazz and solidifying the city’s position as a global cultural hub.
