JAZZIZ Hear & Now Playlist: The Bay Area

JAZZIZ Hear & Now playlists shine a spotlight on jazz scenes around the world, bringing you new music from local artists who rep their cities proudly. Think of it as your sonic passport to a global jazz destination. Step into a jazz club or turn on the jazz station in your new city, and this is the music you’d be hearing now.

Our latest stop is California’s Bay Area, birthplace to jazz legends like Dave Brubeck and Vince Guaraldi, and easily one of the most breathtakingly scenic areas of the United States. But the Bay Area’s natural beauty has always been matched by its cultural beauty. From the dawn of the 20th century through the 1960s and on to today, the region has been a hotbed of creativity, home to countless musicians, artists, writers and thinkers that push boundaries and challenge norms. The musicians in this playlist follow that tradition in their music today. Some were born in the Bay Area and made their names elsewhere. Others found their voices only after arriving in the Bay. Still others (like Tony Bennett) found inspiration and lasting influence in the region’s coastal charm. This playlist is meant to provide a snapshot of the contemporary Bay Area scene. The focus is on living artists with ties to the Bay Area, but the stylistic breadth of these artists is astounding. Jazz, funk, blues and the avant-garde coexist side-by-side, but what unites each one of these artists is a commitment to using groove and melody to pursue the cutting edge. San Francisco, Oakland, Berkley, San Jose and points beyond — this is what the Bay Area sounds like today.