EMIT series

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We are delighted that the Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA) & EMIT are teaming up to present the 2026 St. Petersburg Jazz Festival! The festival is April 8 - 11 at the Warehouse Arts District ArtsXchange Stage.

Concerts:
4/8 -  Alexis Cole & the Helios Jazz Orchestra
4/9 -  Thomas Johnbern Quintet & Randy Bordon Trio
4/10 - Markus Gottschlich Trio & Hot Club SRQ
4/11 -  Martin Bejerano #CubanAmerican Trio featuring special Guest Dafnis Prieto & Downtown Trio Plus One

Free Workshops:
4/7 - Alexis Cole Jazz Vocal Workshop, 11 AM at St. Petersburg College
4/9 - Thomas Johnbern Workshop, 12:30 PM at St. Petersburg College
 

Ticket and venue information is coming soon!

 

last year's jazz festival:

The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival
Monday, March 31 at 7:30 PM
Tal Cohen Trio
Palladium Theater Side Door
 

 

"Tal Cohen is among the best of a very few young inspired pianists I’ve encountered in my travels… Tal’s playing is full of passion, focus and creativity”- Joe Lovano 
 
 
Tal Cohen is a Grammy award winning jazz pianist with accolades including winning the Barry Harris National Piano Competition and the prestigious Freedman Fellowship held at the Sydney Opera House to a sold-out crowd. In recent times Cohen has been playing around the globe with Terence Blanchard, Greg Osby, Ignacio Berroa, Joe Lovano and others. He currently leads his own ensemble which has performed at iconic jazz festivals and venues that include Jazzbez Jazz Festival (Ukraine), Detroit Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival (Australia), Sopot Jazz Festival ( Poland) as well as a week residency at the Black Cat (San Francisco). 
 
The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival
Tuesday, April 1 at 7:30 PM
Alexis Cole & Helios Jazz Orchestra
Palladium Theater Side Door
 
“We’ve been waiting for the next great singer to come along, and finally…Alexis” – Swing Journal Japan

Called “one of the great voices of today,” Alexis Cole has been compared to classic jazz singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day. Her luxurious voice and innovative interpretations make her an instant favorite with audiences of all ages. Cole is the recipient of a Swing Journal Gold Disk award and was a winner of the NY Jazzmobile and Montreux Jazz Festival vocal competitions, and a finalist of the Sarah Vaughan Competition. She records for Motéma Music, NY, Chesky Records, NY and Venus Records, Japan. Her eleven recordings, which feature musical luminaries such as Fred Hersch, Eric Alexander, Matt Wilson, Harry Pickens, Don Braden and Pat LaBarbara, have received high praise in the jazz press and are spun on radio world-wide. In addition to her many performances at top jazz venues like Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, Blues Alley, and Billboard Live, she’s also performed at Avery Fisher Hall and the Kennedy Center and had been a featured soloist with the Boston Pops and NY Philharmonic. 

Helios Jazz Orchestra

In its 15th season, the 18-member Helios Jazz Orchestra, directed by Dr. David Manson, has been featured on the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, St. Petersburg Jazz Festival, and Ybor Jazz Festival. It is comprised of top area jazz musicians who love the sound of a roaring jazz big band!

 

 

The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival
Wednesday, April 2 at 7:30 PM
Uri Gurvich-Rodolfo Zuniga Quartet
Palladium Theater Side Door

“Transcends borders” - LA Times 

 

 

NYC based saxophonist, Uri Gurvich, and LA based drummer, Rodolfo Zuniga, have been collaborating for many years on numerous projects and perform regularly in Europe, South America and the States. Gurvich and Zuniga, both composers and critically acclaimed bandleaders on their own, decided to join forces for this special Quartet where they can workshop and present their original, global-influenced, contemporary jazz, mainly evoking elements from their native countries, Israel and Costa Rica. 

Tickets are available at the Palladium Theater at https://mypalladium.org/

 

St. Peterburg Jazz Festival
Thursday, April 3 at 7:30 PM
The Pershounin Quartet
Museum of American Arts and Crafts Movement

Bassist Alex Pershounin brings his world-class Pershounin Quartet to St. Petersburg for a unique concert of his original compositions inspired from Latin, Jazz, World and Folk music. Artists on this concert include Alex Pershounin (bass), Ben Grier (saxophones), Edward White (guitar) and Tim Murray (drums & percussion). The program includes works like "Tales of the East" transporting the audience into the West African polyrhythmic environment, exploring multiple meters and microtonal melodies inspired by the mugham techniques of the Azerbaijani tradition."Song for Daniel" draws upon the rhythmically driving texture of the Brazilian samba while “Chernie” is inspired by Russian folk music fusing improvisation with progressive tempo acceleration and intensity.


FREE JAZZ WORKSHOPS!
Thursday, April 3 at St. Petersburg College in HS 109
6605 5th Ave. North in St. Petersburg
10:30 AM – Modern Jazz Concepts with Uri Gurvich and Rodolfo Zuniga 
12:30 PM – Jazz Vocal Approaches with Alexis Cole



David Manson
Director
St. Petersburg Jazz Festival
mansond@spcollege.edu
 











The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival is sponsored in part by EMIT, WADA, St. Petersburg College, The City of St. Petersburg and its generous patrons.