By Lookout Staff
March 6, 2026 -- Three elite jazz veterans who have been performing for a combined total of more than 100 years will take center stage this spring during the Santa Monica College Music Department's Friday Night Jazz Series.
All concerts in the popular series are held at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th Street (at Santa Monica Boulevard). Tickets are $10 general admission and free for SMC students.
The series kicks off today with saxophonist Bob Reynolds, who is "widely known for his work with the multiple Grammy®-winning group Snarky Puppy and John Mayer," concert organizers said.
Reynolds has been a featured soloist with Grammy®-winning instrumentalists Larry Carlton, Chris Botti and Jeff Lorber, and worked with a host of pop artists, including Michael Bublé, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, The 1975 and Usher.
The series continues April 3 with world-renowned Jazz drummer Carl Allen, who has appeared on more than 200 recordings and has performed with a long list of major artists including Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.
Allen has also performed with Rickie Lee Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Lena Horne, Joe Henderson, Terence Blanchard, Phil Woods and numerous other musicians.
The spring series concludes May 1 with a performance by Theo Saunders, an "innovative, versatile, and stalwart pianist and composer" who has been on the international Jazz scene for more than 55 years.
Saunders has performed and recorded with "a dizzying array of Jazz artists," from Slam Stewart to Carla Bley. His career also includes extensive work in the musical spheres of Latin Jazz, R&B, Funk, Musical Theater, Dance and Opera.
Tickets for the concerts can be purchased online at smc.edu/tickets or by calling 310-434-3005 (Monday-Friday; limited hours).
Tickets can also be purchased at The Broad Stage Box Office starting 45 minutes before the performance begins. Free parking is available on the premises. Seating is strictly on a first-arrival basis.
More information is available by calling 310-434-4323. Concerts are subject to change or cancellation without notice. The latest details are posted at smc.edu/events.