Stages and Honors
The Fillmore Jazz Festival proudly presents three stages for 2026, each honoring a legendary artist whose music helped define jazz and whose legacy continues to inspire musicians around the world. This year’s festival embraces a classic spirit, celebrating the tradition, innovation, and enduring influence of jazz’s greatest voices.
From intimate vocal artistry to revolutionary improvisation, these artists represent the heart of jazz — past, present, and future — brought to life along the historic Fillmore corridor.
California Street – Tony Bennett Stage
The Tony Bennett Stage honors one of the most beloved vocalists in American music history and a longtime champion of jazz. Tony Bennett’s timeless voice, expressive phrasing, and deep connection to the Great American Songbook made him a bridge between generations of listeners and musicians.
Bennett shared a special connection with San Francisco, where he first performed the iconic “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” forever linking his artistry to the city. His dedication to jazz throughout his remarkable career helped preserve and elevate the music’s vocal tradition. Performances on this stage reflect that same elegance, warmth, and enduring love of song.
Sutter Street – Miles Davis Stage
The Miles Davis Stage celebrates one of the most influential and transformative figures in jazz history. Miles Davis reshaped the sound of jazz again and again, from the cool lyricism of Kind of Blue to the bold experimentation of his later electric work.
A relentless innovator, Davis expanded the possibilities of improvisation, ensemble playing, and musical expression. His influence continues to be felt across jazz and modern music. Artists performing on this stage carry forward that spirit of creativity, exploration, and fearless musical vision.
Eddy Street – John Coltrane Stage
The John Coltrane Stage honors a towering figure whose music expressed profound emotion, spirituality, and technical mastery. John Coltrane’s powerful sound and searching improvisations pushed jazz into new dimensions, inspiring generations of musicians and listeners.
Coltrane’s connection to San Francisco runs deep, including his historic performances in the Fillmore district during the 1960s. His music embodied both discipline and freedom, structure and transcendence. This stage celebrates that legacy with performances that reflect the depth, passion, and enduring spirit of his artistry.
Jones Memorial United Methodist Church – Johnny Mathis Stage
The Johnny Mathis Stage honors one of San Francisco’s most beloved musical icons. With his unmistakable voice and timeless interpretations of classics such as Chances Are and Misty, Johnny Mathis has captivated audiences around the world for more than six decades, becoming one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Mathis developed his extraordinary talent in the city and emerged from its vibrant musical community before achieving international fame. His smooth style, impeccable phrasing, and enduring elegance helped define the Great American Songbook for generations.