Fillmore Jazz Festival 2026
- Headline Performance
- Saturday, July 4, 2026
- 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- California Street — Tony Bennett Stage
Kim Nalley is one of the Bay Area’s most celebrated jazz vocalists and a defining voice of the Fillmore Jazz Festival. Born in San Francisco, Nalley possesses a remarkable three-and-a-half octave range and began performing professionally at just fourteen years old.
Her international breakthrough came when San Francisco Symphony conductor Michael Tilson Thomas heard her sing Gershwin unamplified and invited her to perform with the symphony — launching a career that has taken her to major venues and festivals worldwide, including Monterey Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, and Umbria Jazz Festival.
Nalley is also deeply connected to San Francisco’s historic jazz legacy. She owned and operated the beloved club Jazz at Pearl’s, helping sustain live jazz in the Fillmore district and nurturing the next generation of musicians.
In addition to her performance career, Nalley is an accomplished scholar. She earned her Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Berkeley in 2021. Her research focuses on the global influence of Black American jazz musicians, and she continues to teach, lecture, and perform internationally.
A beloved fixture of the Fillmore Jazz Festival, Kim Nalley returns as the festival’s headline vocalist, continuing a tradition of excellence that connects the neighborhood’s rich musical history with its vibrant present.
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