SF JAZZ

San Francisco's Fillmore District, once known as the “Harlem of the West,” was home to SF Jazz, a globally recognized musical haven in the 1940’s and 1950’s. In the 1970’s, this well-known jazz community slowly disappeared, and  SF Jazz’s community of artists had to perform in less than optimal venues. Recognizing the need for a community space, in 2011 SFCIF provided a $15 million new market tax credit allocation to SF Jazz to help fund the construction of a new facility to bring SF Jazz back to its present day grandeur. 

SFCIF’s partnership with SF Jazz helped bring to fruition the first stand-alone structure in the country specifically for jazz performances. This award-winning venue was designed by San Francisco architect Mark Cavagnero, who worked with acoustician Sam Berkow and theater designer Len Auerbach, to create a main performance space with the acoustic quality of a concert hall while also maintaining the intimacy of a jazz club.

With its redesigned facility, SF Jazz has been able to expand its audiences locally and globally. Its annual season includes a repertoire of diverse performances, such as the SF Jazz Festival and SF Jazz Summer Sessions, while also inspiring a vibrant local music scene and free summer concerts.