Boulder Jazz Fest Returns

The Modern Jazz and Soul Fest is a recent addition to the Boulder music scene, launched to fill a void for contemporary jazz and soul in a region more focused on roots traditions. The festival is hosted by the Roots Music Project, a non-profit that began in 2019 as a rehearsal space and has since grown into a music incubator supporting local and emerging artists. The festival's programming intentionally highlights female-fronted and BIPOC acts, blending national headliners with regional talent and youth ensembles from its own training programs. The inaugural event in 2025 featured two-time Grammy winner Derrick Hodge, while the 2026 lineup includes Isaac Teal of the national touring band TAUK and drummer Adam Deitch. The SFJAZZ Center, where the West Coast performances are held, is the first stand-alone structure in the U.S. built specifically for jazz. Opened in 2013 at a cost of $64 million, the venue is home to the world's largest non-profit jazz presenter, which serves over 250,000 fans and students annually. Headliner Omar Sosa is a six-time Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist who fuses Afro-Cuban music with jazz and world music. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Smithsonian Associates in 2003 for his contribution to the development of Latin jazz in the U.S. Guitarist Bill Frisell, who grew up in Denver, won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for his 2005 album *Unspeakable*. Known for blending jazz with Americana and folk, his career spans more than 40 years and includes collaborations with artists like Paul Motian, John Zorn, and Elvis Costello. Alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins is a rising star from the Juilliard School who was mentored by Ambrose Akinmusire. His 2020 debut album *Omega* was named the best new jazz release by The New York Times, and in 2023 he won three DownBeat Critics Poll Awards, including Best Alto Saxophonist.