($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm show) The Century Room welcomes back beloved singer Liz Cracchiolo for a special seasonal show celebrating Autumn in New York. While the leaves might not be turning here in Tucson, you can transport yourself for the evening to the red and golds of Central Park.

Autumn in New York is a love letter to timeless music and the glow of autumn nights. With classics that celebrate both the season and the heartbeat of New York, Liz creates an intimate and nostalgic atmosphere that invites audiences to slow down, sip something warm (or chilled), and lose themselves in the music.

“The magic of the city, the mood of the season — Autumn in New York.”

Matt Mitchell (guitar) Scott Black (bass) Pete Swan (drums)

($10-$15 Tickets | 8:30pm-10:30pm) Join The Century Room every Thursday at 8:30pm for our Soul Jazz Lounge! Each lounge hosts a rotating cast of All-Star house bands and features our Viscount Legend Soul Organ, designed by the late great Joey DeFrancesco, complete with rotating Vortex Speaker! The Viscount Soul organ is a modern recreation of vintage Hammond B3 instruments, which were made famous by jazz organists like Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Larry Young, Brother Jack McDuff & Dr. Lonnie Smith. The Century Room’s Viscount Legend Soul is provided courtesy of the Tucson Jazz Music Foundation.

This week features Chris Peña and his band! They’ll play an opening set at 8:30pm followed by a jam session! Musicians who sit in get in free.

($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Welcome rising stars on the Los Angeles jazz scene Devin Daniels and Julien Knowles for their Century Room debut!

Devin Daniels (alto saxophone) Julien Knowles (trumpet) Jermaine Paul (bass) JK Kim (drums)

Classmates of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Devin Daniels and Julien Knowles quickly forged a frontline bond during the two-year fellowship program, where they were mentored by several legendary jazz artists including Billy Childs, Walter Smith III, and Herbie Hancock. Since graduating in 2023 the two have begun forging their own individually intertwined career paths.

An Inglewood, CA native, Daniels’ rare ability to balance versatility with uncompromising individuality has led him to perform in the bands of Gerald Clayton, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and John Beasley. Perhaps most notably in 2024 Daniels was invited by Hancock to join him on a four-week tour across the United States alongside highly acclaimed bandmates in Terence Blanchard, Chris Potter and Lionel Loueke. As for Knowles, since moving to Los Angeles in 2021 he has quickly become one of the most sought-after musicians in LA’s creative music scene for his unwavering musical sensitivity and honest improvisation. Knowles has toured the United States with Louis Cole and—just as Daniels did— has shared sideman performances with Gerald Clayton and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, in addition to Billy Mohler and Sasha Berliner.

Knowles and Daniels have collectively led bands featuring LA’s most prominent voices of today including Steve Lehman, Justin Brown, David Binney, Paul Cornish, Chris Fishman, Jonathan Pinson, Nicole McCabe and Christian Euman. They have performed alongside one another on numerous festival stages including Angel City Jazz, Central Jazz, Minaret Jazz and Camp FLOG GNAW, and are each consistently core members of the others’ ensemble. This is the case for both of their standout releases of 2024— Daniels’ fiery live album LesGo! (Sam First Records) and Knowles’ impassioned debut As Many, as One (Biophilia Records) were both celebrated in NPR’s “Essential Jazz Discoveries of 2024.”

Standing together as two of the most unique and undeniable voices emerging from Los Angeles’ rapidly evolving creative music landscape, the classmates-turned-collaborators officially joined forces to record a new co-led project last year entitled Now Then, aiming to pay homage to this music’s rich history while simultaneously ushering in a new generation of interpretation.

Featuring a myriad of American songbook re-imaginings alongside a collection of original material, Now Then is a collaborative coalition of the leading young jazz scene in America and an album of visionary art and sonic progression. Daniels and Knowles are joined by bassist Jermaine Paul (Gerald Clayton, Julius Rodriguez, Diane Reeves) and drummer JK Kim (Aaron Parks, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dayna Stephens), with special guest—and album producer—pianist Paul Cornish (Joshua Redman, Immanuel Wilkins, Terrace Martin) on one selection.

($10-$15 + Dice Fees | 10:30pm & 11:30pm Sets) After Saturday night’s show, stick around for late night with space travelers union!

Ryan Wheless (sax) Matt Mitchell (guitar) Colin McIlrath (bass) Casey Hadland (drums) and special guests!

($10-$15 + Dice Fees | 10:30pm & 11:30pm Sets) After Saturday night’s show, stick around for late night with space travelers union!

($25-$35 Tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows)

Saxophonist Kyle Nasser and pianist Simona Premazzi join forces for a special evening honoring one of the most legendary moments in jazz history—the 1957 Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane concert at Carnegie Hall. Together, they’ll revisit the spirit of that historic collaboration.

Expect timeless Monk compositions like Ruby, My Dear and Epistrophy.

Nasser and Premazzi have coped their quartet for years and bring their rare chemistry and depth to this repertoire. Their performance promises to capture the energy that defined Monk and Coltrane’s brief but monumental partnership.

($10-$15 + taxes & fees | 10:30pm & 11:30pm Sets) After Saturday night’s show, stick around for late night with Ben Canfield.

Ben Canfield is a Tucson native and tenor saxophonist, as well as a former member of the Tucson Jazz Institute. After graduating highschool, he graduated Suma Cum Laude from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Jazz performance, while participating in the prestigious Berklee World Jazz Institute.

Throughout his musical career he has studied with world renowned musicians that include Brice Winston, Danilo Perez, Tony Malaby, Greg Hopkins, Noah Preminger and Eric Hofbauer.

($10-$15 + Dice fees | 10:30pm & 11:30pm Sets) After Saturday night’s show, stick around for late night with Ben Canfield.

Ben Canfield is a Tucson native and tenor saxophonist, as well as a former member of the Tucson Jazz Institute. After graduating highschool, he graduated Suma Cum Laude from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Jazz performance, while participating in the prestigious Berklee World Jazz Institute.

Throughout his musical career he has studied with world renowned musicians that include Brice Winston, Danilo Perez, Tony Malaby, Greg Hopkins, Noah Preminger and Eric Hofbauer.

($20-$30 + DICE fees | 4:30pm matinee) Michael Ragonese, a highly accomplished jazz pianist and composer based in Los Angeles, has been immersed in music for over 25 years. Born and raised in LA, his musical journey began with classical piano and later evolved into a deep passion for jazz during his high school years. This pivotal shift led him to pursue a degree in jazz piano at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where he earned top honors at festivals like Reno and Monterey and was recognized as an outstanding soloist.

Ragonese has become one of the most sought-after young pianists of his generation, performing, touring, and recording with legends such as Barbra Streisand, Walter Smith III, Ben Wendel, Mark Turner, Charnett Moffett, Bennie Maupin, Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Alphonso Johnson, John Daversa, Tierney Sutton, Stanley Jordan, Engelbert Humperdinck, Sue Raney, Tom Jones, Shoshana Bean, Dave Binney, Bob Sheppard, and more.

Ragonese made his debut as a leader in 2019 with the release of Day to Day, featuring Walter Smith III. His second album, Stracci, arrived in 2023, honoring his Italian heritage and classical background. His third album as a leader, Chasing Calm, was releaased on October 10, 2025. The record showcases his quartet featuring Walter Smith III, JK Kim, and Luca Alemanno and represents his most personal and reflective work yet, blending modern jazz, classical textures, and complex rhythmic ideas.

For this matinee find Michael paired with locals Colin McIlrath and Arthur Vint.

($5-$10 + DICE fees | 6:30pm-9:30pm) Come sit in with multi-instrumentalist Max Goldschmid and the Century Room house band! Band opens up with a short set followed by an instrumental jam until 9:30pm. Musicians who sit in get in free thanks to the Sonora Arts & Music Initiative!

($20-$30 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8pm sets) Inspired by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the 17-piece Century Jazz Orchestra performs every Monday night at the Century Room starting at 6:30pm. Expect music from the Count Basie Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Thad Jones/Mel Louis Jazz Orchestra, plus classics from Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and much more! An intergenerational ensemble, the CJO fosters community with students, teachers and professionals performing alongside each other and is supported by the Sonora Arts & Music Initiative 501(c)3. Come relive the magic of the big band era every Monday as the CJO keeps the music alive and thriving in the 21st Century!

Some of the musicians you can expect to see on Mondays:

Arthur Vint, Pete Swan, Kenji Lancaster, Fred Hayes (drums) Colin McIlrath, Scott Black (bass) Angelo Versace, Chris Peña, Peter Saxe (piano) Matt Mitchell (guitar) Tim Buechler (bari sax) Ben Canfield, Simeon Roth, Dave Long (tenor sax) Eric Nakanishi, Joseph Rader (alto sax) Jordan Robison, Joshua Schanie, Benjamin Constantinides, Aidan Schofield (trombone) Morani Sanders, Anthony Gibes, Tony Belletti, Jibrael Alsooz, Jason Carder (trumpet).

($50 + DICE fees | 6pm-8pm) Come support the Sonora Arts & Music Initiative 501(c)3 by participating in their Fall Fundraiser! Included in the event ticket is live music from the University of Arizona Jazz Ambassadors, hors d’oeuvres from the Cup Café and sparkling wine from of the Century Room, all provided courtesy of the Sonora Arts & Music Initiative board of directors. Come raise a glass and support live jazz in Tucson! All donations are tax deductible and will be matched up to $25,000, thanks to a generous anonymous donor!

If you are unable to attend, you can still purchase a ticket or make a donation through sonoraarts.org.

The Sonora Arts & Music Initiative’s mission is to promote creative & innovative music by supporting the artists who create it and expanding audiences through performance, education, & advocacy. One way that SAMI does this is through financial support of two of the Century Room’s community based programs: their Sunday night jam session, which provides space for young musicians to experiment, innovate, and develop their skills, and their Monday night Jazz Orchestra, which is intergenerational ensemble that fosters community between students, teachers and professionals while keeping big band music of the 20th Century alive. Without SAMI’s financial support, these programs would not be possible.

Additionally, SAMI has made possible the ability for patrons to underwrite touring national artists to come perform at the Century Room by supporting Signature Concert artist fees and travel expenses. There are several Signature Concerts coming up in 2026 that will be presented by SAMI at the Century Room, and you can help expand the programming by sponsoring an artist!

In 2026, SAMI hopes to also provide video and streaming equipment to the Century Room, help with instrument maintenance, and support more shows by both local musicians and national artists. Find out more information at www.sonoraarts.org/whatwedo.

If you can’t make the date, but would still like to support SAMI’s mission, you can purchase a “Cannot Attend” ticket here, or make a donation via our website www.sonoraarts.org/donate. All funds will go towards support live jazz in Southern Arizona.