($10-$15 + DICE fees | 6:30pm + 8pm Sets) Drummer & percussionist Aaron Szabo (Zona Libre, TLJN, et al) brings us “Los Esquineros”! Expect a blend of of Brazlian, Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms mixed with jazz melodies. Two sets at 6:30pm & 8pm!

($25-$35 + DICE fees | 6:30pm Show) NYC’s Luca Benedetti Trio is thrilled to return to Tucson after their highly praised 2025 debut. Supporting their third and latest release, “Slow Down For Turtles,” the performance will showcase the trio’s groove-heavy explorations, adventurous interplay, and dynamic approach to ensemble playing.

Luca Benedetti (guitar) Tony Scherr (bass) Tonhy Mason (drums)

“When you can’t quite nail down the style of an artist that’s when it gets really interesting… Blues, California surf, psychedelia, Neil Young, Frisell—but nope, none of these. It’s Luca. Absolutely fantastic.” – Paul Bowman, The Century Room

Benedetti has been a prominent fixture in the New York City Jazz, Blues and Roots music scene since the late ’90s and has worked alongside such varied artists and groups as Ron Carter, Jim Campilongo, Steve Gadd, Chris Lightcap, Joy Askew and many more. For his work as a solo artist and a producer, he has garnered critical accolades from Relix Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine, Gitarre & Bass, and Vintage Guitar Magazine, among others.

New York-based jazz musician Tony Scherr plays acoustic and electric bass and guitar in a variety of line-ups. He played with Woody Herman while a teenager. A prolific session musician he’s worked with John Scofield, Norah Jones, Bill Frisell, Ani DiFranco, Al Di Meola, and more. He’s been a member of numerous bands such as The Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob, Jesse Harris and the Ferdinados, and Chris Brown and the Citizen Band.

New York City drummer Tony Mason has toured and recorded with John Scofield, Joan Osborne, Norah Jones, Charlie Hunter, and many others. In the studio, Tony has worked with producers Nile Rodgers, Camu Celli, Ron St. Jermaine, Matt Pierson and the legendary Russ Titleman; he has also played on many commercials and television shows.

($10-$15 Tickets + DICE fees | 8:30pm Show) Space Travelers Union Presents: Tour Kickoff!

Join Space Travelers Union for a special tour kickoff performance where they’ll be debuting new music before they hit the road to Los Angeles, New Orleans, and many other American cities.

Space Travelers Union is a creative-musician collective formed in the Arizona desert through the meeting of composition, improvisation, and electronic signal. The project has reached international audiences through BBC6, Radio France’s FIP, JazzFM, and Gilles Peterson’s WorldwideFM, with additional recognition from Bandcamp’s “New and Notable” and YouTube Music’s Jazz Hotlist.

This performance features:

Kenji Wagner (Trumpet + Guitar)

Kenji Ono Lancaster (Drums)

Ryan Wheless (Saxophone + Banjo + Electronics)

Colin McIlrath (Bass)

Eric Nakanishi (Saxophone)

This performance is presented as part of the ongoing Space Travelers Union Presents residency at the Century Room.

($25-$35 + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Welcome back New York based guitarist Matt Panayides and his band to the Century Room! Panayides and CR Artistic Director Arthur Vint were classmates together at William Paterson University and continue their musicial relationship into a third decade! Panayides is celebrating the release of his new album on Steeplechase records, “Present Echoes”.

Simeon Roth (saxophone) Matt Panayides (guitar) Adam Gay (bass) Arthur Vint (drums)

Matt Panayides is a highly acclaimed guitarist and composer based in New York City. Influenced by guitar legends such as Jim Hall, John Scofield, Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell, he has created a unique sound that has earned him worldwide recognition. Panayides is known for his distinctive playing style and improvisational skills, and he can often be found leading his own groups and collaborating with other musicians both in New York City and abroad.

Panayides is focused on applying concepts developed on his previous three albums to the solo and trio jazz guitar format. He is exploring the American songbook repertoire and compositions by great jazz composers, sculpting arrangements that showcase the natural acoustic sound of his hollow body guitar made by Victor Baker.

($10-$15 | 10:30pm Show) After Friday night’s show, stick around for Late Night with the Chris Peña Organ Trio, featuring Matt Payanides (guitar) and Arthur Vint (drums)

($25-$35 + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8:30pm Shows) Supremely swinging drummer Ted Bouras leads the Organauts through the music of Wes Montgomery and Johnny Griffin, playing songs from their classic 1962 album “Full House” and more!

Dave Schmidt (tenor sax) Matt Mitchell (guitar) David Paonessa (organ) Ted Bouras (drums)

In the past five years, Prescott-based Drummer/Bandleader Ted Bouras has led and co-led bands at The Century Room, The Nash and Jazzbird/Ravenscroft. Ted has welcomed to Prescott’s Raven Cafe bandstand: Andrew Gross, Dave Henning, Chris Finet, Stan Sorenson, Ronnie Rose, Chris Finet, Selwyn Reams, Yari Dvir, Damian Hagge and many others. This year, Bouras became the first to produce a series of Jazz Concerts at The Cosmos Theater in Prescott. The concerts feature Diana Lee, Beth Lederman, Mike King, David Paonessa, Chris Counelis and Bob Shimizu. Ted has appeared with local favorites, The Goodwin Street Gang, King Copper Jazz Band and during the 2025 Prescott Jazz Summit.

($10-$15 + DICE fees | 10:30pm Show) After Saturday night’s show, stick around for late night with drummmer Casey Hadland and his band!

($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-$35 tickets + DICE fees | 6:30pm & 8pm sets) Vocalist Nelly Hawley-Hayes fronts the Century Jazz Orchestra!

Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Nelly Hawley-Hayes is a professional musician, composer and songwriter, educator, and certified private sound therapist. She attended the Jazz Vocal program at The Berklee College of Music, and is currently pursuing additional studies in Jazz Performance at The University of Arizona with the intention of completing her DMA in music performance.

Nelly’s voice is versatile, large, and mesmerizing. She sings with the intention of igniting the power of healing through the voice and is motivated by her philosophy that music is spiritual and can heal all wounds. Early influences such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Nina Simone shaped her taste for songwriting and performing and serves as the blueprint for her timbre and vocal resonance.

A performer of 20+ years, Nelly has recently sung at The Century Room, Hotel Congress, the Gaslight Music Hall in Oro Valley, Tucson Folk Festival, Pima County Fair, St. Philip’s Plaza, Tucson Festival of Books, Deep Sky Vineyards, and other venues and stages in Tucson as well as jazz clubs in Virginia.

She has recorded for the Los Angeles publisher BMG Production Music, the TLAH (LA Hustle) Initiative, recorded her original works with In Your Ear studio in Richmond, VA, and has recorded and produced her own music in her own studio for 18 years.

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:

Kenji Lancaster (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).