San Francisco, CA — Over the past year, co-organizers Stella Gould and Annie Orzen have been working hard to bring an exciting new concert series to life. The Women in Jazz Concert Series, launching this summer at San Francisco’s beautiful Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park, is a free-to-the-public event designed to spotlight the incredible talents of local women and nonbinary jazz musicians.

This series is about more than just music — it's about creating opportunities for local artists, celebrating legendary non-male composers of the past, and amplifying voices that have too often been overlooked. Jazz has long been a male-dominated field, and this project offers a much-needed platform for artists who have been historically underrepresented in both jazz and the broader music industry.

In addition to generating professional performance opportunities for these extraordinary artists, the series also seeks to offer the San Francisco community free, live music, while activating one of the city’s most scenic and underused outdoor venues. The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, tucked within McLaren Park, provides a natural and welcoming environment for residents of all ages to gather, listen, and enjoy the fun! We hope to see you at one or many of the shows this summer.

FEATURING

● Nina Grigg — A jazz singer-turned-rocker from the Bay Area, Nina Grigg is now making waves in New York's freestyle jam scene. Named after Nina Simone, Nina has been performing jazz professionally for over a decade and began focusing on songwriting with an edgier, genre-bending style in college. Her influences range from Erykah Badu to Limp Bizkit, and she flows seamlessly between genres, commanding the stage wherever she goes.

● Annie Orzen & Lily Bogas

○ Annie Orzen — A San Francisco-based pianist, bandleader, and educator, Annie explores diverse styles of improvisation while staying rooted in the traditions of jazz, folk, and contemporary popular music. She recently graduated with a degree in Jazz Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with pianist Gary Versace. Annie leads her own jazz trio on the West Coast, performs contemporary music in various ensembles, and is the founder of her jazz-pop group "Seldon," which has garnered over 100k streams on Spotify.

○ Lily Bogas — Half mezzo-soprano/half jazz singer from San Francisco, Lily is passionate about sharing human experiences through opera, art song, and contemporary music. A recent graduate of the Eastman School of Music, her 2023–24 season included standout performances as Anne in Jake Heggie’s To Hell and Back and as Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Lily recently performed with West Edge Opera in the world premiere of Bulrusher and will join Aspen Opera Theater as a 2025 Studio Artist. In addition to classical music, Lily enjoys writing and performing across genres such as folk, R&B, jazz, and indie.

San Francisco, CA — Over the past year, co-organizers Stella Gould and Annie Orzen have been working hard to bring an exciting new concert series to life. The Women in Jazz Concert Series, launching this summer at San Francisco’s beautiful Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park, is a free-to-the-public event designed to spotlight the incredible talents of local women and nonbinary jazz musicians.

This series is about more than just music — it's about creating opportunities for local artists, celebrating legendary non-male composers of the past, and amplifying voices that have too often been overlooked. Jazz has long been a male-dominated field, and this project offers a much-needed platform for artists who have been historically underrepresented in both jazz and the broader music industry.

In addition to generating professional performance opportunities for these extraordinary artists, the series also seeks to offer the San Francisco community free, live music, while activating one of the city’s most scenic and underused outdoor venues. The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, tucked within McLaren Park, provides a natural and welcoming environment for residents of all ages to gather, listen, and enjoy the fun! We hope to see you at one or many of the shows this summer.

FEATURING

● June Cavlan — An award-winning vocalist, arranger, and teacher, June Cavlan is a dynamic force in New York’s straight-ahead jazz scene. Originally from the Bay Area, she has shared the stage with luminaries like Emmet Cohen, Bryan Carter, and Benny Benack III. Now based in Manhattan, June brings her charismatic interpretations of the Great American Songbook to every performance. She will be joined by The Sunhouse Singers, an exciting new all-female vocal trio, for a special set at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.

● MeloDious — This supercharged sibling trio from Oakland, Micaiah, Matthias, and Memphis Dempsey, have become one of the Bay Area’s most talked-about young bands. Having started their musical journey performing gospel music at Higher Ground Church, where their father is a pastor, this trio blends soul, gospel, and jazz into an electrifying live performance. Their most recent performance at SFJazz was extremely well received by the local community, and they are excited to bring their sweet melodies to the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater

San Francisco, CA — Over the past year, co-organizers Stella Gould and Annie Orzen have been working hard to bring an exciting new concert series to life. The Women in Jazz Concert Series, launching this summer at San Francisco’s beautiful Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park, is a free-to-the-public event designed to spotlight the incredible talents of local women and nonbinary jazz musicians.

This series is about more than just music — it's about creating opportunities for local artists, celebrating legendary non-male composers of the past, and amplifying voices that have too often been overlooked. Jazz has long been a male-dominated field, and this project offers a much-needed platform for artists who have been historically underrepresented in both jazz and the broader music industry.

In addition to generating professional performance opportunities for these extraordinary artists, the series also seeks to offer the San Francisco community free, live music, while activating one of the city’s most scenic and underused outdoor venues. The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, tucked within McLaren Park, provides a natural and welcoming environment for residents of all ages to gather, listen, and enjoy the fun! We hope to see you at one or many of the shows this summer.

FETURING

● Mae Powell — Bay Area singer-songwriter Mae Powell fills her music with a loving optimism. Raised in San Diego, she grew up surrounded by folk musicians recording in a home studio built by her family. After moving to San Francisco in 2014 to studybroadcasting and audio production at SFSU, Powell began writing her own music, drawing inspiration from everyday connections. While working in a Mission District flower shop, she was invited to sing weekly with the in-house jazz band at Amnesia, deepening her musical roots in the local jazz community. Mae has been a staple of San Francisco’s music scene ever since.

● Jaycie Grady 4Tet — A powerhouse drummer and composer from San Diego, Jaycie Grady is a graduate of the prestigious RJAM (Roots, Jazz, and American Music) program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Blending bebop, fusion, and free jazz influences, she’s an active collaborator across the Bay Area and a passionate advocate for visibility of trans jazz musicians in the local scene.