Introduce your children to the joys of music at the The SFJAZZ Center’s family-friendly monthly matinees in downtown San Francisco. SFJAZZ Family Matinees connects young audience members to world-renowned musicians in an engaging environment that is both fun and educational. With only two more concerts left this season, now is your chance to attend these hour-long programs and give your young listeners the opportunity to discover the enjoyment of a wide range of music genres.

Only Two Remaining Performances of Season 4

Terrence Brewer & Youth Speaks 

April 16, 11am

Join guitarist producer and educator Terrence Brewer with his excellent Quartet alongside Youth Speaks Poet-Mentor Fellow Tammy Vaitai for an interactive and inspiring morning of jazz and poetry!

• Concert and Q&A 
• No Family Workshop

Daniel Handler, Marcus Shelby & Friends

May 21, 11am

Celebrate the inimitable Fats Waller on the actual day of his birth! Born May 21st, 1904. Leading us on the journey of Waller’s extraordinary contributions to jazz are two Bay Area treasures: author and comedic genius Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snickett) and award-winning bassist and bandleader, Marcus Shelby. 

• Concert and Q&A
• Family Workshop: With Orff percussion instruments with Bay Area educator and author Doug Goodkin. 

Give the Gift of Music

While I'm not a musician, I'm always seeking out places where I can motivate my daughter to develop her own musical abilities. I took her to SFJAZZ in March to see the ensemble Caminos Flamencos featuring flamenco music and dance. Nothing can replace the experience of listening to music and seeing dance performed live. Each one-hour matinee features a professional performance and audience participation at an incredibly affordable price. General Admission is only $5 child/senior, $15 adult. What a great gift! 

The Younger the Better

SFJAZZ is a powerful venue to lead young children towards an appreciation of various musical styles. When we attended the flamenco concert, the three year old boy behind us couldn’t wait for the flamenco dancer to return to the stage. When she entered he stood spellbound, then shook with excitement, bouncing to the beat of the music and stomping to the dancers shoes. Then the dancer gave a brief lesson on rhythm and mood and encouraged the children to clap, sing, and shout “¡olé!” and his beaming smile said it all. You could see in his eyes, something inexplicable happened to him that day. 

Sign Up for the Interactive Family Workshops

Following select performances are FREE workshops but you need to register in the lobby prior to the show. Space is limited to the first 65 people then they start a waitlist. These half hour workshops vary in content and are inspired by the show.

Good to Know Before You Go

🎺 There is no assigned seating. The amphitheater seating gives everyone a great view of the performers no matter where you sit. There is limited seating on the bottom floor, which is flat, but you are close to the stage.

🎷 Sign up for workshop as soon as you get to the SFJAZZ Center. Best to arrive about 20-30 minutes before the show. If you are on the waitlist, a lot of families drop out so it's worth hanging around if you didn’t register on time.

🎹 Expect kids to be kids. You will hear kids cry, comment, giggle, dance, and scream. Kids will run up and down the isles and plan to see the occasional shoe lights twinkle too.

🎤 Allow your kids to be kids. I heard a lot of hushing and parents leaving but don't worry if it's your kid that is making the noise. 

🎸 Family Matinees are streamed Live. Visit sfjazz.org/live and don't miss a beat! 

🎵 SFJAZZ is located in the the trendy Hayes Valley neighborhood with it’s lovely boutique and specialty shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and more. There’s a small park called Patricia’s Green on Octavia Street between Hayes and Fell, with a playground and inventive sculptures, occasional food trucks, and famous Smitten Ice Cream, serving up made-to-order scoops with its liquid nitrogen technology. 

🚗 Park at the Performing Arts Garage located on Grove between Franklin & Gough or the Civic Center Garage located on McAllister between Polk & Larkin. Or take Public Transportation BART: Civic Center Station; MUNI Metro: Van Ness Station; Muni Lines (Bus): 6, 16X, 21, 47, 49, 71, 71L, 90. SFJAZZ membership benefits include exclusive opportunity to pre-purchase parking. 

🎶 SFJAZZ Center is conveniently located at the corner of Franklin and Fell streets in San Francisco.