This Sunday marks the 49th annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival, a full day of music and community programming returning to the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus. The free event, a local fixture, will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering a range of performances and activities for all ages.
The festival follows the 44th annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival, which took place the day prior on the campus. For Sunday's event, organizers have planned a diverse musical lineup spanning jazz, salsa, funk, gospel, and hip-hop genres. The day’s festivities are set to open with a Yoruba ground blessing conducted by Alaadun, setting a traditional tone for the day.
Following the opening blessing, attendees can expect performances from ADAAWE, the Todd Cochran Trio, the Bobby Matos Tribute Band, and Larry Nash and The Jazz Symphonic All Stars. The Caribbean Allstars are also slated to perform, alongside MEDUSA Tha Gangsta Goddess, according to festival organizers.
Beyond the stages, the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus will host various community-focused activities throughout the day. The School of Healing Martial Arts will lead a community tai chi class, offering a chance for collective movement and wellness. A Universal Drum Circle invites participation, while dedicated children’s programming ensures younger visitors have their own engaging activities. Gardening activities will also be available, alongside a selection of food, arts, and crafts vendors.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore art exhibitions housed within the campus's Charles Mingus and Noah Purifoy Galleries. Among the featured displays is “From Alkebulan `Africa’ to Watts,” a collection showcasing 52 pieces of West African masks, sculptures, and ceremonial objects. This significant collection was donated to the Watts Towers Arts Center in 1985 by then-Representative Augustus F. Hawkins.
Another exhibition, "Spirits of the Ancestors," presents a unique artistic vision. It features shovels that have been transformed into canvases by 13 artists with established connections to the Watts neighborhood and the broader Los Angeles arts community. This particular collection was conceived by Watts Towers Arts Center Director Rosie Lee Hooks and originally unveiled to the public in 2003.
The Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival is located at the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus, found at 1727 E. 107th St. in Los Angeles. Both admission to the festival and parking for attendees are free, continuing a tradition of accessibility for the nearly half-century-old event.
