Paul JAS Center unveils summer highlights
Café performances, summer camps, community nights and more
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Jazz Aspen Snowmass has unveiled its packed summer schedule for the recently opened Paul JAS Center.
Guests can look forward to an expanded JAS Café series, new summer camps for students, the continuation of Tuesday Community Nights and more.
JAS Café Summer Series
The JAS Café Summer Series will run July through September with daily performance starting at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. The series will showcase both new artists and returning talent — with musical styles ranging from jazz to funk, blues to soul, Latin to New Orleans and more.
Featured performers debuting for the 2026 summer include Brass-A-Holics, D.K. Harrell, multi-Grammy winning Trumpeter Randy Brecker and the Golding Bernstein Stewart B-3 Organ Trio, jazz vocalist Ashley Pezzotti and multi-Grammy winning vocal group wizards The New York Voices.
Returning talent showcases Pianist Shelly Berg and Vocalists Bria Skonberg and Veronica Swift and the French Gypsy jazz of the Django Festival Allstars.
JAS will continue to offer its “Café-Dance” format with Standing Room Only tickets in designated dance areas of the venue for specific high-energy shows.
Tickets are on sale now.
Selected featured highlights for SRO tickets include:
- July 3: British Rhythm & Soul of the James Hunter Six
- July 4: New Orleans all trombone band Bonerama
- July 17: soulful blues and funk group The Boneshakers
- Aug. 1: George Porter Jr. and the Runnin’ Pardners
- Aug 9: Afrobeat band Antibalas
Dining options showcasing a small–plate menu will be available from Epicure Catering before or during shows through the Paul JAS Center’s in-house catering team.
September shows will be announced later in the season.
Community Nights
Community Nights will take place at 5 p.m. each Tuesday night starting June 2 for the summer. The free evening will mix open mics, music trivia, local bands, salsa nights and more. Discounted food and drinks will be offered
Summer camps
JAS will be offering three summer camps to local students.
The JAS Street Horns Summer Camp will run from June 22-26. Professional musicians will offer musical instruction to participants at an intermediate to advanced level, and students will participate in a live performance.
New DJ Bootcamp and Beatmaking 101 camps will run from July 6 to 9 and July 13 to 16. These camps will be geared toward beginner and intermediate levels. The students in DJ Bootcamp will learn the basic skills and techniques. The Beatmaking 101 camp will focus on the process of creating digital music beats from square one.
Also on deck this summer will be a Family Jam June 6 — perfect for families with children under 5 years old, plus a local comedy showcase on June 11, free “Salsa After Dark Nights” led by Mezclas Social Dance on July 11 and Aug 8, JAS Saute & Swing Celebrity Chef Dinner and Concert featuring St. Paul and the Broken Bones on June 18 and a jazz brunch with King Cabbage Brass Band Aug. 16.
For the full Cafe JAS series schedule, visit jazzaspensnowmass.org/jas-café-series.
To enroll in summer camps, visit jazzaspensnowmass.org/jas-summer-camps. Scholarships are available.
For a full list of events, visit jazzaspensnowmass.org/events.
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