The serene grounds of Caltech will transform into a vibrant jazz venue this Saturday as the Institute’s Jazz Band hosts its annual festival, bringing together three distinct acts that span the breadth of contemporary and traditional jazz expressions. The free event creates a communal space where jazz lovers can experience live performances in an intimate outdoor setting.
This outdoor concert starts off at 1 p.m. and carries through to 5 p.m. on the Hameetman Patio.
Under the direction of Barb Catlin, the Caltech Jazz Band will open the festival with an eclectic program featuring compositions by Mary Lou Williams, Jessika Smith, Thad Jones, and Duke Ellington, alongside movements from Carla Bley’s ambitious “National Anthem Suite.”
The afternoon continues with the Teryn Ré Quartet, led by its namesake, who has established herself as an accomplished vocalist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator. Ré, whose hard-swinging style and scatting abilities recall influences such as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen McRae, has garnered recognition for compositions commissioned by universities throughout California. Her albums, “The Teryn Ré Big Band” and “The Teryn Ré Trio,” have achieved national radio play, further cementing her reputation in jazz circles. When not performing, Ré serves as Director of Vocal Jazz Studies at Fullerton College.
The festival culminates with a performance by legendary composer and cornetist Bobby Bradford and his ensemble. Born in Cleveland, Mississippi, amid the rich traditions of Delta blues and later raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Bradford emerged as a founding figure of the 1950s Los Angeles Avant-Garde jazz scene. His early career intertwined with Ornette Coleman before both musicians relocated to Los Angeles in the 1950s, becoming integral to the thriving Central Avenue music scene alongside Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, Billy Higgins, and others. Following service in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1958, Bradford spent 44 years as a lecturer at Pomona College, teaching jazz history and leading the institution’s jazz ensemble.
Bradford’s set will feature music from “Stealin’ Home,” his 2018 commissioned suite celebrating the centennial of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. His appearance carries particular poignancy as the festival welcomes Bradford as “a recent survivor of the Altadena fires, and one of many in our community who lost everything.”
The free event runs from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Hameetman Center Patio on Caltech’s campus. The festival is outside with limited seating. Please bring your folding chair, blankets and picnic items. Free parking is available on campus.
The Caltech Jazz Festival stands as more than a musical offering; it represents a valued tradition of community engagement that extends beyond the university’s scientific endeavors, functioning as an important cultural bridge between the academic institution and surrounding community. Previous iterations have welcomed notable performers, with the 2024 festival featuring saxophonist Kirsten Edkins and jazz mandolin virtuoso Eva Scow. The 2013 festival also showcased Edkins, whose collaborative resume includes performances with Arturo Sandoval and Stevie Wonder.
For more information, contact Haruka Schoe at 626-808-2641 or email hschoe@caltech.edu.
