Esperanza Spalding to Bring Free Concert to The Music Center
Jazz Icon to Perform Under the Stars
Get ready, Los Angeles! Jazz superstar Esperanza Spalding will grace Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center with a free concert on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. Music lovers of all ages are invited to enjoy the GRAMMY-winning artist’s incredible talent in an unforgettable evening under the stars.
A Night of Music and Community
This concert, part of the “Live at The Music Center” series, is presented thanks to a generous contribution from longtime Music Center patron, Jerry Moss. While admission is free, those planning to attend are highly encouraged to RSVP on musiccenter.org.
“Esperanza Spalding is an extraordinary artist, community healer and visionary who defies convention and whose extraordinary work pulses with boundless creativity. Her performance at Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center will be more than a concert; it will be a call to listen deeply, celebrate our shared humanity and experience jazz’s transformative power to uplift our souls.”
—Rachel S. Moore, President and CEO of The Music Center
Spalding, a Portland, Oregon native, is also a self-described “eaabibacliitoti” artist, incorporating instrumental music, bass playing, improvisation, singing, composition, and more into her craft. In 2024, jazz concerts in the U.S. alone generated over $1 billion in revenue, demonstrating the continued popularity of the genre (Statista, 2024).
More Than Just a Concert
Spalding has collaborated with numerous artists, including Q-Tip and Janelle Monae. She is also the founder of Prismid Sanctuary, a non-profit organization providing artist residency, performance, and workshop space. She has earned five GRAMMY wins and eleven nominations. She won GRAMMY Awards for her albums “12 Little Spells” (2019) and “songwrights apothecary lab” (2021).
“Esperanza Spalding is a phenomenal artist, who performs with exceptional mastery and passion while remaining profoundly engaged in community and educational work and exploring music’s power to heal—she walks the talk.”
—Josephine Ramirez, Executive Vice President of TMC Arts, the programming arm of The Music Center
Essential Details for Attendees
The Music Center, UCLA Jane & Jerry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation, and others are partnering for this event. Spalding will also lead a local iteration of her Songwrights Apothecary Lab (SAL) as part of the concert, offering public engagement sessions as well.
Food and beverages will be sold onsite, but outside alcohol is prohibited. Guests may bring their own chairs, provided they are no taller than 18 inches. For a full list of prohibited items, visit musiccenter.org/prohibited. Parking is available at The Music Center Main Campus Garage and The Walt Disney Concert Hall Garage for $10. Valet parking is also available for $23.
Consider public transportation to the free concert. The Music Center is near the Civic Center/Grand Park station on the Metro B Line (Red) and D Line (Purple), and also accessible via Metro’s Regional Connector to the Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill station on the Metro A Line (Blue) and E Line (Expo). The Music Center welcomes all and is dedicated to accessibility for all attendees, including service animals.
