Carson Jazz Festival – Party in the Park

You are keenly aware that the season has changed to autumn/fall. What you may not know is that the outdoor concert season is still in full bloom. My social calendar has several upcoming events lined up in the month of October.

By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer

     Carson, CA- You are keenly aware that the season has changed to autumn/fall. What you may not know is that the outdoor concert season is still in full bloom. My social calendar has several upcoming events lined up in the month of October.

     Music lovers and foodies from Carson and surrounding areas assembled in Anderson Park, 19101 S. Wilmington Avenue, on a beautiful day in Carson, the “Jewel of the South Bay.’ The festival was held on Saturday, October 4, 2025.

     Everyone anxiously waited for the City of Carson to announce the lineup for the highly anticipated 2025 Carson Jazz Festival.

     This beloved community celebration is one of the longest-running events in Carson. It was nice seeing attendees enjoying an afternoon of great music, tasty cuisines, and a children’s area in a comfortable, inviting, and relaxing setting for the entire family.

     An aerial view of the festival showed a colorful array of blankets, chairs, beach towels, umbrellas, and tents. Make no mistake; this was the place to be on Saturday.

     “Music is one of the things that bring us all together,” Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said in a written statement. This Jazz Festival, featuring a world-class lineup, wonderful vendors, and great food, is a magnificent event for all residents to enjoy. This celebration is a glimpse into the vibrant community spirit that makes Carson shine as the ‘Jewel of the South Bay.”

     Ms. Dianne Thomas, President of Carson Citizens Cultural Arts Festival, got the show underway with opening remarks and a powerful, positive prayer that resonated with guests.

     DJ Alcatraz featured on the ones and twos. He enhanced the festival with an eclectic soundtrack for the multitude of boots on the ground. Security made sure that there was no parking on the dance floor.

     Today’s iteration of the Carson Jazz Festival welcomed huge crowds of music lovers, cultural aficionados, and foodies from all over Southern California. Foodies delighted in the many options on site: California Fish Market, Just Wright Bar-b-Que, Khadim Enterprises, Mae Ollie Patramis, Maria’s Catering, Soul Feels Good Vegan Garden, and Throwdown Soul Food.

     Cal State Dominguez Hill Jazz Ensemble kicked things off with some straight-ahead jazz, bossa nova, and jazz fusion. This tight ensemble performed “How High the Moon,” “Aqua De Bebe,” “Moment’s Notice,” “Havona,” and “Strasbourg/St. Denis.”

Donald Hayes (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

     This unforgettable day of wonderful music continued with a set from composer, arranger, and performer Donald Hayes. He thrilled the crowd with a set of southern, soulful sounds and a bit of funk, in a shout-out to his town of Memphis. Donald performed selections from his latest EP/CD, Soul Searching. He opened their set with the title track “Soul Searching,” and continued with his arrangement of “Tell Me Something Good,” by Chaka Khan, and closed with “Give Me the Night.”

     The festival continued on a high note with a return engagement, performance by Jazz in Pink. Jazz in Pink is an all-female, eight-person band led by Gail Jhonson. They have been captivating audiences all over the world. They delivered another awesome performance to the delight of the crowd. They opened with “Glow,” and continued with “Joy and Pain,” with vocals by Blended by God, followed by “Mr. Magic,” featuring a standout performance by Tomoka on saxophone. They continued with “It’s Too Late,” and “The Ghetto,” with percussionist Yakira on vocals.

     The party has officially started, proclaimed saxophonist Mike Phillips. He revved up the festivities a notch as he moved full speed ahead while in the spotlight. Mike opened his set with “We Are One,” “I’m Cool Like That,” and “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing). Saxophonist Donald Hayes joined the band for a couple of selections. Mike concluded his high-octane set by playing a musical tribute to Prince, “I Feel for You,” Stevie Wonder, “Song in the Key of Life,” and Michael Jackson, “The Lady in My Life.”

Mike Phillips (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

     This year’s Carson Jazz Festival featured a top-rated performance by Grammy-nominated balladeer/crooner Eric Benét.

Eric Benét (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

The festival concluded with a rousing set by B.I.G. (Brothers Igniting a Groove). B.I.G. is an R&B, smooth jazz, and old school funk band based in Southern California. The band consists of Marcus “Slim” Shaw, John Martin, Robert “Bullet” Harris, Kevin Henderson, and John “De Shezo Shenzo” Bell. Class was in session as they took the grown folks, aka, party people, down memory lane with a classic soundtrack of tracks.

     The Carson Jazz Festival is just one of many events that take place in Carson, the ‘Jewel of the South Bay’ year year-round. Visit and bookmark this link to stay in the know, mix about upcoming exciting events in the city: https://carsonca.gov/eventslist.php.