09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Blue Note Jazz evokes 2000s nostalgia with Black Radio Experience lineup
The 4th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa is throwing it back to the early 2000s with its Black Radio Experience.
R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan, hip-hop group the Roots and drummer and producer Questlove, all of whom broke into the mainstream around the start of the century, are on the bill for the Labor Day weekend event this year.
Others set to perform at this year's event, set for Aug. 29-31 at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, include co-founder and artist in residence Robert Glasper, jazz group Hiatus Kaiyote, pop-rock singer Willow and rappers Lupe Fiasco and Terrace Martin. A full lineup of announced artists can be found online, with more to be revealed.
Ticket presales start at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 7, and general onsale begins at 9 a.m. Friday, May 9.
'Black Radio Experience and Robtober are the platforms I use to bring all my favorite artists and collaborators together as one big family reunion,' Glasper said in a statement, referencing his annual October residency at New York City's Blue Note Jazz Club. 'I'm honored to be part of such an amazing community.'
The night before performances kick off, on Aug. 28, Glasper plans to host an exclusive opening dinner and concert to kick things off. In addition to the festival throughout the weekend, afterparties are set for Aug. 29-30, featuring special guests such as DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kewli and D-Nice.
Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa launched in 2022 as a hub for all things hip-hop and R&B. The multi-stage festival has seen headliners such as John Legend, Chance the Rapper, and Mary J Blige over the years. Last year, it launched the Black Radio Experience as a more intimate spin-off.
