CRCD Joins as a Key Community Partner for the Region’s Premier Celebration of African American Music and Cultural Heritage

LOS ANGELES, CA — For more than three decades, the sound of jazz has drifted down Central Avenue every September weaving through the streets that once made South Los Angeles the beating heart of African American music, culture, and community in the West. On Saturday, September 19th, that tradition continues with the 31st Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival, a free, family-friendly celebration featuring live performances across multiple stages, community pavilions, art, food, and the kind of cultural richness that only Central Avenue can deliver.

The Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) is proud to serve as a key community partner and sponsor of this year’s festival, continuing a relationship rooted in a shared commitment to South Los Angeles and the people who call it home.

A Celebration Rooted in History

Central Avenue was not always just a street. From the early 1900s through the 1950s, it was the epicenter of African American life in Los Angeles, a corridor lined with jazz clubs, businesses, and cultural institutions that rivaled anything in the country. Legends like Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Gerald Wilson, and Dexter Gordon shaped an American art form on these blocks. The historic Dunbar Hotel, Club Alabam, and the 28th Street YMCA were more than landmarks, they were gathering places where a community built its identity, its economy, and its voice in the face of the segregation and injustice that surrounded it.

The Central Avenue Jazz Festival was created to honor that legacy and to ensure that future generations know and celebrate it. Now in its 31st year, it stands as one of the last remaining authentic jazz festivals in Southern California and one of the most enduring community celebrations in the region.

“For more than two decades, this festival has been a cultural crown jewel for South Los Angeles,” said Mark Wilson, President & CEO of CRCD. “We are honored to be part of an event that celebrates the depth and brilliance of Black artistic tradition while bringing the whole community together in joy and pride.”

What to Expect at The Festival

Hosted by Councilman Curren D. Price Jr. in the “New 9th” District, this year’s festival will bring thousands of music lovers to Central Avenue, between Vernon Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard, for a full day of world-class performances, cultural programming, and community connection.

“It has been a true honor to carry on the tradition of the Central Avenue Jazz Festival and keep it free and accessible as one of the few festivals of its kind. This event is especially meaningful because it celebrates the history, culture and legacy of jazz right here on Central Avenue while giving families across South Los Angeles a place to come together and experience that legacy for themselves. This year will be bittersweet because it will be my last as Councilmember, but through every challenge — even the pandemic — we found a way to keep this tradition alive. As we turn the page, my hope is that the Central Avenue Jazz Festival continues bringing people together and making an impact in this community for decades to come.” – Councilman Curren D. Price Jr. 

Performances will take place on two main stages and at the iconic Historic Dunbar Hotel, featuring jazz legends and emerging artists alike. This year’s headliners include Sheila E., Tatiana Tate, Endea Owens, and the Cookout, artists whose work spans generations and speaks to the full range of what jazz can be and where it is going.

Festival Pavilions will offer something for every member of the community:

• Arts Pavilion: now in its 11th year, featuring curated works from local and regional artists that capture the culture and creativity of South Los Angeles
• Youth Pavilion: arts and crafts, games, interactive musical activities, and educational demonstrations for young festivalgoers
• Public Resource Pavilion: representatives from City of Los Angeles, county, and state agencies on-site to share resources and services
• Health and Wellness Pavilion: free and confidential health and dental screenings for children and adults, including physicals, blood pressure checks, STI testing, childhood immunizations, vision and hearing screenings, flu vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines, and more, available from 11AM to 5PM

Attendees can also explore the Central Avenue Angels Walk, a self-guided tour of the historic corridor that tells the story of the people and places that made Central Avenue the center of Black life in Los Angeles, including three buildings designed by legendary architect Paul R. Williams: the Second Baptist Church, the 28th Street YMCA, and Angelus Funeral Home.

CRCD’s Legacy on Central Avenue

CRCD’s partnership with the Central Avenue Jazz Festival is a natural extension of the organization’s 20-year commitment to South Los Angeles. Among CRCD’s most significant real estate developments is the historic 28th Street YMCA, one of the buildings featured on the Central Avenue Angels Walk and a landmark of African American cultural and architectural history. Designed by Paul R. Williams in 1926 and restored by CRCD in partnership with Clifford Beers Housing, the building now provides 49 units of permanent supportive housing for transition-age youth and houses the organization’s YouthSource Center on the ground floor.

For CRCD, the Jazz Festival is a celebration of the community the organization was built to serve, the history that shaped South Los Angeles, and the resilience and creativity that continue to define it.

About the Central Avenue Jazz Festival

The Central Avenue Jazz Festival is an annual free community celebration honoring the legacy of the historic Central Avenue corridor in South Central Los Angeles. Now in its 31st year, the festival is one of the last remaining authentic jazz celebrations in Southern California, featuring live performances, community pavilions, art, food, and cultural programming that celebrate the African American community’s profound contributions to music, culture, and the history of Los Angeles. Learn more at centralavejazzfest.com. 

About CRCD

The Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) is a South Los Angeles-based nonprofit founded in 2005 with a mission to improve the quality of life for residents through workforce development, affordable housing, small business support, and community investment. Over 20 years, CRCD has served more than 12,000 South LA residents, developed 860 units of affordable housing, and built an integrated ecosystem of programs designed to create lasting economic mobility for the community it calls home. Learn more at coalitionrcd.org.