Half Moon Bay Wine and Jazz Festival

Celebrating Harlem of the West

In the 1940’s and 1950’s, San Francisco’s Fillmore District was the jazz center of the Bay Area, celebrated as the “Harlem of the West”. Friday night’s special event aims to capture the spirit of that place and time with an evening reminiscent of the supper clubs that were popular at the time. The multi-faceted show will weave jazz music, dance, and poetry together in an unforgettable performance.

The show will feature vocalist Kenny Washington, the Marcus Shelby Quintet, tap dancer Michela Marino Lerman, vocalist Chloe Jean, poet Enid Pickett, and historian Lewis Watts.

The entertainment will be paired with a delicious three-course culinary experience at Pasta Moon. Two seatings of the show are available, one starting at 5:30 PM and one at 8:00 PM on May 31st, as a separate ticket purchase.

Kenny Washington

Kenny Washington thrills audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and rapid-fire scatting. Described as one of “the Bay Area’s best kept musical secrets,” Washington’s astounding improvisational flights, inventive approach and emotional intensity are awe inspiring.

Marcus Shelby Quintet

Marcus Shelby is a composer, bassist, bandleader, and educator whose work focuses on the history, present, and future of African American lives, social movements and music education. Shelby is a jazz icon synonymous with Bay Area jazz and the spirit of collaboration.

Michela Marino Lerman

Michela Marino Lerman is the Artist-in-Residence for the 2024 Half Moon Bay Wine & Jazz Festival. She’s an internationally-known tap dance artist who has appeared everywhere from Sesame Street to a US postage stamp, and during Saturday’s event you’ll find her performing alongside Howard Wiley on the Main Stage.

Chloe Jean

Chloe Jean is an award-winning Bay Area recording artist and songwriter.  In May 2023, Chloe released her album, Fairy Tale Fail, to much critical acclaim. Her R&B background lends a unique take on jazz standards, while her original tunes draw from her experiences in both heart-ache and love. 

Enid Pickett

Enid Pickett is a poet and educator who in 2021 became the first ever poet laureate of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Speaking of Enid’s talent, Marcus Shelby said he was “inspired by her ability to weave words and sentences like a musician playing the blues — full of clear, articulate tension and release.”

Lewis Watts

Lewis Watts is a photographer, archivist curator, art historian, author, lecturer, and educator. He is a Professor Emeritus of Art at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His book, Harlem of the West — the San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era, celebrates a unique chapter in jazz history, and also inspired the theme of this special performance.

Schedule of Events:

Special Event

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Celebrating Harlem of the West

A supper-club style show featuring vocalist Kenny Washington with the Marcus Shelby Quintet & more, plus a 3-course dinner by Pasta Moon.

Location: Pasta Moon, 845 Main Street

Get Tickets - $175 each plus service fee