After a 6-year hiatus due to Covid, the John Natsoulas Gallery is thrilled to announce the return of the annual Davis Jazz Beat Festival!

In honor of the incredible legacy of Beat poets, musicians, and artists, the John Natsoulas Gallery will host a one-day event dedicated to the arts that defined a generation in the Bay Area. Join us to experience live music, poetry readings, and performance painting! All ages are welcome and the admission is free! All events will take place at the John Natsoulas Gallery or across the street at the Davis Commons. This festival also honors the 70th anniversary of Allen Ginsberg’s premiere reading of Howl. Dr. Andy Jones, former Davis poet laureate, will read the poem in full to commemorate this revolutionary moment in poetry history.

Please also visit the gallery for the opportunity to see the exhibitions highlighting the most important Beat Movement artists from the Bay Area. Join us for the Bruce McGaw Memorial Exhibition and Lyrical Vision Revisited: The 6 Gallery 1954 - 1957.

Schedule of Events

Location - Davis Commons Stage

1:45 pm - Maximum Ernst (Jazz Band) – With Performance Painter Lacee Hodge, Poet Tim Kahl

2:30 pm – Jimmy Toor Trio (Jazz Band) – With Poet and Performance Painter, Philippe Gandiol, Poet Laureate of Davis Mercedes Ibanez

3:15 pm – UC Davis Jazz Band Combo  

4:00 pm – Davis High School Jazz Band – With Davis High School Poet, Performance Painter, Adam Forfang

Location - John Natsoulas Gallery - emcee Dr. Andy Jones

5:30 pm – Linda Bair Dance Group Performance

6:00 pm – Ted Fontaine Trio - John Natsoulas poetry and CJ Borges (flute and percussion)

6:30 pm – Dr. Andy Jones reading Howl and Rick Newby

7:15 pm – Peter Coyote

8:30 pm - Tumble (Vanguard Band)