Louisville's Destination Smooth Jazz series is closing out 2026 with a holiday-themed finale called Jazz Under the Mistletoe, set for Saturday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage. The December show features Mike Philips on saxophone and Phylicia Rae on bass, with tickets starting at $75.
According to WLKY, the ticket price covers more than just the music. Attendees get a wine and spirits tasting, access to cigar vendors and a cigar lounge, and soul-inspired food, all bundled into the admission price for the evening at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage.
Tickets can be purchased online or in person at Better Days Records, located at 921 Barret Avenue, the station reports. A listing from the Louisville Jazz Society confirms that same Better Days Records address as a ticket outlet, alongside Eventbrite as an online option.
A Quarterly Tradition Built Around More Than Music
Destination Smooth Jazz is described as a quarterly live music event, with the Louisville Jazz Society listing noting the series runs once each quarter, in February, June, September and December. A separate listing from Do502 describes the series as bringing in two live Grammy-winning or nominated, Billboard Top 100 national recording artists four times a year, with dates given as February 14, June 6, September 5 and December 5.
The pairing of smooth jazz with tastings and cigars isn't new to this edition. An earlier WLKY report on the series described past events blending wine and spirits tastings, art exhibits, cigar bars and cuisine prepared by local African American chefs — the same formula showing up again in December's lineup of inclusions.
Who's Played the Series This Year
The Louisville Jazz Society listing indicates September's show featured Marcus Anderson on saxophone and Andrea Lisa on guitar, while an earlier WLKY article noted that tickets for a June 6 date were available at the time of that report. Those details point to a lineup that has rotated musicians each quarter while keeping the same tasting-and-cigar format intact.
For the December 5 finale, organizers are centering the night on Mike Philips and Phylicia Rae, with doors set for 6 p.m. at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage. Anyone looking to close out the year with a jazz-and-cigars evening can find tickets starting at $75 through Better Days Records or online.
