Santa Monica College is bringing together an all-star lineup of jazz musicians this Friday night to benefit its decades-old concert series. The benefit concert, titled “Some of My Best Musicians Are Friends,” is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th Street in Santa Monica, with the Santa Monica College Music Department hosting.
The concert features Eric Scott Reed, Ralph Moore, Ira Nepus, Edwin Livingston, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Gilbert Castellanos and Clay Jenkins, along with surprise guests, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. KCRW's Leroy Downs is set to host the evening, per the same report. The program is billed as a celebration of the Friday Night Jazz Series' more than 40-year history, according to the Culver City Observer.
A Night Built From Small Groups, Big Bands and a Jam Session
The show is structured to move from small-ensemble material into big-band arrangements before closing out with a celebratory jam session, the Culver City Observer reports. That format gives the lineup room to stretch, pairing intimate combo work with the fuller sound of a large ensemble before closing with a celebratory jam session.
The benefit is tied directly to the series' long run at the college. Frederick Keith Fiddmont organized and ran the Friday Night Jazz Series for 22 years, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press, and proceeds from this concert are intended to support expansion of the series' cultural and educational outreach. Fiddmont has said the goal is to keep bringing leading musicians to Santa Monica College and the broader Santa Monica community, per the same report.
Decades of Names on the Series' Resume
The roster of past performers gives a sense of the series' reach over the years. Previous Friday Night Jazz Series concerts have featured John, Jeff and Gerald Clayton, Kim Richmond, Dave Scott, Rich Perry, Francisco Aguabella, Bob Mintzer, Peter Erskine, Eric Person, Theo Saunders, Kevin Brandon, Paul Jackson, Justo Almario, George Bohanon, Oscar Brashear and Jon Mayer, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.
The series has also kept a steady pace in recent months. Its Spring 2026 run opened March 6 with saxophonist Bob Reynolds and was set to close May 1 with pianist and composer Theo Saunders, according to Yo! Venice!. That spring lineup also included an April 3 performance by drummer Carl Allen at the Music Hall in the SMC Performing Arts Center, per the same outlet. Those earlier shows charged $10 general admission with free entry for students showing valid ID, a notably lower price point than Friday's benefit concert.
Tickets, Parking and What to Know Before You Go
General admission for the benefit runs $30, while students with any student ID can get in for $10, plus a modest service charge, the Santa Monica Daily Press reports. Advance tickets are available at smc.edu/tickets or by calling 310-434-3005 Monday through Friday during limited hours, according to the same report, and the Broad Stage Box Office will also sell tickets starting 45 minutes before the performance.
Seating is first-come, first-served, and parking for the event is free, per the Santa Monica Daily Press. Organizers note that concert performances may be subject to change or cancellation. More information is available by calling 310-434-4323.
