Jazz Thursdays

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Sip on refreshing cocktails and enjoy small bites in the Bistro. Each second Thursday of the month features a different style of jazz–from straight-ahead to free jazz, bebop to swing–programmed in partnership with Jazz Club of Sarasota. Galleries are open until 7 pm on Jazz Thursdays.

Jazz Thursdays

Jazz Thursday activities:

  • Enjoy a performance from our Featured Band on the Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza from 5:30 pm to 8 pm.
  • Grab dinner and drinks at Bistro, which opens at 5 pm, serving a special evening menu, beer, wine, and cocktails.
  • Explore the exhibitions in our galleries, with hours extended to 7 pm.
  • Treasure hunt in SHOP all evening!

CHECK-IN

Check-in will take place outside of the main gates beginning
at 4:30 pm – early entry will not be permitted.

 

For guest safety, personal chairs are not permitted on-site.

 

 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Food and Beverage are available for purchase on-site at the Bistro and at our cashless bars. Please refrain from bringing outside food and beverage.

Members always receive their 10% discount in SHOP.
Members receive their 10% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages in Bistro.

Purchase your tickets to our next Jazz Thursday!

We look forward to seeing you tonight for Jazz Thursday, featuring Michael Ross Quartet! Due to very high winds, tonight’s event will be moved indoors.

As this reduces our seating capacity, we ask that you please notify us in advance if you would like to cancel your ticket — or you may cancel it directly through Eventbrite.

Seating will be available in McGuire Hall and Bistro on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check-in begins at 4:30 pm (earlier entry will not be permitted), and the Bistro/bars and seating open at 5 pm.
For guest safety, personal chairs are not permitted on-site

Food and Beverage are available for purchase on-site through the Bistro. Please refrain from bringing outside food and beverage.
Barbara King Black and White profile picture

Jazz Thursday featuring Barbara King and The Spirit of Jazz

Thursday, May 14, 2026

5:30 pm - 8 pm

Free for Members | $25 in advance or $30 at the door for Not-Yet Members
(includes Museum admission)

 

Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, co-hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring Barbara and The Spirit of Jazz, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Tickets will be available for purchase on April 10

Brooklyn native Barbara King was introduced to jazz at an early age and has performed for audiences in Greece; Italy, Japan, Dubai and Eastern Europe; Cuba’s Havana International Jazz Festival, Jamaica, West Indies, and of course in New York City.  Notable venues include Birdland, The Iridium, Brownstone Jazz, The Water Club, Sweet Rhythm, Tavern on the Green, Minton’s, Jazz Standard, The Kitano, Philadelphia’s Chris’ Jazz Café, and she was a regular at the legendary Lenox Lounge in Harlem. Barbara was the co-owner and musical director of the Sound Bite Restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, a jazz and blues venue that attracted many of the country’s top musicians.

 

Her television appearances include WNBC Weekend Today in New York, Fox & Friends Weekend, and Brooklyn Cable Access Television (BCAT), to name a few.  She has also been invited twice to perform at the Smithsonian Institute’s Anacostia Museum – giving presentations on “The Ladies of Jazz” and a “Tribute to Sarah Vaughan”. Her debut CD, Perfect Timing, has earned critical acclaim with a combination of popular tunes and original compositions. Since relocating to Sarasota a year ago, Barbara has been actively engaged in the music scene locally and in surrounding areas in Southwest Florida. She performed in the Sarasota Jazz Festival, the Swan City Jazz Festival, and at Florida Studio Theatre in Downtown Sarasota, The Grill at 1951 in Port Charlotte, and for a host of private events. Barbara has often been compared to the legendary Sarah Vaughan, but definitely has a style all her own.

The Robert Nissim Band

Jazz Thursday featuring The Robert Nissim Quintet

Thursday, June 11, 2026

5:30 pm - 8 pm

Free for Members | $25 in advance or $30 at the door for Not-Yet Members
(includes Museum admission)

 

Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, co-hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring The Robert Nissim Quintet, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Tickets will be available for purchase on May 15.

Cancellations received with less than 72-hour notice are non-refundable.

Robert has been playing piano since he was seven and has a degree in classical piano from the Respighi Conservatory, Italy, and a jazz piano degree from the City College of New York. He has played or directed over 80 bands in his 40-year career, in styles ranging from pop, soul, funk, fusion and jazz. He has performed with world class musicians like Steve Grossman (ex Miles Davis), Sal Nistico (ex Woody Herman, Chuck Mangione), Eliot Zigmund (ex Bill Evans), and Mark Murphy (jazz vocalist extraordinaire). Since moving to Sarasota in 2021, Robert has had the opportunity to lead a quintet. He is thrilled to present music recorded by Herbie Hancock’s quintet from the early 60s, in a tribute to this child prodigy who played Mozart with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when he was 11, and his debut jazz album when he was 22! Robert will be sharing the stage with John Castleman (trumpet), Aaron West (tenor sax), Mark Neuenschwander (acoustic bass) and Thomas Carabasi (drums). We expect the music to be hot!

Jazz Thursday featuring Panama Drive

Thursday, July 9, 2026

5:30 pm - 8 pm

Free for Members | $25 in advance or $30 at the door for Not-Yet Members
(includes Museum admission)

 

Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, co-hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring Panama Drive, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Tickets will be available for purchase on June 12.

Cancellations received with less than 72-hour notice are non-refundable.

Ruffus_4tet

Jazz Thursday featuring Ruffus 4tet

Thursday, August 13, 2026

5:30 pm - 8 pm

Free for Members | $25 in advance or $30 at the door for Not-Yet Members
(includes Museum admission)

 

Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, co-hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring Ruffus 4tet, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Tickets will be available for purchase on July 10.

Cancellations received with less than 72-hour notice are non-refundable.

Rafael Silva, professionally known as Ruffus, is a Brazilian saxophonist, pianist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, and arranger originally from Santos, Brazil.


Throughout his career, Ruffus has performed extensively across the United States and internationally, touring throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Peru, and Brazil.


Today, Ruffus is a full-time music educator at a Suzuki-based Conservatory in Sarasota, Florida, while maintaining an active performance schedule throughout the state. Equally comfortable on saxophone, piano, flute, trumpet, and electric bass, he performs with a wide variety of ensembles spanning jazz, Brazilian music, funk, and contemporary styles.


As a composer and recording artist, Ruffus is currently working on his second album for Inner Circle Music, while leading several original projects, including his newest quartet featuring Mark DeRose on drums, Alejandro Arenas on acoustic bass, Gary Shutes on trombone, and Ruffus on saxophone, piano, and trumpet.

 

Whether performing, composing, teaching, or arranging, Ruffus brings a lifelong dedication to musical excellence, versatility, and artistic expression. His performances combine technical mastery, stylistic diversity, and a deep passion for connecting with audiences through music.

ColinLeonard

Jazz Thursday featuring The Colin Leonard Quartet

Thursday, September 10, 2026

5:30 pm - 8 pm

Free for Members | $25 in advance or $30 at the door for Not-Yet Members
(includes Museum admission)

 

Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, co-hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring The Colin Leonard Quartet, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Tickets will be available for purchase on August 14.

Cancellations received with less than 72-hour notice are non-refundable.

Colin Leonard is a jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator born and raised in Sarasota, Florida. Playful yet introspective, his adventurous approach reflects a deep love of improvised music. A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Colin studied with Gary Bartz and worked closely with mentors including Tony Benade, Eddie Henderson, Dan Wall, and Gerald Cannon. While at Oberlin, Colin was a member of the Sonny Rollins Ensemble and toured New York City as part of a project sponsored by Rollins. Colin has performed at events such as the CMC International Jazz Festival in Buffalo, NY, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, and the Sarasota Jazz Festival. He is committed to performing, teaching, and composing music that fosters creative thinking, community building, and artistic expression.

FivePointsQuintet

Jazz Thursday featuring Five Points Quintet

Thursday, October 8, 2026

5:30 pm - 8 pm

Free for Members | $25 in advance or $30 at the door for Not-Yet Members
(includes Museum admission)

 

Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza

Join us for live jazz at Sarasota Art Museum, co-hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, featuring Five Points Quintet, and extended hours in the galleries, Bistro, and SHOP!

Tickets will be available for purchase on September 11.

Cancellations received with less than 72-hour notice are non-refundable.

Five Points Quintet is Sarasota’s newest elegant entertainment ensemble. The group features Sarasota vocalist Darcie Allen and includes Marc Mannino on Guitar, Pete Carney on Saxes, Bob Lunergan on Drums and Peter Innocenti on Bass. The group was formed to fill the need for posh events, concerts, and elegant dining. The music is diverse in nature with a jazz and an adult contemporary format.

 

Named after Sarasota’s landmark Five Points intersection location, the group is poised to fill the area’s growing need for sophisticated music.

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