The 17-day festival in August will feature musical performances all around the city. (photo courtesy of the LA Jazz Festival)

The Los Angeles Jazz Festival announced the first set of artists scheduled to appear as part of the inaugural festival’s Jazz on the Beach closing weekend, taking place Aug. 22 and 23. An overall 17-day experience that activates all of Los Angeles by staging award-winning musicians from over 13 nations in local locations, the festival will culminate with a two-night lineup of stellar performers on Dockweiler Beach.

Initial artists revealed as part of the LA Jazz Festival’s Jazz on the Beach weekend include Joey Alexander, Big Freedia, Ezra Collective, Free Nationals & Friends, Nubya Garcia, John Legend, Pedrito Martinez, Janelle Monáe, Original Koffee, Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, Alfredo Rodriguez, Raphael Saadiq, Poncho Sanchez, Justin-Lee Schultz and Charlie Wilson. The weekend will also include special performances and exclusive collaborations, including “Michelle Coltrane Celebrates the Coltrane Centennial,” as well as an appearance by the LA Jazz Festival Foundation Youth Band. Additional performers for the Jazz on the Beach closing weekend, as well as lineups for other LA Jazz Festival events taking place throughout August, will be announced in the coming weeks.

“From the Motherland and through the pain of oppression came the fierce improvisation, the very heartbeat, born in New Orleans that now shapes every musical genre across the globe,” LA Jazz Festival Founder and CEO Martin Ludlow said.

Tickets for Jazz on the Beach for Aug. 22-23 are now on sale via lajazzfestival.com. Jazz fans will have the opportunity to experience an amazing weekend of music on the sand through a variety of ticket offerings including cabanas, VIP, general admission and community tickets.

Festival festivities will kick off on Aug. 7 in Leimert Park with a special free opening night event featuring performances from Lalah Hathaway and Chief Adjuah, with additional performers to be announced, as well as art, food and music.

A massive, free block party and multi-cultural celebration will take place in Venice with four stages featuring legends of New Orleans, Cuba, Afrobeats and Latin jazz.

A series of 25 free concerts to be held in urban parks all across L.A. County, including the Civic Center Amphitheatre of Moreno Valley, Edward Vincent Park, Jane and Bert Boeckmann Park (Porter Ranch) Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, Lake Balboa, Lafayette Park, Lanark Park, Lemon Grove, Lincoln Park, Loma Alta Park, MacArthur Park, Magic Johnson Park, North Hollywood Park, Oakwood Park, Palmdale Amphitheater, Pan Pacific Park, San Dimas Bonelli Park, South Park, Sunland Park, Syd Kronenthal Park, Ted Watkins Park and Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park, with dates and times to be announced at a future date.

For information, visit lajazzfestival.com.