Los Angeles residents and jazz enthusiasts are invited to a free concert featuring the renowned GRAMMY-winning artist Esperanza Spalding on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. This highly anticipated event will take place on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center as part of the fourth annual Live at The Music Center series, an initiative made possible by the generosity of Music Center patron and recording industry executive Jerry Moss.
Attendance for this concert is free and does not require tickets, but concertgoers are encouraged to RSVP at musiccenter.org/live.
Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center, expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “Esperanza Spalding is an extraordinary artist, community healer and visionary who defies convention and whose extraordinary work pulses with boundless creativity. Her performance will be more than a concert; it will be a call to listen deeply, celebrate our shared humanity and experience jazz’s transformative power to uplift our souls.”
Moore also extended her gratitude to Jerry Moss and the Moss Foundation for their support, emphasizing that such contributions allow The Music Center to present free summer concerts under the stars, underscoring the role of the performing arts in bringing joy and nourishment to the spirit.
Esperanza Spalding, who hails from Portland, Oregon, identifies as an eaabibacliitoti artist, which reflects her diverse heritage and influences. Trained in the North American jazz tradition, she has achieved remarkable success, winning five GRAMMY awards and receiving 11 nominations. Her work spans a wide array of artistic expressions, including instrumental music, bass playing, improvisation, and storytelling, demonstrating her multifaceted talent.
In addition to her music career, spalding founded and co-directs Prismid Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating free artist residency and performance spaces in Portland. Her albums, including the 2019 release 12 Little Spells and the 2021 album songwrights apothecary lab, both won the GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her latest collaborative project, Milton + esperanza, featuring Brazilian jazz legend Milton Nascimento, earned her another GRAMMY nomination.
Josephine Ramirez, executive vice president of TMC Arts, highlighted spalding’s impact, stating, “Esperanza is a phenomenal artist who performs with exceptional mastery while engaging deeply in community and educational work. She explores the healing power of music and brings joy and compassion to every performance. Join us on August 2 under the stars for music that will stir your soul and lift your spirit!”
This summer, spalding has partnered with several organizations, including The Music Center, to present her Songwrights Apothecary Lab (SAL), a six-week course offered at UCLA. This program is designed for musicians, music students, and therapeutic practitioners to explore the therapeutic potential of music. Public engagement sessions will be held as part of SAL, allowing audiences to experience and discuss the new music created during the course.
The Music Center appreciates the contributions of the LA Commons, Dexter Story, and TEC Leimert in supporting this creative initiative.
The Live at The Music Center series has been made possible through the generous support of the Moss Foundation. Jerry and Tina Moss’s $25 million contribution in October 2020 marked the largest single donation for programming in the organization’s history, aimed at enhancing the quality and accessibility of the arts for Los Angeles’s diverse communities.
This free concert series is open to all and has become a highlight of the summer season, featuring renowned artists each year. Previous performers have included GRAMMY-winning band Ozomatli in 2022, La Marisoul and Eliades Ochoa in 2023, and Sister Sledge and Sledgendary in 2024.
For attendees planning to enjoy the concert, please note that outside alcohol is not permitted on the Jerry Moss Plaza. However, food and beverages will be available for purchase at the venue. Guests are welcome to bring picnic items and outdoor chairs, provided they are no higher than 18 inches off the ground. A list of prohibited items can be found at musiccenter.org/prohibited.
Parking options include self-parking at The Music Center Main Campus Garage and the Walt Disney Concert Hall Garage for a flat rate of $10 per vehicle. Note that the Main Campus Garage accepts cash only while the Walt Disney Concert Hall Garage accepts both cash and credit cards. Valet parking will also be available at $23 at the Hope Street entrance.
Public transportation is encouraged, with The Music Center conveniently located next to Gloria Molina Grand Park, which is served by the Metro B Line (Red) and D Line (Purple). Additionally, visitors can access Jerry Moss Plaza via the Metro’s Regional Connector, which connects to the Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill station along the Metro A Line (Blue) and E Line (Expo).
The Music Center is committed to making its venues and programs accessible to everyone, ensuring that all guests, including those with service animals, can enjoy the concert experience. Looking ahead, Los Angeles concertgoers are sure to experience an unforgettable night filled with music and community spirit, as Esperanza Spalding takes the stage to deliver a performance you’ll not want to miss.
image source from：broadwayworld
