Sean Jones; photo credit: Todd Rosenberg
Billy Childs; photo credit: Raj Naik
Ben Williams
Friday, August 21, 2026
7:30 PM
*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*
The series concludes on Friday, August 21, with a special collective of three of today’s most celebrated jazz artists: Sean Jones on trumpet, Billy Childs on piano, and Ben Williams on bass. Childs and Williams are known to Athenaeum audiences from many past performances; Jones makes his Athenaeum debut in this concert.
Sean Jones is equally adept as an ensemble member as he is a bandleader. Jones turned a six-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra into an offer from Wynton Marsalis for a position as lead trumpeter, a post he held from 2004 to 2010. In 2015 Jones was tapped to become a member of the SFJAZZ Collective. He has been prominently featured with artists including Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson, and Marcus Miller.
Thus far in his career, Billy Childs has garnered 17 Grammy nominations and six Grammy Awards, including two for Best Instrumental Jazz Album and two for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist. As a pianist Childs has performed with, among others, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Sting, Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chick Corea, the Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland.
Since winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2009, Ben Williams has made his mark as a producer, bandleader, arranger, and avidly sought-after bassist for heavyweights in and beyond jazz, including Wynton Marsalis, Lauryn Hill, José James, and Pat Metheny (with whom he won a 2013 Grammy for the album Unity Band). DownBeat called him “one of his generation’s finest bassists.”
The concert will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037). There are no physical tickets for these events. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. Priority seating will be given to Donor level members and above.
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