4th Annual Austin Women in Jazz Festival
4th Annual Austin Women in Jazz Festival
Saturday, September 5, 2026
This is more than a concert—it’s a celebration of women in jazz, culture, community, and world-class music.
This year’s festival all-star lineup will feature:
Pamela Hart – Austin’s First Lady of Jazz
Kayla Waters – Brilliant trailblazing pianist
Jazmin Ghent – Soulful, smooth, and sensational
Althea Rene’ – Vibrant, soulful energetic flutist
Gerald Albright – Grammy-nominated saxophonist and global icon
Saturday, September 5, 2026
at
Austin PBS
Pfluger Keller Community Soundstage
Building 3000
at Wilhelmina Delco & Clayton Lane, Austin, TX 78752
Doors Open: 5:00 pm
Showtime: 6:00 pm
Host: Jabari Warfield
All Reserved Seating
Cash Bar Service
Merchant Vendors
Complimentary Lite Snacks
Parking is available in open lot and in the parking garage.
******
It’s a night of show-stopping performances, unstoppable energy, and unforgettable moments!
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this iconic event. Join us for a high-energy celebration of jazz like you’ve never experienced before!
From smooth jazz to funky grooves, from soul-stirring ballads to high-octaine improvisation!
Women in Jazz Association, Inc. has been keeping jazz alive in Austin for over 30 years – and this year’s festival is one you won’t want to miss!!
*****
Gerald Albright – Saxophonist
Closing the night as Special Guest Headliner is Gerald Albright, a Grammy-nominated saxophonist and global jazz icon. With over 20 albums and a legacy of chart-topping hits, his smooth, soulful sound delivers an unforgettable grand finale.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Albright was already an accomplished saxophonist by the time he enrolled at the University of Redlands, but he switched to bass after he saw Louis Johnson in concert. A few months after graduating from college, he joined jazz pianist/R&B singer Patrice Rushen, who was in the process of forming her own band. Later, when the bassist left in the middle of a tour, Albright replaced him and finished the tour on bass guitar. Playing both sax and bass, he became the consummate session and touring musician in the 80s, working with everyone from Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Jr., Atlantic Starr, The Temptations and Maurice White to Les McCann, Teena Marie, the Winans and Whitney Houston.
He launched his solo career in the infancy of what became the smooth jazz format, with Just Between Us in 1987 and has been a core part of the genre with chart-topping albums, countless radio hits and as a member of many all star tours, including Guitars & Saxes and Groovin’ For Grover. In the late 90s, he fronted a big band for and toured with pop star Phil Collins and did a dual recording with vocal great Will Downing called Pleasures of the Night. Between his last two Grammy-nominated solo albums Pushing The Envelope (2010) and Slam Dunk (2014), he enjoyed hit collaborations with two huge hits – 24/7 with guitarist Norman Brown and Summer Horns by Dave Koz and Friends (including Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot), which were also Grammy-nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Albums. He toured with Brown and Summer Horns, and most recently has been on the road with South Africa gospel/jazz singer and guitarist Jonathan Butler. Albright’s other albums whose titles perfectly reflect their flow include Smooth (1994), Groovology (2002), Kickin’ It Up (2004) and Sax for Stax (2008).
Because Albright’s musical muse has taken him to so many fascinating locales along the contemporary R&B/urban jazz spectrum, he’s joyfully defied easy categorizations.
“Top to bottom,” Albright says, “Whether in concert, listening to my music over the radio or CD player, I always want my listeners to be taken on a musical journey with different textures, rhythms, chord progressions and moods. I want people to know where I’ve been and where I’m going, and to let them hear that I’m in a really good place in my life.”
Althea Rene’ Flutist
Althea René was born on Christmas Day in Detroit, Michigan, and began playing the flute at just four years old. She studied classical music at Howard University, where her early discipline and precision took shape. After graduation, she balanced two demanding worlds, serving as a Wayne County Deputy Sheriff by day and performing in Detroit’s jazz clubs by night.
Over the years, Althea built a reputation as one of the most dynamic and expressive flutists in contemporary jazz. Known for her fashionable style and energetic stage presence, she has often playfully called the “Chocolate Barbie from the Motor City.” Her nickname was inspired by her funk-driven sound and commanding performances. She credits her father, Dezie McCullers, one of Motown’s original Funk Brothers, for instilling her love of rhythm and soul.
Her breakthrough moment came in 2013 with the Trippin n Rhythm release of In the Flow, produced by Grammy-winner Michael Broening. The title track, which she co-wrote, became the first flute-led single to reach number one on both the Billboard and Smooth Jazz charts. It stayed at the top for several weeks, earning her international recognition as a trailblazer in her genre. Then in February 2026, lightning struck twice as her single Synergy soared to number one on the Billboard, Smooth Jazz, and MediaBase charts, cementing her legacy as a genre-defining force.
Since then, Althea has released more than ten albums and collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry. She has toured extensively, performing to enthusiastic audiences throughout the Caribbean, Europe, and South Africa. Her influence extends beyond the stage, as she continues to mentor young musicians and support creative communities. In 2021, she received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her ongoing outreach and advocacy work.
Althea is also a strong voice for women in the music business. In 2018, she published Becoming Chocolate Barbie: A Guide for Professional Women in the Music Business, a part-memoir and part-handbook for aspiring artists. The book offers practical advice and personal stories, showing her dedication to helping other women succeed while navigating their own creative paths.
As her career continues to expand across genres and borders, she shows no signs of slowing down. In 2026, she will carry her sound to global audiences with international tours scheduled throughout Panama, England, and Indonesia, further cementing her presence on the world stage. With more than ten projects already to her credit, her artistic growth remains unmistakable. Her latest release, Conspiracy Theory, stands as a powerful and compelling addition to an already impressive body of work.
Jazmin Ghent – Saxophonist
Dr. Jazmin Ghent is an award-winning international jazz saxophonist, recording artist, and educator recognized as a leading voice in contemporary jazz, R&B, and gospel. A NAACP Image Award winner for Outstanding Jazz Album for The Story of Jaz, she has also received multiple nominations and was named Smooth Jazz Network’s Best Artist of the Year, as well as Best New Smooth Jazz Artist.
With seven Billboard Top 5 singles—including hits like Kickin’ It Up and Upgrade, both reaching #1—Jazmin has earned over 20 weeks on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Airplay Chart and continues to receive major national airplay, including SiriusXM Watercolors. She has released five albums, with her latest, Dr. Jaz, debuting in 2024.
Jazmin has performed at premier festivals and venues worldwide, including the Dave Koz Cruise, Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, and international stages across Spain, Australia, and the Caribbean. She continues to expand her global reach with upcoming performances throughout Europe.
In addition to her performance career, Jazmin is a dedicated educator. She holds degrees from Florida State University, Tennessee State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of South Florida. She serves as a Professor of Music at the University of Ottawa and has taught at institutions including Carleton University and Tennessee State University.
Passionate about arts education and outreach, Jazmin has led workshops internationally, including a U.S. Embassy cultural program in Haiti and performances at the World Expo in Dubai.
Kayla Waters – Pianist
Kayla Waters is a featured artist of the 4th Annual Austin Women in Jazz Festival, bringing her signature brilliance to the stage at Austin PBS. A seven-time Billboard and Mediabase #1 pianist, composer, and producer, Kayla made history as the first female pianist to hold the #1 spot on the contemporary jazz charts for multiple weeks—cementing her place among today’s most influential jazz artists.
An official Yamaha Artist and Recording Academy voting member, Kayla has performed with legends including Stevie Wonder, Patrice Rushen, The Jacksons, Regina Belle, Avery*Sunshine, Sheila E., Dave Koz, Jonathan Butler, and her father, renowned saxophonist Kim Waters. Her dynamic performances have captivated audiences worldwide across North America, Europe, and Africa.
A Howard University graduate (summa cum laude), Kayla is also the visionary behind PuriKey Productions. Her acclaimed recordings—Apogee, Coevolve, Presence, and her latest release Anew—showcase her lush harmonies and emotionally rich compositions.
As part of this year’s Austin Women in Jazz Festival lineup, Kayla Waters brings a powerful, soulful, and uplifting performance that embodies the spirit of the festival—celebrating excellence, artistry, and the enduring legacy of women in jazz.
Pamela Hart – Vocalist
Pamela Hart is highly regarded as Austin, Texas’ finest jazz vocalist. She is an outstanding singer for performances from duet size to orchestras for audiences young to senior. Pamela Hart is available for museums, schools, cabaret style, full concerts, festivals, fundraisers, event openers and more. She adds quality to any engagement. She is noted by Austin Women’s Magazine as “Austin’s First Lady of Jazz.” She has devoted over 30 years of her life towards singing jazz and keeping the jazz genre alive. In addition to regular performances and concerts, Pamela co-produces the annual Women in Jazz Concert Series. She also presents vocal performance workshop and private vocal coaching. Pamela loves to sing for and teach young people about jazz and jazz performance. She also presents an “Uplift Jazz Project” performing in senior community centers and nursing homes. Pamela performed Sunday livestream house concerts most Sundays in 2020 to soothe the soul during Covid-19 sheltering. She was inducted into the Austin Jazz Society Hall of Fame in 2018. She released a CD, “Happy Talk” in May 2021. In 2026 Pamela performed tribute concerts for legends Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson and Billie Holiday. Pamela Hart is a pillar in the Austin jazz community.