Tunes for the Road Ahead, Jayla's Final SF Show
Jazz vocalist Tiffany Austin brings her soulful, modernist approach to the standards in what promises to be a poignant farewell performance with "Tunes for the Road Ahead," marking drummer Jayla Hernandez's final San Francisco show before her next chapter. Austin, a UC Berkeley law graduate who chose music over legal practice, has earned critical acclaim for weaving R&B, soul, and gospel elements into jazz, creating what she calls "freedom songs" that celebrate Black resilience and cultural heritage.
On drums, Jayla Hernandez — the Afro-Latina drummer from West Oakland who's been a rising star at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on full scholarship — brings her versatility across swing, blues, hip-hop, and Afro-Cuban rhythms to her final Bay Area performance. As one of only 15 fellows selected globally for the prestigious Ravinia Steans Music Institute, Hernandez has collaborated with SFJAZZ Collective members and represents the next generation of jazz talent.
Pianist Adam Shulman, a Bay Area mainstay since 2002 who studied with the acclaimed Smith Dobson, has performed alongside jazz luminaries including Stefon Harris, Miguel Zenón, and Bobby Hutcherson. His hard bop and post-bop foundation provides the harmonic backbone for Austin's genre-defying approach. Bassist Kevin Goldberg, known for his work with Thomas Mapfumo, José James, and Tank & the Bangas, brings his commitment to social change through musical collaboration and decades of genre-spanning experience in jazz, soul, and fusion.
Austin's live performances are marked by raw, visceral power combined with tender delicacy, delivering music with joyous, unbowed spirit that connects church pews to juke joints, protest rallies to intimate jazz clubs. Her repertoire spans from Hoagy Carmichael tributes to original compositions celebrating figures like Louisiana Creole accordionist Amédé Ardoin, all delivered with high-velocity scat solos and the kind of emotional depth that makes familiar standards feel intimately personal.
The title "Tunes for the Road Ahead" suggests both farewell and journey, making this a particularly meaningful evening as these accomplished musicians send off one of their own while celebrating the continuing evolution of Bay Area jazz.
