Jeff Lorber Fusion (Photo/Fresh Coast Jazz Festival)
By Karen Stokes
Milwaukee get ready the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival is back for its sixth year! The highly anticipated return will be packed with world-class smooth jazz talent, it’s no wonder this festival is ranked among the nation’s best.
Set at the Pabst Theatre the 2025 festival will feature 12 concerts over a 3-day period from Thursday, August 21 – Saturday, August 23.
Gerald Albright (Photo/Fresh Coast Jazz Festival)
“This year we have some really cool acts. Every year we do a survey and we ask attendees who they would like to see and one of the people who land on top of that list year after year is Gerald Albright and we worked it out to have Gerald here this year,” said Carl Brown, chief executive officer of the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival.
The lineup features Jeff Lorber Fusion, one of the pioneers of smooth jazz, who is also one of the most sampled artists in hip hop history. Pianist and composer Kayla Waters, The Braxton Brothers, guitarist Chris Standring and a mix of local and national artists.
Kayla Waters (Photo/Fresh Coast Jazz Festival)
In addition to the concerts, the festival offers two signature events: the wine tasting event called ‘The Pairing’ on Thursday, August 21, 2025 featuring the music of Sade and Napa Valley wine. Plus, the Fresh Coast Cruise Saturday, August 23, 2025, cruise Milwaukee’s beautiful freshwater coastline while enjoying a delicious lunch, a cash bar, and live jazz.
Known as a Party with a Purpose, the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival has a philanthropic mission with portions of the proceeds benefit education, the arts, and healthcare in the Greater Milwaukee community.
The Braxton Brothers (Photo/Fresh Coast Jazz Festival)
“Philanthropically we are always looking to do new and different things but this year we felt like we wanted to continue what we do as far as scholarships, providing grants, sending kids to music camps and providing school supplies but we really felt that we wanting to do even more in terms of giving kids the opportunity to dream and see possibilities beyond what might be their current reality,” Brown said.
Brown shared that the festival makes a significant impact on the community, generating nearly $600,000 in direct economic benefits. With thousands of attendees from 23 states and six countries, about 60% stay in hotels for three or more days, boosting local tourism and business.
Attendees can choose from a variety of ticket options, starting with a $25 student ticket. Other tiers include $69.50, $89.50, $99.50, and $129.50. For the ultimate experience, the $179.50 VIP ticket offers access to all concerts for the day, premium seating, entry to the VIP lounge, hors d’oeuvres, and a complimentary cocktail.
Guests can also purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win two VIP experiences at the 2026 festival, with proceeds benefiting the festival’s charitable programs.
Brown commented on the legacy of the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival, “One, is that it is important to have events like this in Milwaukee. I hope this is something that will be an integral part of Milwaukee. My daughter already understands that it is her job to continue this and keep this going long after I’m gone. The other thing is I want to make sure that the legacy of giving back to the community and pouring into the lives of young people will always be associated with Fresh Coast Jazz.”
“Also, I heard from people around the world that our lineups are some of the best in the whole jazz festival industry. I take great pride every year in putting together a show that people are just going to love,” he said.
Tickets on sale now at the Pabst Theater. For additional information visit freshcoastjazz.com.