World-class jazz at the Manship Theatre in the heart of downtown Baton Rouge
RIVER CITY JAZZ MASTERS: 20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
Tickets are on sale now. Full-season passes and individual show tickets are available at manshiptheatre.org or by calling the box office at (225) 344-0334. The full-season pass is the best value of the year: it secures all four concerts at a savings over purchasing each show individually, and gives you first pick of seats in Manship Theatre’s intimate 325-seat venue. Season passes are available through opening night, but the best seats go to those who reserve early.
Arts Council members save an additional 20% on tickets. Become a member!
ABOUT THE SERIES
For two decades, River City Jazz Masters has positioned Baton Rouge as a premier destination for jazz, presenting Grammy Award winners, NEA Jazz Masters, MacArthur Fellows, and National Medal of Arts honorees on one of the most intimate stages in the South. Past performers include Dianne Reeves, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Harry Connick Jr., Ahmad Jamal, and Kurt Elling.
Presented by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and the River City Jazz Coalition, the series is hosted at the Manship Theatre, a 325-seat venue in the Shaw Center for the Arts, with ticket prices ranging from $56 to $71.
BRINGING JAZZ TO THE NEXT GENERATION
River City Jazz Masters extends beyond the stage. Each season, our visiting artists bring their talents directly into classrooms and schools across the Greater Baton Rouge area — offering K-12 students a rare opportunity to learn from world-class jazz musicians up close.
Through school visits, workshops, and masterclasses, students don't just hear jazz — they experience it. They ask questions, try instruments, and connect with artists who represent the living tradition of one of America's greatest art forms.
This is how jazz survives. Not just on stage but in the hands and ears of the next generation.
Alvin Batiste Hall of Distinction Award
Recognizing a Lifetime Contribution and Cultivation of Jazz Music in the State of Louisiana
Regarded as one of the major instrumentalists of our time, Alvin Batiste was introduced to the clarinet by his father, who played traditional jazz. With a career spanning more than five decades, he was the first African American to perform as a guest soloist with the New Orleans Philharmonic, and earned a master's degree from Louisiana State University right here in Baton Rouge.
Known affectionately as "Bat," Mr. Batiste largely defined the improvisational role of the clarinet. Alongside Ellis Marsalis, Harold Batiste, drummer Ed Blackwell, and others, he helped establish the modern jazz community in New Orleans. He was instrumental in developing the jazz curriculum at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and the jazz program at Southern University, and conducted workshops at Harvard, Yale, UCLA, and the University of Paris. He performed throughout West Africa, Europe, and the United States.
During his lifetime, Mr. Batiste received numerous awards including humanitarian and Lifetime Achievement Awards from across the nation. We are proud to honor his legacy through this award, presented at the conclusion of the final River City Jazz Masters concert of each season.
2025–2026 Recipient: Roland Guerin
Roland Guerin is a New Orleans-based bassist, composer, singer-songwriter, and bandleader whose music blends jazz, blues, zydeco, folk, and rock influences into a distinctly Louisiana sound. A former student of legendary educator Alvin Batiste at Southern University, Guerin has performed and recorded with artists including Marcus Roberts, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, and George Benson, and has appeared with major orchestras and festivals around the world.
BECOME A SPONSOR
Support world-class jazz in Greater Baton Rouge. Contact Lindi to learn about sponsorship opportunities for River City Jazz Masters.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Full-season passes are on sale now, with individual show tickets on sale July 16. Tickets are available at manshiptheatre.org or by calling the Manship Theatre box office at (225) 344-0334.
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Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge members save 20% on tickets. To apply the discount to a season subscription, use your discount code at checkout or call the Manship Theatre box office at (225) 344-0334. Not a member yet? Become a member.
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All concerts are held at Manship Theater in the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge.
100 Lafayette Street
Baton Rouge, LA, 70801 -
All performances begin at 7:30 PM.