By Howard Dyckoff
26th Annual Malcolm X JazzArts Festival
San Antonio Park, Oakland
May 16, 2026
It was a sunny day, warm and beckoning to the varied communities of Oakland.
As the stage was being set up, merchants organized stalls, people gathered, finding chairs or laying out blankets. Off to the side of the stage were a children's play area and chairs and massage tables for free treatments from the staff of the "Freedom Community Clinic".
It’s not yet summer, but the music is about to begin in Oakland.
The 26th Annual Malcolm X JazzArts Fest took over East Oakland this past weekend, drawing local residents for a day of live music, grassroots economic solidarity, and community wellness initiatives. Curated as a celebration of both musical heritage and sonic evolution, the festival's Main Jazz Stage offered a progression from traditional jazz to forward-looking fusion.
Diamano Coura West African Dance Company brought participants to their feet on the lawn (L), Cultura y Tradicion Dancers in front of the stage (R).
The on-going concert is organized by EastSide Arts Alliance which aims to serve and unite the Black, Brown, Asian & Indigenous communities that compose East Oakland. According to their website, "EastSide began as a part of a fusion of cultural collectives of color which organized a steady stream of art programs, town hall forums, youth workshops, and visual exhibitions"
Last year's celebrations focused on Malcom X's 100th birthday and the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Eastside Arts Alliance, which produces the festival. This year the emphasis was on youth and new performers. And the stage backdrop echoed Malcom X's admonishment: "Culture is our Weapon".
The day kicked off with a powerful opening invocation by Baba Mosheh’s Bantaba ensemble. Performing an Opening Drum Call, the group immediately gathered the scattered crowd. Speaking from the stage, Mosheh emphasized the foundational role of the drum, noting that the rhythm establishes a "community circle and gathering place for all important events"—a sentiment that resonated deeply with attendees gathered near the front barricades.
As the afternoon progressed, the energy shifted from African and Puerto Rican percussion to the expansive frequencies of The Futurelics. The Oakland-based outfit delivered a high-energy performance that blended funk, soul, and R&B.
The lineup maintained momentum with a performance by RyanNicole & Nu Dekades. Led by local emcee, poet, and playwright RyanNicole Austin, the ensemble delivered a sharp, literate set that merged hip-hop lyricism with improvisational jazz arrangements. Austin’s rapid-fire, socio-politically charged delivery draws parallels to the intricate rhyme engineering of hip-hop pioneer Rakim.
The jazz-ier segment featured the versatile vocals of Daria Nile, collaborating alongside veteran musician Idris Ackamoor. Drawing from her deep background in the European avant-garde circuit, Nile's performance ranged fluidly from intimate, traditional jazz phrasings to expansive, non-linear world-music chants, showcasing the genre's infinite boundaries.
Later in the program, Unity Grooves YGB [Young, Gifted, and Black], was an ensemble of teens and children singing and chanting affirmations of Black History, racial pride and calls for justice.
With its vibrant mix of multi-generational jazz, local vendors, and vital organizations like the Freedom Community Clinic and Bandung Bookstore, the Malcolm X JazzArts Fest once again underscored its role as a cornerstone of Oakland’s cultural landscape.
As K.E.V of NuDekade said on stage: " This festival is by the people, for the people, with the people. And with that being said, the theme this year is ... respect our existence, or expect our resistance."
The full day’s programming included:
Jazz Stage: The Futurelics, Ryan Nicole & NuDekades, Daria Nile, YGB, DJKLAV, Bantaba Drum Call: Baba Mosheh
Javad Jahi Soapbox Stage: Bay Area poets, organizers, and culture workers speak out on local and international issues and campaigns
Katherine Dunham Dance Stage, curated by José Ome Navarrete Mazatl: Diamano Coura West African Dance Company, Cultura y Tradición Afro-Puerto Rican Traditions, SambaFunk! w/ King Theo
