Kamasi Washington brings his band to the Crest Theater in downtown Sacramento on Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. The show is presented by Sean Healy Presents. Washington is a Los Angeles-based tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who has built one of the more sustained reputations in contemporary jazz over the last decade, partly through the sheer scale of his recordings and live productions.
About Kamasi Washington
Washington came to wide notice with The Epic in 2015, a three-disc debut album that ran over three hours and drew comparisons to the expansive jazz records of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The release arrived alongside a string of collaborative credits — most notably his work on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly — that placed his saxophone tone in front of listeners who might not have sought out a straight jazz album on their own.
His 2018 follow-up, Heaven and Earth, was similarly ambitious, combining large ensemble arrangements with song structures that stretched far beyond the conventional jazz runtime. His 2024 album, Fearless Movement, shifted the approach somewhat, bringing in more rhythmic variety and a wider range of collaborators while keeping the same core band and the same tendency toward extended compositions.
Washington has played the Crest before. His June 2024 show at the same venue drew a strong crowd and was reviewed across regional music outlets as a full-band performance that leaned into the ensemble’s range, with extended solos and arrangements that filled the room.
The Venue: Crest Theater
The Crest Theater is a 1948 movie house on K Street in downtown Sacramento that has operated as a live music and event venue for many years. The main hall is a mid-size space with sightlines that work well for standing shows and a sound system that handles jazz and acoustic-leaning performances reliably.
The box office at the Crest accepts cash only. If you plan to buy at the door, bring exact cash or small bills — there are ATMs nearby on K Street, but the box office line moves faster if you arrive with cash in hand.
The venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets and Show Details
- What: Sean Healy Presents Kamasi Washington
- When: Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 8:30 p.m.
- Where: Crest Theater, 1013 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814
- Tickets: Available at Ticketmaster
- Box office: Cash only at the door
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Getting There
The Crest Theater is at 1013 K Street in downtown Sacramento, one block from Capitol Park and within walking distance of several parking garages along 10th and 11th Streets. Street parking on K Street is metered and limited on weekend evenings; the K Street Garage at 1024 K Street is the most direct option. The light rail Gold Line stops at 8th & O Street and 13th Street, both a few blocks’ walk from the theater — this is a reasonable way to avoid the downtown parking situation on a busy Sunday evening.
Doors typically open 30–60 minutes before showtime at the Crest. For an 8:30 p.m. start, arriving by 8:00 p.m. is enough to claim a good position on the floor without rushing.
What to Expect
Washington’s live shows tend to run long — sets of 90 minutes or more are common, with the band stretching individual pieces well past their studio versions. The Crest’s room works well for this style: the layout means most of the floor has a clear view, and the ceiling height supports a full-band sound without the compression that affects smaller clubs.
This is not background jazz. If you have heard The Epic or Heaven and Earth and want to hear those arrangements in a live room, this is a worthwhile Sacramento stop. If you are new to Washington’s music, arriving early and listening to any of those records beforehand will help orient your ears to the ensemble’s scale.
More Live Music This December
The Crest has several other shows in December 2026, including Circle Jerks on December 4 and Maria Bamford on December 11. For a broader look at what’s happening in Sacramento this month, the Sacramento Holiday Events 2026 calendar covers concerts alongside seasonal markets, performances, and outdoor events. For other live music venues downtown, the Sacramento Live Music Venues guide has venue-by-venue details on what each room sounds and feels like.
