In The Name Of Love: Featuring The Music Of Stevie Wonder

Living Jazz and SFJAZZ present Oakland’s largest civic and cultural event honoring Martin Luther King Jr., as it returns to the Paramount Theatre for its 20th anniversary.

In the Name of Love will honor the vision and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., through the music of Stevie Wonder. Wonder’s lifetime of music-making bore a soundtrack to radical societal change. His 1981 song "Happy Birthday" itself led to the proclamation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday in 1983.

This is a celebration featuring Bay Area rooted talents including Aneesa Strings, Kev Choice, PHER, Nona Brown, Rhonda Benin, and featuring dance performance from Babatunji. These local treasures will unveil original arrangements in collaboration with Awesöme Orchestra Collective as well as The Howard Wiley Band. Witness the rising talent of the Bay Area with performances by SFJAZZ High School All-Stars & Alumni, the Living Jazz Children’s Project Choir, and Oaktown Jazz Workshops. The 2024 Oakland Citizen Humanitarian Award will be presented to Sabrina Thomas of Building Futures.