Elijah Jamal Balbed & Friends: A Journey to Brazil

Saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed, a Washington, D.C. native and award-winning multi-instrumentalist, brings an evening of Brazilian jazz to The Clarice with his ensemble, Elijah Jamal Balbed & Friends. The concert, titled “A Journey to Brazil,” highlights Brazil’s distinctive sounds and rhythms, mixing infectious grooves with soulful, improvisational playing. Balbed is a composer and educator who also serves as the host of Clarice Presents’ monthly Jazz Jams at Busboys and Poets in College Park, and he has performed internationally in the United Kingdom, Qatar, Russia, and throughout the Caribbean. This performance takes place in the intimate Dance Theatre and is part of the Clarice Presents series, which receives support from the Maryland State Arts Council.

When: Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 8:00 pm.

Showtimes: One performance at 8:00 PM.

Tickets: Regular admission is $35 plus a $5 booking fee; students and youth tickets are $15. Seating is reserved.

Venue: Dance Theatre, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland.

Accessibility: The venue offers wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large print programs, assisted listening devices, adult and child-friendly sensory packs, and quiet spaces upon request. ASL interpretation, audio description, and captioning are available for select events or by patron request made at least six weeks in advance.

Note: Support for Clarice Presents comes from the Maryland State Arts Council.