This month, the Hollywood Bowl delivers back-to-back musical experiences that promise to stir your soul and get you moving. From funk-fueled R&B to transcendent cross-cultural collaborations, these nights will remind you why live music matters.

August 27 – Charlie Wilson, Babyface & K-Ci Hailey
Get ready for a funk and soul masterclass. Charlie Wilson—icon of R&B and co-founder of the Gap Band—has been turning gatherings into instant dance parties for decades with hits like “Outstanding” and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.” As a solo artist, “Uncle Charlie” keeps the groove alive with modern classics (“Charlie, Last Name Wilson”) and high-profile collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Pharrell, earning 13 Grammy nominations along the way.

Sharing the stage is the incomparable Babyface—a 13-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer whose influence on R&B and pop spans generations. With 45 #1 R&B hits and over 50 Top 10 Pop hits to his name, he’s worked with legends like Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, and Bruno Mars, and will deliver both his own chart-toppers (“Every Time I Close My Eyes,” “Whip Appeal”) and iconic songs he’s crafted for others.

Opening the night is K-Ci Hailey, the velvet-voiced frontman of Jodeci (“Come & Talk to Me,” “Stay”) and half of K-Ci & JoJo (“All My Life”), whose career has sold over 20 million records worldwide and earned multiple Grammy nods.

August 28 – “Sarabande Africaine” feat. Angélique Kidjo & Yo-Yo Ma
This extraordinary collaboration began in Paris, under the Arc de Triomphe, when Angélique Kidjo and Yo-Yo Ma honored the centenary of the end of World War I with music that bridged continents—Ma performing a Bach sarabande, Kidjo singing the Ewe dirge “Blewu” in tribute to African soldiers whose contributions have too often been erased from history

Since that moment, they’ve explored the rich intersections between African traditions and Western classical music, revealing centuries of cultural exchange. From the sarabande’s African roots to Dvořák’s symphonies inspired by Black spirituals, from Gershwin’s Gullah Geechee influences to Kidjo’s Yoruba reinterpretations of Bach, their repertoire redefines what “classical” can mean.

“Sarabande Africaine” is more than a concert—it’s a joyous investigation into how music travels, transforms, and connects us across borders and time. Together, Kidjo and Ma invite audiences to question the limits of genre and embrace the interconnectedness of our shared cultural heritage.

Special Offer: Use ATTHEBOWL for 20% off tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime performance.