Summer Fest is known for its variety, and for discovering talent that’s about to break onto the international stage. Witness 2011’s Trombone Shorty, who stunned all of us with his performance and has since shot to international fame. This year’s lineup will be no different. We’re presenting the best of straight ahead and vocal jazz, Latin, salsa, blues, zydeco and related genres performed by established stars, emerging talents and local gems.

While the festival may be a full three months away, we’re already excited about the artists we’ll be bringing and the changes we’re putting into place. In fact, we’re so excited that we can’t keep it a secret any longer. A full announcement of the lineup will come on May 30, but here’s a taste of what’s in store August 9-11 that will make downtown San Jose the temporary center of the jazz universe. If you’d like to get your festival pass early, do so online now and save significantly compared to the gate price.

Formed to entertain at a political rally in Portland in 1994, Pink Martini draws inspiration from music from around the world, crossing genres of classical, jazz and old- fashioned pop with an intoxicating sensibility all their own. Co-founder Thomas Lauderdale says of the band, “If the United Nations had a ‘house band,’ this would be it.” They’ve become an international phenomenon, selling 2.5 million albums to date.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band has toured across the globe to spread and foster the art form of New Orleans Jazz. Named for Preservation Hall, the respected music venue in New Orleans’ French Quarter, the band celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2012 with a 4-disk retrospective collection, sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall and collaborations with Allen Toussaint, Frank Demond, Yasiin Bey (AKA Mos Def), Givers, Steve Earle, and the Black Keys.

Javon Jackson with Les McCann began working together when tenor saxophonist Jackson invited veteran pianist and vocalist Les McCann to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Swiss Movement, McCann’s best-selling album. Unsurprisingly, these two great artists create musical magic together. See the chemistry for yourself when they take the stage at Summer Fest.

The Cookers is a power group of jazz “royalty” named for late great trumpeter Freddie Hubbard’s 1965 album The Night of the Cookers: Live at Club La Marchal. The band’s members—Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Craig Handy, George Cables, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart—have each spent time leading their own groups and developing a clearly individual sound. It is no surprise that their power as a team is commanding. Their latest album, 2012′s Believe, only further establishes them as masters in the jazz community.

Five-time Grammy® Award-nominated percussionist John Santos is a local treasure and one of the best-known proponents of Afro-Latin music in the world. His use of traditional forms and instruments in combination with contemporary music has earned him recognition as an educator, composer, and producer in a career spanning more than 35 years. Santos has worked with multi-generational masters like Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente and Carlos Santana.

Contemporary soul/blues artist Murali Coryell, son of jazz-rock fusion guitar legend Larry Coryell, grew up surrounded by great influences, taking in the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and Carlos Santana. In addition to performing with his own group, he’s toured with award-winning blues artist Joe Louis Walker, which only further solidifies Murali Coryell as an indispensable blues man.

Blue Note artist Stacey Kent has achieved continuous success as one of the world’s foremost jazz singers. Kent has released eight best-selling albums, including the Grammy® Award nominated, platinum-selling Breakfast on the Morning Tram and 2012′s Dreamer in Concert, which was recorded live in Paris at the legendary club La Cigale. The singer has gained fans nationwide, from actor Clint Eastwood to musician / American Idol judge Steven Tyler.

Representing the new and respecting the classic, bassist Derrick Hodge has spent his musical career transcending genres. As a performer, producer, and composer, Hodge takes influence from everything from gospel to funk to jazz to hip-hop. Heard in March with the Robert Glasper Experiment at Winter Fest 2013, Hodge recently signed with Blue Note Records to release his debut album as a solo artist, Live Today, to be released the week of Summer Fest. Hodge’s sets promise to be electric and expand our efforts to present the most innovate young musicians on our Jazz Beyond Stage.

Other bookings we can let you in on include up-and-coming sax wunderkind Grace Kelly, who wowed her audience at Winter Fest 2012; fun(k) band Mingo Fishtrap; Le Jazz Hot, made up of members of the hot, SF-based gypsy jazz phenom known as The Hot Club of San Francisco; guitar wizard Charlie Hunter, who has played with the likes Norah Jones, John Mayer, and D’Angelo; Cuban-born, New York-based drummer/composer/educator (& McArthur “Genius” Fellow) Dafnis Prieto; and Yosvany Terry.

In 2013, the San Jose Rep Stage is better than ever! We’re upgrading the roster to include even more world-renowned jazz artists to perform in this intimate, climate-controlled space. Your ticket to experience these major artists is a special wristband in addition to your basic festival admission – $10 per day, available online or at any festival gate. Summer Fest 2013 will also include Jazz Plus performances, which will bring select main stage acts to perform a second set on intimate stages, Saturday and Sunday evening. Jazz Plus shows will be ticketed separately from the main festival entrance fees; tickets will go on sale May 30, 2013.

Summer Fest 2013 will boast the brand new Poor House Big Easy Stage, featuring the best in zydeco and New Orleans Jazz. Along with the Blues Stage, this dynamic area of the festival will offer special food and drink options in one of San Jose’s most historic districts, centered on leafy Post Street. The Kaiser Permanente Salsa Stage will have an emphasis on music from three diverse international salsa scenes, including New York (Friday), Puerto Rico (Saturday), and Cuba (Sunday).

For the first time, San Jose Jazz will have a parade from Plaza de César Chavez Park to the Poor House Big Easy Stage on Saturday, August 10 at 1:30 pm, to kick off the first concert on that stage. The evening Club Crawl will also appear at select venues in downtown to extend exclusive night-time music offerings on Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10; venues will include The Fairmont Hotel, Hilton, Hyatt, Hotel De Anza, Blackbird Tavern, and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.

The 2013 Summer Fest promises to be one of the best yet, featuring diverse artists;  great food, wine and microbrews; and the festive setting of downtown San Jose with easy parking and great hotels. It’s the best “party” of the summer season! Buy your discount passes online now and stay in touch by joining our email list, following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+. Come back on May 30 for all the details on festival artists and programs!

Last week, Brad Stone won his seventh award for “Jazz Programmer of the Year, Medium Markets” at the annual Jazz Week Summit. It’s an accolade that speaks volumes about his commitment to both jazz and radio programming, a huge passion of his. A well-known jazz enthusiast, radio host  (and chemistry professor), Stone was Summer Fest’s “Jazz Doctor,” providing tailored advice for curious attendees.  On the eve of his transition from doctor back to professor, I caught up with Brad to capture the festival from his perspective.

Stone didn’t have to go far to start his first night of festivities. A friend and fan of several local acts, he kept his focus on the Club Crawl after checking into his hotel. “[On] Friday, I saw Rick Vandivier and then I went over to see Anton Schwartz,” said Stone. Already familiar with some of the venues, Stone was excited to experience how Hilton’s Affinity Restaurant and Bar translated as a festival space. “I love the Hilton. The first time I went over there for a San Jose Jazz event, I just couldn’t believe how clear and balanced the sound was from the band, yet you could still talk to someone when you’re sitting in the bar having a beer. I know they didn’t design that [venue] for live music, but it just works.”

With a more hands-on role Saturday, Stone remained by the Main Stage and saw Ivan Neville’s Dumpstapunk. He had a fun run-in with the group’s legendary keyboard player backstage afterward. “I have an interest in keyboard players, particularly organ and Hammond B-3 players, because I was one,” revealed Stone. “I went up to Ivan afterward behind the stage and said, ‘Mr. Neville, I’ve got a bone to pick with you. It’s cats like you that made me give up the organ.’ He said, ‘Oh man, don’t lay that on me!’” It was a playful exchange between two men with a deep love for the same art form.

Sunday morning, Stone hosted his jazz show, The Creative Source, on 90.5 FM KSJS, welcoming vocalist Sara Gazarek before her performance on the TiVo San Jose Rep Stage. He had nothing but positive words for the Los Angeles-based songstress. “She had just flown in that morning. She checked into her hotel real quick and then the driver brought her over to the station. We had a nice chat on the air.” Though he was unable to hear her set to to “Jazz Doctor” conflicts, he heard her set was “fantastic.”

With his show finished, Stone headed to the Main Stage to catch Terence Blanchard for one of the most buzzed-about sets of the weekend. “Terence Blanchard’s set was just phenomenal. I think [the audience] knew that they were witnessing something special,” explained Stone. “People that wanted some heavy jazz on the Main Stage, they got their fill during his set.”

He returned to some local flavor after Blanchard’s set on the Main Stage. “I spent quite a bit of time Sunday at the Silicon Valley Stage,” said Stone. “I got to see the end of Ed Johnson’s set and then the beginning of John Worley’s Red Dragon. I wanted to support those guys, [and] there were a lot of really appreciative listeners there.” While the Silicon Valley Stage didn’t have the draw of the Main Stage, its bill, packed with a who’s who of local gems, attracted supportive crowds.

Although Stone was dispensing advice all weekend, his favorite exchange almost didn’t happen. “There was one gentleman who came up to the Jazz Store tent [who] said  ’That guy never showed up, did he?’ I thought he meant Terence Blanchard, because Terence Blanchard on Sunday apparently came to the jazz store just briefly and signed some things,” explained Stone. “I said ‘Excuse me sir, were you looking for Terence Blanchard?’ [He replied] ‘No, I was looking for that radio guy. He said he was gonna be here.” I said, “’That’s me!’”

Once the confusion was sorted out, the doctor went right to work. “It turned out he was really neat because he had everything all mapped out. He [said] ‘I don’t know. There’s not enough of me to go around and see everything that I wanted to see.’” Stone echoed the same sentiment later in our chat, musing “every year I say I’ve got to clone myself five times over just to see everything!”

When asked about a break-out Summer Fest artist, the jazz doctor didn’t need to think long. “I heard a lot of good things [from attendees] about Natalie Cressman. [I caught her] jam session Saturday over at Mezcal. . . People were sitting in. Kat Parra sat in and it was just flowing out the door. People were hanging around outside on the sidewalk to listen, so it was definitely a good vibe.” He went on to explain why she drew a lot of buzz from both the Latin Jazz Jam and the Next Gen Stage. ”[It's impressive] how sophisticated she is in terms of her ability to play the trombone, her singing ability, and her poise on stage,” explained Stone. “I think that really comes from having a mother and father that are professional musicians. She’s been raised in that environment. I think she’s another artist who is mature beyond her years.”

Stone’s closing words were hopeful, a great sign considering his continued involvement with both San Jose Jazz and Summer Fest. “I think every year, it’s a lot of positives, but just this year I felt a really good vibe about it. People just seemed to be having a good time.”

Our jazz doctor helped prescribe some great music for his patients at Summer Fest. If you missed out, keep in mind that there’s always next year!

You can hear Dr. Brad Stone every Sunday from 10am-2pm on 90.5 KSJS-FM for his award-winning jazz program “The Creative Source.” In addition to his long-time involvement with San Jose Jazz, Stone is on the Board of Directors for the Jazz Organ Fellowship.

Past festival attendees know that come the second weekend in August, the streets of downtown San Jose are full of sounds from around the world, with stages blaring anything from straight ahead and Latin jazz to swing, blues and more. Yet what they may not know is that this annual extravaganza only happens through the dedication of hundreds of staff and volunteers who return every year to the welcome faces they’ve worked with in the past. It’s a rag-tag family that converges to help put on Silicon Valley’s largest celebration of music and culture.

For Jim Snowden, contributing to that goal started in 1988, when the festival was just in its infancy. A former San Jose Jazz board member and an avid fan of jazz, Snowden was at the meeting that picked the first board of directors for San Jose Jazz, then the Jazz Society. This past Summer Fest marked the 23rd festival he’s helped put on. He even has grandchildren who have been to every festival since they’ve been born – a feat which has earned them the tag “festival babies” from fellow attendees.

Getting involved was a no-brainer for Snowden. “When I got the call about the Jazz Society, I couldn’t pass that up,” said Snowen. “To help promote that music more, especially in a culturally diverse area like San Jose, that was a dream calling. Once I got involved, it’s in me now. I bleed jazz.”

Snowden’s continued involvement goes back to the beginning — and core — of the festival. Although he continues to label each successive Summer Fest his last, Festival Director Bruce Labadie keeps him working. Snowden attributes that to Labadie’s steadfast commitment to the festival over the years. “There wouldn’t have been a third festival if Bruce Labadie wouldn’t have been there,” said Snowden. “Bruce took a loan out on his home to make sure that that festival went off. That’s how dedicated he is, and that’s why I’ve been working with Bruce that long, because I know the type of person he is.”

With so much festival experience, Snowden had his share of stories to tell, but the one that continues to stand out for him is the year the festival seamlessly handled a regional blackout. “When the blackout [happened], the main stage was in between artists, so we rushed to bring a generator from one stage to the main stage to get it plugged in. The main stage went off [and] people in the audience didn’t even know there was a blackout,” revealed Snowden. Since nearby venues were still without power, word spread and folks began to flock to downtown San Jose. “There were people coming from the Concord Pavilion. People came from Shoreline [Amphitheater]. All these events that were canceled because of the blackout, people came to San Jose because they heard the music was still going on.”

As he noted during our interview, his family is part of a network of long-time regulars. “The area where my family sits, most of those people have been there every year from the beginning. It’s like a big family reunion that weekend. . . . That’s worth coming back [for] every year.” For Snowden and his family, Summer Fest has become woven into the fabric of their lives, an annual weekend retreat to catch up with old friends.

San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, now two years shy of a quarter century , continues to be furthered by loyal supporters of San Jose Jazz’s mission of promoting jazz education and performance. Snowden is certainly one such case, and so is Keith Butler, a four-year veteran who helped on the finance team at this year’s event. He was hooked after his first year on staff and continues to take time off to fly from Chicago and room with friends for the weekend, all to lend a helping hand as part of the Summer Fest staff.

Butler’s continued commitment to Summer Fest stems from the friendships and good vibes from those he works with. “I think it’s the camaraderie that I built the first year with everybody,” Butler said. “It didn’t feel like I was just an outsider who only came in to work the event for the weekend. It was like I actually was a part of the jazz family, and it made me have such a great experience with people that I look forward to it.”

Part of what excites Butler about the festival is the eclectic line-ups it continues to churn out. Summer Fest’s varied acts are a far cry from the programming he runs into back home. “In Chicago, all the festivals are separate. There’s a blues festival. Then there’s the jazz festival. Then there’s the gospel festival, whereas at the San Jose Jazz [Summer Fest], you can get all of it all in the same weekend.”

Snowden helps with other festivals, but knows that nothing will eclipse Summer Fest. “I help out at the Monterey [Jazz Festival]. I have helped out at San Francisco [Jazz Festival], but San Jose, of course it’s special to me because I was on the board for 11 years. The founding board members, we all became close. We took cruises together. This is my festival.”

There’s certainly an ownership over the experience that these two men take to heart, and it’s further evidence as to why Summer Fest continues to grow. San Jose Jazz thrives due to dedicated grassroots support, and these two men are fantastic examples of the great support structure the non-profit has in place.

Though it is a considerable task to fly out on his own dime to work a festival, Butler believes that the positives far outweigh the negatives. “I don’t feel like I’m giving up a lot to actually take this weekend to come out to San Jose Jazz [Summer Fest],” admitted Butler. “I feel like there’s so much that I gain each time that I do it, and it’s just building on top of that foundation of family that I have built with certain people and a lot of the people on the staff. That’s what makes it so powerful and so amazing for me.”

This year’s Summer Fest may be behind us, but San Jose Jazz is still hard at work  putting on over 150 year-round live music events throughout the South Bay. Get involved today by volunteering for one of our many year-round programs. Connect with great people as well as a great organization dedicated to furthering music education and performance in the South Bay.

Musical ideals run deep for Sonnymoon. Originally conceived as a duo, producer Dane Orr and vocalist Anna Wise recently added drummer Joe Welch and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Randall to their permanent line-up, a change that has not only invigorated their live show but brought a new excitement to their entire creative process. With more control over specifics, the group is now able to expand and contract songs in the moment, instilling a jazz sensibility to their genre-breaking sound.

During our interview, all four members were brimming with excitement over the new realm of possibilities they’ve only just started to explore. After a brilliant return to Pagoda Lounge on the first night of Summer Fest, I sat down with Sonnymoon to speak on their jazz connections, how they all came together at the Berklee College of Music and what their plans are moving forward as a quartet.

Comparing your live show to the songs on record, it’s apparent you implement improvisation during your performances. Along with Anna’s vocal phrasing, there definitely seems to be a jazz sensibility to the group. How much of an undercurrent does jazz play in how you’ve approached music as Sonnymoon?

Dane Orr (producer / saxophone) : I think if you see it, then it’s there. Obviously, you see some form of jazz in our set, and that’s kind of the same way we approach it, because we don’t really think about it but we’ve experienced a lot of those recordings and we’ve enjoyed a lot of jazz. We still go to Sonnymoon as a separate thing [though]. We have lots of other influences in addition to jazz. The point is to forget it all, and I feel like jazz musicians are going for that same thing. It’s more based on what you think as the listener for us.

The group originally started out as a duo. How did the duo turn into a quartet?

Joe Welch (drums): I met Anna and Dane before school had even started, just sitting around the dorms. Dane had introduced himself to me, and he was an aspiring jazz saxophonist. He was deep into that, and as I got to meet everyone around Berklee, I started to really get into the jazz scene with the players around there and really get affected and influenced by the essences of that music, and I think that just sticks around with you as you go. It was the same with Anna. I met her in the basement of the dorms. Everyone was just jamming.

Dane: We knew each other long before. We were sort of playing music together the whole time.

What brought you four to the Berklee College of Music?

Joe: I definitely went to play the drums, and I wasn’t exclusively interested in jazz. I was really excited about Berklee because it seemed like the place to meet people who were not afraid to make new things and bring all types of music together. It was a very diverse school – very happening, very fast-paced and high level — so it was just the place I knew I had to be myself.

Dane: Like Joe said, I went there for saxophone, but I got through a year and a half of performance / jazz composition and then decided [to switch emphasis] because I had met Anna and we were all about doing a very utilitarian approach to music. We wanted to make [music] and be able to perform it with just the two of us. Because of that, I ended up switching to electronic production and design. I’m very glad that I did because you unfortunately can’t teach jazz but you can teach computer music and mixing.

Anna Wise (vocals): I went to Berklee to meet people, and I didn’t really know why I was there. I had failed out of a classical training school and a jazz training school — not failed but had decided to “discontinue my training.” [Laughs] Sometimes the decision was mutual. I was still under the impression that college was a good idea and that I needed a college degree to succeed in life, so my mother filled out my Berklee application and popped me on a plane to audition. I didn’t have anything better to do and I thought it would be a nice adventure, so I went. I know this is gonna sound whatever but I had a song in my heart and I didn’t know how to get it out. I needed to meet the right people because I didn’t want to be a solo artist, and I met those people.

Tyler Randall (sitar / guitar / bass / programming): My motivation for going to the Berklee College of Music in Boston was to get as far away from Cincinnati, Ohio as I could, and the East is where I decided to go. [Laughs] I wasn’t ready for the West. It seemed like a much different way of life than what I was used to, so I went out East.

Anna: Yeah, I agree with that. I wanted to get as far as I could from California, and that’s what I did.

What would you consider your philosophy or aesthetic?

Dane: We like to use the term “experimental” because that really describes our process. I think that we are open to whatever is gonna come from the four of us when we’re creating and playing. It sounds selfish but that’s how it has to be. It’s all about the four of us and it’s not about anything outside of [that], so we’re really gonna play to our strengths and try to interact as much as possible. We’re still learning how to do that.

Our creed or philosophy is to be reflective on the world that we see out in front of us. When we make music, we forget everything else and we go back, sit down and make music. We make it in a different place from the Internet and a different place from texting — a different place from all that.

Anna: When Dane and I first wrote Golden Age and the 2012 EP and the Sonnymoon LP, all we were doing was writing what we considered songs, the same way painters go to the canvas and paint what they think is a painting or someone goes to a piece of clay and makes what they think to be a sculpture. We [made] what we consider music, what the two of us — now the four of us —  consider music all together, our energies colliding and interacting to make what equals us from our lives thus far. It’s not like we’re trying to be weird [or] experimental. We just are.

Joe: I like it to be as organic as it can be.  I’m really excited because we all have such diverse influences but they all seem to complement one another really well. I feel like [with] our chemistry, things are brewing.

Anna: The four of us haven’t even reached our potential. Not even slightly.

Joe: There’s still a lot of ground to cover. We’re all young [and] we’re all heating up.

With the addition of Joe and Tyler, it sounds like the focus is now more on touring and the live process than it is about the recording process.

Dane: It was about [the recording process] for a long time and then we realized that was a short road and that the live road is infinite.

Tyler:  Now with our numbers, we’re able to take a sample and perform it, so we can interact with the rhythm. I can play the sample longer and Joe can fill in more or less. It happens all the time, especially in “Watersboiled.” That’s totally improvised. Every time it’s different. It can get more and more live and that’s what we’re going for, because when you made the record, it was a produced thing. Now we’re bringing it to life.

Joe: With me coming in and playing the drum parts that Dane wrote, it’s almost like re-creating a different version of the song. It’s funny how when you play with a group, the tunes that you play seem to evolve with you guys through time. We’re going crazy with that right now.

It sounds like the group has been energized by the addition of Joe and Tyler. With that said, where is Sonnymoon headed?

Dane: I think we’re continuing to just move forward. We really just want to keep playing as much as possible. New stuff will come as we play more together. Like I was saying before about playing to people’s strengths and weaknesses,  [we're] just slowly letting it simmer up and working it, getting everything tighter.

Terence Blanchard‘s 2pm Main Stage performance had the crowd enthralled. As I walked down the Tech Museum side of Market Street, the scene was mesmerizing. A near silence seemed to sit over the crowd while Blanchard’s horn screamed and whispered. Much like the Laila Smith set from the day before, there was a reverence in watching the give and take between Blanchard and the crowd.

A bit later, I caught up with “Jazz Doctor” Brad Stone, who was handing out CDs along with tailored Summer Fest music advice in front of the Jazz Store late Sunday afternoon. He told me that several attendees had already picked up some goodies and asked some great questions, and Stone was still excited to help out. It was finally time for me to shuffle away when yet another patient eagerly approached, curious for a musical diagnosis.

Since I had been bouncing around from stage to stage all weekend, it was a bit late for me to try and snatch up some prime real estate out on the grass at the Main Stage. Luckily, there was a big screen nearby, which made my shaded table by the food court feel that much more ideal. From there, I watched Dianne Reeves bring a great energy to match her virtuosic vocal ability. This was straight-ahead talent of the highest caliber, and the crowd was delightfully enjoying it.

I don’t consider myself a foodie, but when it comes to festivals, I’m always on the lookout for some great eats. The Blues Stage came through for me yet again when I grabbed a tri-tip sandwich and root beer float from Gold Rush Eatery. This food truck was handing out samples all day, and after tasting their fantastically golden tots with special sauce, I made sure to come back later in the day. When I returned, the JC Smith Band was putting on quite the show. Smith was being helped by some of the best blues talent the Bay Area has to offer. The magnetic stage presence of the group showed why Smith and company are considered a cornerstone in the South Bay blues scene.

While headed back to the Main Stage, I caught Team Bahia closing out the Kaiser Permanente Salsa Stage in electric fashion. The dancers were out in full force and Bahia’s energy showed that they were definitely feeding off of the crowd! The Salsa Stage was a hot ticket all weekend, and with only one act left, it looked like all the salsa fanatics were making sure they didn’t leave without one final dance.

After catching the tail end of the The Spinners on the Main Stage,  I walked over to the San Pedro Square Market — at this point the former home to the Metro Market Stage — and enjoyed a relaxing night on the patio to recap among friends. Sitting out there under the trees, hummingbird ornaments and all, it seemed I had found the perfect place to end the night. Sure, Summer Fest was just about over, but I also realized I was five days early to see the Hitmen perform as part of the Music at the Market series.

In addition to Summer Fest, San Jose Jazz hosts over 150 live music events around San Jose throughout the year. Whether this was your first time experiencing San Jose Jazz or your simply your latest experience, you can keep up with our year-round programming by visiting the San Jose Jazz site. With our Free Jazz Wednesdays, Blues Thursday at the Poor House and Music at the Market Friday evenings, there’s plenty of free live music to take in no matter the season. If you got a kick out of our CEO Jam or our Latin Jazz Jam with the “Masters and Lions” of Latin Jazz, head to the Hedley Club inside the Hotel De Anza every first and third Wednesday for our bi-weekly jam. We also partner to put on events for South First Fridays, happening on the first Friday of every month.

This Summer Fest was a wild ride from the start, but I’m sure glad I got to take part. With so much regular content still on the way, think of our weekly programming as a culmination of everything you saw at Summer Fest. Except this time, you can actually catch it all!

You can also catch up on my Saturday experience by reading Saturday’s posting.

On my way to see local singer Laila Smith on the Silicon Valley Stage, I stopped to hear a bit of Amanda Shaw’s performance on the Main Stage. The crowd was getting energized by her performance —  a great way to get the crowd ready for the rest of the day! Smith’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. The packed Club Regent crowd was receptive to both Smith and pianist Nick Lamb, who garnered plenty of applause. It was enough to shock Smith, who admitted that she couldn’t have asked for a better crowd. Standouts of the set were the duo’s near minimalist take on “My Favorite Things,”  featuring the eerie nuance of a thumb piano. Laila also brought some soul when she covered Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands” solo.

When Smith’s set finished, I picked up the Poblano Paprika Pork from Pattiwagon at the Salsa Stage. The sandwich was a colorful, and tasty, choice. Kaiser Permanente’s water bar was a hit, with people lining up to try their five different fruit-infused choices. Even in the warm sun, plenty of dancers were already tearing up the pavement on San Fernando Street.

I continued down the street to the Blues Stage. Before making reaching the stage, I grabbed some recipes and made a flip book at the Whole Foods Market booth. The flip book is a great festival memento if you’re looking for a unique, and free, way to capture this weekend.

As it approached 4pm, I headed back to First Street to catch the delightful Yesberger band on the Cisco Bella Mia Stage. Just as Devon told me during our interview, their new tunes have an airy, expansive feel. Trumpet player JJ Kirkpatrick was a wonderful group addition, bringing just the right nuance to the Yesberger sound.

After Yesberger, I went back to the Blues Stage to catch Amanda Shaw. One song in, I could see why Shaw may well be this year’s breakout performer. She commanded the stage with her effortless performance and showed all the makings of a confident performer — all this at the age of 22. Before heading back to the Main Stage, I picked up a meat loaf sandwich from Grandama Catherine’s. A colleague told me this choice was a no-brainer, and I completly agree. Enjoying that sandwich on the grass by the Main Stage while being serenaded by the Jazz Crusaders is a memory I won’t soon forget.

It felt time for an intimate set, so I made my way to see Grooveyard Shift at the Metro Market Stage. Several attendees were sampling the great artisan stalls while watching the band get heavy into the groove. At about 9:45,  it was time to visit the Jazz Beyond stage to catch Subharmonic, who immediately got the crowd’s attention when Theis, tuba and all, led the group through the crowd before making their way on stage. “Jazz beyond” was the perfect term for the band, who brought accomplished musicianship to a set that saw plenty of experimentation.

With so much packed into yesterday, I’m excited to see where today takes me! Be sure to enjoy today as much as you can, because once Coco Montoya finishes his 7:30 set on the Blues Stage, you’ll have to wait all year for Summer Fest to return!

Find out what I caught on the final day of Summer Fest by reading my Sunday round-up.

Whether it’s grabbing a drink, picking up a new healthy recipe or entering to win the trip of a lifetime, our outstanding sponsors will definitely be adding to the Summer Fest experience this year. San Jose-based brewery Gordon Biersch will even be premiering a brand new stage! Read on to find out about some of the wonderful booths and services available from some of our festival sponsors.

Gordon Biersch
Gordon Biersch, now the largest brewery in the San Francisco Bay Area, have been long time supporters of San Jose Jazz, and this year, they are introducing a new Summer Fest stage along with two exclusive new brews! The patio at the Gordon Biersch Restaurant on San Fernando Street will be the site of the new Gordon Biersch Stage, featuring Masha Campagne, Slide Madness and the Summer Fest All Star Big Band! Artist sets start at 12:30pm, 3:30pm and 6:30pm Saturday and Sunday.

At the Blues Stage, Gordon Biersch will be unveiling two new brews set to debut this Fall: the new Zwickelpils and Zwickelbock, unfiltered versions of GB’s Czeck Style Pilsner and Blonde Bock. These special blends will be served out of wooden kegs – a real treat for beer connoisseurs!

Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines plans on making a big splash in their first year of sponsorship with a giveaway that’s sure to appeal to everyone. If you’re in the mood for a vacation, plan a visit to the Hawaiian Airlines booth at the Main Stage. Enter their contest  for the chance to win 2 round-trip tickets to Hawaii. Enjoy live music all weekend, and then plan for the perfect getaway!

Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente hosts a weekend of dancing and fun in the sun with interactive activities, booths and displays at the Salsa Stage. Come visit the KP Mobile Health Clinic, Water Bar, and Sunscreen Station, receive complimentary fruits at the KP Fruit Stand and experience activities that are set to include free salsa dance lessons between music sets and airbrushed body art in the new Feel Jazz’d Lounge!

TiVo
Ready to take content on your TV to the next level? TiVo’s new Premiere series of DVRs is the most advanced and innovative ever built, and you can win one at Summer Fest! This year, TiVo will be giving one lucky jazz fan a FREE Premiere DVR with one year of free service when they enter the Jazz It Up With TiVo Sweepstakes at sweeps.tivo.com. A winner will be randomly selected during the event.

Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market will be on hand at the Blues Stage with delicious food and information to promote their Health Starts Here program. This plan is easy to follow and does away with restrictive “dos” and “don’ts,” replacing them with a smart and simple foundation based on 4 Pillars of Healthy Eating. There will be four booths dedicated to each pillar of the program – Whole Food, Healthy Fats, Plant-Strong™ and Nutrient Dense – and Healthy Eating Specialists available to talk you through plans to help you get in shape and stay healthy. Specialists will also be handing out great recipes that adhere to each pillar of the program.

The Whole Foods Taco Truck will be at the Main Stage serving healthy twists on tacos as well as Mexican appetizers made with the freshest of ingredients. Hint Water, including their new line of carbonated water drinks, Hint Fizz, will be on sale at the Blues Stage in addition to Neveria Abel’s gourmet Mexican ice cream and the “shrimp boil of the year” from Wood Fisheries.

Whole Foods Market will also be participating in several food talks and demos taking place at the Blues Stage, starting at 1pm Saturday and Sunday. To remember your Summer Fest experience forever, be sure to pick up one of the jazz-themed photo flipbooks at their booth!

Which sponsor activity are you most excited for? Will you be eating healthy with Whole Foods Market? Will you be sipping one of Gordon Biersch’s unfiltered craft brews? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook post!

Photo Credit: © Bruce Fram

When the last notes die down at the Main Stage, it’s time to discover just what the festival has going on after dark. These more intimate gatherings will showcase the breadth of the festival’s line-up. They’re also sure to bring inspirational, free-form moments that have long happened at our late-night events.

Drum! Night
For the fourth straight year, Drum! Magazine will team up with San Jose Jazz for Drum! Night. Kenny Aronoff, Tim Yeung and Cora Coleman-Dunham are set to perform. Show up early to see a performance by San Jose Taiko outside the San Jose Rep or head inside to take part in a pre-show “stick tricks” workshop with Nate Brown. You can also test new gear in the Roland V-Drums Lab and take a look at the vintage drums on display in the drum museum. Tickets range from $20-$35.

Jams @ Summer Fest
As past attendees know, anything can happen at one of our jams. Some of the festival’s best moments rise out of spontaneity, and these jams should prove no different. For some, you’re even invited to play! All jams are free with festival admission.

Starting 9pm Friday, Aart de Geus and other well known Silicon Valley leaders will be taking part in the Synaptics CEO Jam. A celebration of Silicon Valley know-how, a cross-section of the tech elite will be sharing the stage with festival artists for a night of free-form entertainment. Interested executives are encouraged to send an email to ceojam@sanjosejazz.org. This event is presented by Silicon Valley Business Journal.

Follow up Friday’s jam by attending one of our two Saturday jams. Our Festival Jam, hosted on the Cisco Bella Mia Stage by Red Dragon Quintet member and Hedley Jazz Jam co-leader Oscar Pangilinan, invites anyone to come and play with the pros. The same rules apply at our Latin Jazz Jam with the “Master and Lions of Latin Jazz,” hosted by Mister Latin Jazz, Arturo Riera, on the patio of Mezcal and Billy Berk’s. Walk-ins are welcome at the Latin Jazz jam — just bring your instrument and sign in! Both jams start at 9pm.

Jazz Beyond
At 8pm Saturday, the Castellano Latin Stage will transform into the Jazz Beyond Stage. Come experience two great local acts that are pushing the jazz envelope by fusing its spirit with other genres in new and inovative ways.

Billed as simply a “live music experience,” Punjabi-hop collective BlackMahal will open the stage at 8pm. While their approach is largely modern, their line-up also includes living legend Ustad Lal Singh Bhatti, the most famous dhol drum and Punjabi vocalist in the world. Their stage show is set to include saxophone, turntables and two MC’s —  it doesn’t get much more fusion at Summer Fest than this!

Subharmonic, led by writer, producer and bandleader Adam Theis, follows at 10pm. A rogue instrumentalist and tireless musical tinkerer, Theis layers electronic experimentation and manipulation to the group’s brass-heavy sound. Their set is sure to frame fantastic musicianship in a cutting edge package.

After Hours  at the Pagoda
If Morris Day & the Time doesn’t suit your tastes, you may want to try two newcomers from Boston with a lot of local buzz. Sonnymoon return to the Pagoda Lounge Friday, inside the Fairmont Hotel, at 8:30pm for “Jazz Beyond, Live at the Pagoda.”  If you aren’t acquainted with their sound, you’re in for a treat, as member Anna Wise adds true vocal craftsmanship to a sound that brings together elements of hip-hop, electronic, jazz and R&B. Pre-sale tickets available here.

Following Sonnymoon Friday, Julius Papp and The Selecter DJ Kirk will be spinning hand-picked luxury soul as part of the After Hours at the Pagoda series. J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science will add some live flare and instrumentation to their world music-infused hip-hop Saturday. Both After Hours events run from 10pm-1:30am. They are free with a festival wristband and $10 without. You can purchase pre-sale tickets for J Boogie’s show here.

Club Crawl
Our Club Crawl is ideal for patrons looking to wind down with some great food without getting too far removed from the festival. 12 different venues will be hosting acts that pair well with their dishes and ambience.

For music later in the night, try wine bar A Perfect Finish, just down the street from our Castellano Latin Stage. Quasimodal will be performing Friday night and Blue House perform Saturday. Both sets run 9pm-Midnight. Gordon Biersch will host JP & the Rhythm Chasers 9:30-11:30pm Saturday from 9:30pm and the Hedley Club will be hosting the Dirty Downtown Jazz Syndicate from 9:30pm-12:30am Saturday.

JC Smith’s Blues Club
Got a craving for blues that’s bound to continue well into the night? Then head over to JC Smith’s Blues Club, open 9pm-1am Friday and Saturday. Friday, JC will be saluting the original living legends of South Bay blues, with a night that will include performances by the JC Smith Band, Chris Cain, Andy Just, Gary Smith and Sammy Varela. Legally Blue will open festivities Saturday, followed by a rotating cast of performers that will include Delmark Records artists Toranzo Cannon, Sharon Lewis and Dave Specter in addition to Wendy DeWitt, La Tenaza, Livia Jean Slingerland, Lady Chico and More. Admission is $10 per night with a festival wristband and $15 without.

Late Night Acts @ Metro Market
After Morris Day & the Time finish Friday, walk over to San Pedro Square Market to the jazz-pop of the Yesberger Band at 10pm. Closing the stage that night  at midnight will be Marcus L. Miller with Freedom Jazz Movement. Saturday night, step in and see Ben Flocks, billed as B-Flo and the Love Machine, at 10pm, followed by the serious four trombone attack of Synchronicity (not to be confused with the West Valley College’s vocal jazz ensemble, who are playing the Next Gen Stage 2pm Sunday).

Wind down with a drink and live music at one of our Club Crawl events, dance the night away at Pagoda Lounge, or see some brilliant live performances at our jams — all after hours at Summer Fest!

Which late-night events will you be attending? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook post!

If you were anywhere next to a radio in the 1970’s, you know the music of the Spinners, one of the greatest soul/R&B/pop groups the decade had to offer and one that came to define the “Philly Sound.” Their hits, including “It’s a Shame,” “I’ll Be Around,” “Could it be I’m Falling in Love,” “The Rubberband Man,” “Games People Play,” “Working My Way Back to You” and “Then Came You” (with Dionne Warwick) brought them twelve gold records, six Grammy® nominations and numerous appearances in the Billboard Top Ten.

The Spinners grew up in Royal Oak Township, near Detroit, in the 1950’s. It was an era dominated by vocal harmony groups, and the Spinners cite the Dells, the Moonglows and Flamingos as early influences. These close harmonies were also found in vocal jazz, a style they also reference as a source.

The group – then Bobbie Smith, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson and George Dixon – first recorded as the Spinners in 1961 for the Tri-Phi label. Berry Gordy’s Motown Records bought out Tri-Phi, and the Spinners became Motown artists. However, it was with Atlantic Records that they achieved their greatest success to-date, working with producer/arranger/composer Thom Bell (Delfonics, O’Jays).

Bell’s arrangements complemented the Spinners’ distinctive harmonies with inspired, melodic strings, and a solidly grooving rhythm section: classic pop, with sing-along choruses and a dance feel. It was a sound that set off hundreds of imitators, but the Spinners had a special magic that set them apart from the rest.

The magic translated equally well on stage, as they moved as if one in time to the music in true chorus line fashion, executing complex synchronized dance routines. This combination was unbeatable, and the Spinners – already a popular live act – became more popular than ever, not only in America but internationally.

In 1979, the Spinners worked with producer Michael Zager (Whitney Houston, Peabo Bryson), generating several more hits, including “Working My Way Back To You” and “The Cupid Medley,” and bringing them another gold record. They also provided guest vocals on a project with Elton John. Collaborations with the writing/producing team of Philadelphia’s James Mtume and Reggie Lucas followed (best known for their work with Roberta Flack and Lou Rawls; Lucas also co-produced Madonna’s first record). The Spinners sang on several film soundtracks during this period, including Twins and Spaceballs.

The Spinners made frequent TV appearances on programs such as The Midnight Special, American Bandstand and Soul Train, as well as performing twice as part of the Grammy® Awards ceremony. Dick Clark presented the Spinners with the Black Gold Award for their many achievements in the recording industry, and they were awarded the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Award for their contribution to R&B. They’ve also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Spinners have now been around for fifty-seven years, and as might be expected, there were some personnel changes along the way. However, what’s remarkable is their longevity – bass singer Pervis Jackson performed with the Spinners until his death in 2008, and founding members Bobbie Smith and Henry Fambrough are still leading the group, with Charlton Washington, Jessie Peck and Marvin Taylor adding their voices to complete the quintet.

What’s also remarkable is how the music of the Spinners has in some ways transcended era and genre, in the way that great music eventually does. The magic – it’s still there.

Will you be dancing to the Philly Sound of the Spinners when they close out the Main Stage Sunday? Priority seats are still available to those who prefer the best seats in the house! Connect with other fans of the Spinners by commenting on our Facebook post!

Following a competitive audition process, over 20 performances, including 13 performances in the last six months, the San Jose Jazz High School All Stars, under the direction of Dr. Aaron Lington, will open the Cisco Bella Mia Stage Saturday and the Next Gen Stage Sunday. They are sure to wow with their accomplished chops. A lesser known fact may be that these All Stars are at the core of San Jose Jazz’s greater mission.

An in-demand group that plays events and locales that include San Jose Jazz Winter Fast, the San Jose Museum of Art and the Opera House in Los Gatos, the San Jose Jazz High School All Stars are great ambassadors not only for the jazz art form but for San Jose Jazz at large. In January 2011, San Jose Jazz decided to re-organize its goals, shifting its main focus to education. Along with Progressions, Summer Jazz Camp and the Next Gen Stage at Summer Fest, the San Jose Jazz High School All-Stars is part of a four-tier plan to inspire the next generation of local jazz talent through immersive educational experiences, including live performance.

The High School All Stars Program, now entering its 14th year, is San Jose Jazz’s year-round, audition-based education and performance initiative. The program’s goal is to help students “achieve a mastery of performance and improvisation techniques while advancing their knowledge of music theory, arranging, composition, performance and jazz history.” Once students are accepted into the audition-based program, they begin rehearsing once a week with Program Director Aaron Lington, who is also Coordinator of Jazz Studies at San Jose State University. These rehearsals prepare students for  performances at Summer Fest, Winter Fest and more.

Lington may be a new addition to the All Stars team – he was brought on last November – but his extended experience with jazz in an academic setting has made him a great fit for the organization. He previously taught at Texas Wesleyan University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Houston. A member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), The National Association for Music Education (MENC) and the California Music Educators Association (CMEA), Lington has adjudicated over 20 jazz festivals in the Western United States.

A firm believer in music education, Lington maintains that programs rooted in performance are essential to the artistic growth of students. “You have to have these educational outreach programs to not only give [students] an exposure to jazz but to give them outlets for performance and for learning about the music,” offers Lington.

“What we do know is that students who are actively engaged in these kinds of activities do better, and they’re better people,” explains San Jose Jazz Vice Chair, Dr. Robert Griffin. “San Jose Jazz makes a tremendous difference in the lives of the people who are involved in the youth education programs. The environment is friendly and supportive. There are experienced musicians who are teaching these young students to play music.”

Hiring renowned working musicians as educators is one way San Jose Jazz works to inspire its students. Younger musicians learn by playing in a free and open environment with some of the best jazz musicians in the world. By gaining exposure to the improvisational element of jazz in this manner, students enrolled in any of San Jose Jazz’s education programs fall in love with jazz as an art form through first-hand experience. Similar to the High School All Stars, San Jose Summer Jazz Camp utilizes this same perspective by bringing in world-renowned talents for a two-week intensive to help train some of this region’s most gifted young musicians.

Saxophonist and Hedley Jazz Jam co-founder Oscar Pangilinan echoes Griffin’s sentiments, stressing that music education builds a great foundation for success in any field. “Music gives us a skill set that is very universal. You can become a great doctor, a lawyer . . . all with basic skill sets that you learn by being a musician,” Pangilinan says. “I also think that music is a way for us to teach traditions and teach culture. When we teach music, we don’t just teach notes on the page or teach how to play an instrument. We actually pass on traditions from generations past.”

This student-mentor relationship is important not just to San Jose Jazz but to the jazz art form as a whole. In a world where jazz doesn’t have the same foothold it once did in popular culture, mentorships are one of the ways jazz continues to build a passionate following. Through programs like San Jose Summer Jazz Camp and High School All Stars, San Jose Jazz works not only to provide a consistent outgrowth of successful local talent but gives talented players the chance to pass on the legacy of jazz, a true American art form.

The San Jose Jazz High School All Stars will be performing 12pm Saturday on the Cisco Bella Mia Stage and 12pm Sunday on the Next Gen Stage. Plan on attending either set? Connect with others who will be joining you by commenting on our Facebook post!