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a message from the executive director
This page contains the information you've been waiting for -- the newly announced line-up for the 19th annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival. As you'll see, it's shaping up to be one of the most exciting festivals yet, with over 1000 artists from around the globe converging on San Jose for a weekend of fantastic musical diversity, tradition, and innovation.
Jazz is the basis for most of the popular music of today, and the Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival showcases that breadth. This year's line-up includes national celebrities like David Sanborn and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, outstanding Bay Area talents like Gail Dobson and Dayna Stephens, and some of the hottest Latin jazz and salsa artists on the scene today, as well as international artists from India, Egypt, Latvia, England, the Czech Republic, Cuba, and Brazil.
Like the tradition of innovation here in Silicon Valley, jazz composition and performance continue to evolve and change. During the three days of this year's festival, we promise that the cravings of even the most diverse music lover will be satisfied.
Geoff Roach
Executive Director
San Jose Jazz
P.S.: San Jose Jazz has just launched our new, redesigned website. Be sure to check it out.
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Your best choice -- purchase your pass online!
Purchasing a pass to the festival is easy! (Sure, you can show up and wait in line to buy a pass in person, but you'll be missing out on some great opportunities and benefits!)
Buy purchasing your wristband online, you'll:
- Save time -- No waiting in line! Just walk up, show I.D., and pick up your wristband
- Get notified of important changes/additions to festival artists, venues, and activities
- Be entered to win 1 of 8 VIP passes to the behind-the-scenes festival events!
- Receive discounts to local merchants at the festival
- Automatically donate a portion of your purchase price to ACCION International, giving people the financial tools they need to work their way out of poverty.
It's easy! Simply:
1. Check the schedule, listen to the music samples below, and decide which days you'd like to come to the festival (or save money and buy a 3 day pass)
2. Purchase your wristband online through our ticket vendor, Brown Paper Tickets/BPT ($10 per day, or all 3 days for $25, a small service fee is added by BPT) or become a member and get a 3-day pass plus a load of additional benefits for only $35.
3. Show your photo I.D. at the speedy will-call line (located at the main booth in the Circle of Palms outside of the S.J. Museum of Art) and pick up your wristband. Easy!
Stay in the know with specific updates -- purchase your festival wristband pass online today!
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SEE WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE 19TH COMCAST SAN JOSE JAZZ FESTIVAL!
With more than 80 performances on 10 different stages in downtown San Jose, this year's festival encompasses a stunning array of local, national, and international talent. The diversity of sounds and styles -- everything from R&B to salsa to straight-ahead jazz -- practically guarantees that you'll be humming along with an old favorite one minute and dancing to a brand new groove the next.
Here's are just a few of the highlights of this year's festival you can see over the weekend of August 8-10. Check the festival website for updates, scheduling details, and a full list of artists.
 CELEBRITIES
You know their names, and you know their music -- Here's your chance to see them live on stage! Headliners for this year's festival include:
 David Sanborn
Main Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 6pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
An icon of jazz, David Sanborn has created a body of work that spans the genres of rock 'n' roll, R&B, pop, and jazz. He is a naturally gifted performer whose music has inspired countless other musicians. Sanborn has helped define the saxophone's modern sound while influencing a new generation of music. Sanborn will be leading a 12 piece band performing the music of Ray Charles and Hank Crawford.
 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Main Stage, Friday, Aug. 8 at 8:30pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Their music concentrates on the sound of 1940s and '50s swing played in clubs and lounges. The band features its leader Morris on lead vocals and guitar, Kurt Sodergren on drums, Dirk Shumaker on string bass, Andy Rowley on saxophone, Glen Marhevka on trumpet, Karl Hunter on saxophones and clarinet, and Joshua Levy on piano.
 Bill Holman Orchestra
Main Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at noon
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Bill Holman: American songwriter, conductor, composer, arranger, and saxophonist. But he is probably best known as one of the finest arrangers in jazz history, having provided charts for Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band, and many others. Over the years, he has also led the Grammy Award-winning Bill Holman Orchestra which features the cream of the L.A. jazz scene: Carl Saunders, Pete Christlieb, Andy Martin, Ron Stout, Lanny Morgan, Christian Jacob, and others.
 Javon Jackson
Main Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 4pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Born in Missouri and raised in Denver, Javon Jackson grew up listening to the jazz greats on his parents' record collection. Inspired by the work of Sonny Stitt, he picked up the alto saxophone at a young age. Javon has spent several years touring with a host of jazz greats, as well as his own groups. He will be joined onstage at the Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival by Hammond B3 organ great Dr. Lonnie Smith and pianist/vocalist Les McCann.
 James Hunter
Blues Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 5pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
James Hunter is a native of Colchester, England, who fell in love with soul and R&B music early on. He has become an extraordinary singer who, in the words of the New York Times, possesses a "tight, slithery soul groove" and a "sweet growl." He will be making his Hear Music label debut on June 10 with the release of The Hard Way.
LOCAL FAVORITES
The Bay Area is home to many exceptional jazz musicians. As always, it is a pleasure to present such fine local artists -- many of them famous throughout the world -- at the Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival. This year's local performers include:
 Tony Lindsay
R&B Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 4pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Eleven time Grammy winner, singer, songwriter, and producer Tony Lindsay is internationally known as the lead singer for guitar legend Carlos Santana, and has just released his long awaited third album.
 Dayna Stephens
Smith Dobson Tribute Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 6pm
Hear music samples | Artist website
Dayna Stephens was born in Brooklyn but raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He began playing the saxophone at age 13. Since graduating from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, he has been performing and teaching actively. He plays regularly in San Francisco and New York City.
 Bob Mintzer and Pete Yellin
San Jose Rep Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 2pm
For Bob: Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
For Pete: Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Between them, saxophonists Bob Mintzer and Pete Yellin have accumulated countless studio hours, tour miles, and enthusiastic fans. We're lucky that both of these influential artists have chosen to give up New York City for life in the Bay Area. Don't miss these two jazz masters jamming together on stage.
 Nicolas Bearde
R&B Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 2pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
A member of Bobby McFerrin's world renowned and innovative a cappella vocal ensemble, "Voicestra," Nicolas Bearde is an international recording artist and recognizable solo performer on his own. He also maintains a busy sideline as an actor for stage, screen, and television, and as a voice-over artist.
 Shotgun Wedding Hip Hop Symphony
Jazz Beyond Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 10pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
At the heart of San Francisco's infamous Jazz Mafia, you'll find The Shotgun Wedding Hip Hop Symphony -- a group of powerful musical personalities. By taking advantage of modern technology, these guys use electronic sampling devices to layer their sound, an original technique this band has mastered.
WORLD JAZZ
The contemporary jazz scene is a global phenomenon, soaking up influences from countless different cultures and spreading them around the world. Highlighting the international aspect of jazz at this year's festival are such artists as:
 Summit with Zakir Hussain
Main Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 2pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Zakir Hussain is a remarkable percussionist who has collaborated with many western and Indian artists, including The Beatles, Ravi Shankar, Van Morrison, Ali Akbar Khan, and many others. In 1988, he became the youngest percussionist to ever be awarded the title of Padma Shri, an award given by the Government of India to recognize his distinguished contribution to the arts.
 Yosvany Terry
Main Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 4pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Born in Cuba, Yosvany received his earliest musical training from his father, Eladio "Don Pancho" Terry, Cuba's leading player of the Chekeré. Since coming to New York in 1999, he has absorbed and incorporated American jazz traditions into his own Afro-Cuban roots to produce compositions and solo work that range from rhythmic, hard driving avant-garde to sweet sounding lyricism.
 Chico Pinheiro
San Jose Rep Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 6pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
One of the leading figures in modern Brazilian music, guitarist/composer/arranger Chico Pinheiro was born in São Paulo and began playing guitar and piano at age 7. After starting to perform professionally at age 15, he rounded out his musical education at Berklee College of Music. An exceptional guitarist with a wonderful sound and great fluidity, Chico is also a composer of originality and maturity.
 Djabe
Jazz Beyond Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 8pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Djabe is one of the most invited and popular Hungarian jazz bands at international festivals. In the last three years, the band has played in 20 countries in Europe and North America. Djabe's music mixes elements of jazz, Hungarian, and World music. The band has played with such artists as Steve Hackett, Jamie Cullumn, Sting, Tony Bennett, Clark Terry, and others.
 Eftekasat
Jazz After Dark Stage, Friday, Aug. 8 at 8pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Eftekasat is a professional jazz group from Cairo, Egypt, established in 2001 and already enjoying international attention. The band's seven members play keyboards, bass, drums, guitar, Nay (wood flute), violin, and percussions. Their original compositions find an unorthodox dimension for oriental musical themes through fusion with other musical styles, such as jazz, rock, and Latin.
 Latvian Blues Band
Blue Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 1pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Hailing from Riga, Latvia, the Latvian Blues Band is comprised of Rihards Berzins on keyboards, Janis Bukovskis on guitar and vocals, Janis Kalnins on guitar and vocals, Rolands Saulietis on drums, and Reinis Ozolins on bass guitar. The group bills themselves as a blues/funk/R&B band with influences that include Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, and Little Walter.
LATIN & SALSA
The Latin and Salsa stages are consistently among the festival's most popular venues. Downbeat magazine voted the festival's Latin Stage "best of the nation." No other festival features such extensive salsa and Latin line-ups. Highlights include:
 Claudia Villela
Latin Jazz Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 5pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Claudia Villela's haunting improvisations, her surprising five-octave range, and her gift for evoking her rich musical heritage have earned her an enthusiastic and devoted following, drawn to the magical dimensions of her singing. Critics have described her as intelligent, seductive, and "the biggest expression of Brazilian music in the US today."
 Bobby Matos
Latin Jazz Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Bobby Matos began playing music by beating on pans in Grandma's apartment and went on to lessons with conga masters Mongo Santamaria and Patato Valdez. After touring and recording extensively, Bobby began experimenting with an Afro Cuban Jazz band, blending musical elements from Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Santamaria, and the rich legacy of Afro Cuban music.
 Chembo Corniel and Chaworo
Latin Jazz Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 7pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Raised on the Latin beat of the streets of the South Bronx, Wilson "Chembo" Corniel learned his percussive craft from master drummers Tommy Lópoz, Potato, Little Ray Romero, and Cachete Maldonado. Corniel paints a collage of rhythms and forms that capture the reality of the Nuyorican experience in the Big Apple, rendered in a hard-core cutting edge style.
 Avance
Salsa Stage, Sunday, Aug. 10 at 4pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
A 13-piece salsa ensemble from the Bay Area: four electrifying singers, a sizzling horn section, and one of the best rhythm sections on the West Coast. Avance combines and fuses the different styles of salsa. Add some R&B and pop, and you get a premiere salsa band with diversity and innovation.
 Karabali
Salsa Stage, Saturday, Aug. 9 at 6pm
Hear music samples | Watch video | Artist website
Karabali is the Bay Area's newest and hottest Latin dance band. The band is co-led by renowned percussionists Mike Spiro and Karl Perazzo, who have joined forces to create a group specifically for the dancer's enjoyment, all about swing and joyful energy. They describe Karabali's style as "old school" salsa, and they bring to the Bay Area for the first time the traditional NY conjunto sound.
STARS OF TOMORROW
Concerts on the Future of Jazz Stage will feature musicians from the San Jose Jazz education programs and some of the brightest young talents of the Bay Area. Performers include Yuma Sung with the San Jose Jazz Youth Orchestra, Gail Dobson's 3 Generations of Jazz, and combos from SJ Jazz's Summer Jazz Camp.
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other festival events and tips
Information to enrich and simplify your festival experience
THE GALA
The festival will kick off with a Cuban-themed gala and special event fundraiser at San Jose's Mexican Heritage Plaza on Saturday, August 2. The event, entitled "Havana Nights," will feature a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, and dancing -- all drenched in the complex, vibrant sounds of Cuban jazz from two great bands: Tito y su Son Cubano and Orquesta y Moderna Tradicion. Check out more info about the gala.
THE CLUB CRAWL
On Friday and Saturday, the sound of jazz vibrates in downtown bars, restaurants, and hotels. For its second edition, the club crawl returns with even more venues included. See the festival website for more information.
FRIDAY EVENING DANCE PARTY
Friday's main stage is a dance party -- The VIP reserved seating area in front of the main stage will be turned into a dance floor and open to everyone. Music: Joe Ferrari Swing Band at 5pm; Orquesta d'Soul at 6:45pm; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at 8:30pm
MEMBERSHIP -- DO THE MATH
Admission to the Festival is $10, or $25 for all 3 days. San Jose Jazz memberships start at $35 and give you full access to the festival, as well as many other benefits.
SJ Jazz members will receive their wristbands and festival programs in advance, for a head start on making the most of all the festival has to offer. Members also enjoy no lines, special treats, useful information, attractive discounts, VIP hospitality and congeniality. Add to that the year-round perqs, like ticket discounts and incentives for other San Jose Jazz events, and the benefits are overwhelming. Let us take care of you: find out more info about membership, and then either call 408 288 7557 ext. 2335 or sign up online!
TRAVEL -- ROOMS STARTING AT $89
Book your accommodations for the festival weekend now and benefit from discounted rates in downtown hotels. Reserve online or call the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau at 408.792.4168.
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about San Jose Jazz
San Jose Jazz is a 22 year old public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting jazz through performance and education to enrich the lives of the people in our community. MORE INFO
Header image by Walter Wagner.
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19th Comcast Jazz Festival Sponsors
- Diamond sponsors: Comcast, Southwest Airlines
- Platinum sponsors: Bottomley, CBS5, City of San Jose, City of San Jose's Redevelopment Agency, Univision, VTA
- Gold sponsors: Adobe, Applied Materials, The Mercury News, Save the Music, Yamaha Drums, Yamaha Piano
- Silver sponsors: Lincoln Mercury, Sun Microsystems
- Bronze sponsors: The Hoffman Agency, Latin Percussion, The Tech Museum
- Media partners: Ace Rail, Artsopolis, Caltrain, Capital Corridor, Jazz Times, Morfmobile.com, Silicon Valley Business Journal
- Travel and hospitality partners: Poor House Bistro, San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau, San Jose Hilton, Santana Row, United Cab Co., Vida Wine Co.
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